Techweek Highlights Detroit Tech Scene
By Edward Cardenas
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - The latest in apps, high-flying drones and the latest in investments in the city of Detroit were on display Thursday at Ford Field for Techweek Detroit.
The week-long conference moved to the home of the Detroit Lions for a variety of summits to discuss the developments in the tech scene in Detroit, host a pitch competition for up-and-coming businesses and displays some of the latest hi-tech gadgets.
Among the top announcements at the event was made by Verizon, which hosted the Emerging City Summit, where the telecommunications company announced it has invested $100 million into the city of Detroit.
The investment not only was meant to improve the company's wireless network throughout the city to help improve service for customers, but also to make city services smarter.
Verizon Regional president Lauren Love-Wright said these improvements could benefit Detroit by enhancing the city's infrastructure as it works to improve city services.
"We believe that the community is going to come back stronger than it has been ever been before," said Love-Wright. "If the infrastructure isn't there, it's going to limit its growth. We don't want to be one of the reasons Detroit can't grow to its full potential."
Verizon has been in contact with city officials in Detroit, and other communities in the region, about developing smart cities where wireless networks are used to let municipalities to connect with fire hydrants and know if they are functional, street lights that have the ability to also be equipped with speakers to share public service announcements and smart parking lots with dimming lights and sensors to determine how many spots are available.
Creating a smart city was only part of the discussion during the event where opportunities for entrepreneurs were highlighted by officials from Detroit and even international efforts with Canada.
In addition to discussions about the opportunities available in Detroit, those who are making the next generation of products and apps displayed their creations.
Drones from the Detroit Aircraft Corp. flew across the football field as the company officials showed the clarity of the attached camera and thermal camera; linkies officials showed how their company can curate social media posts and be displayed on screens (which includes the #onepride effort at Lions games), and Quikly described its latest campaign with DSW which will give one lucky winner a trip to see Taylor Swift and a variety of prizes for those who didn't win the trip to see the music superstar.
The expo and summit also allowed presenters and attendees to highlight how technology is used in their business, along with gaining new insight and possibly creating new partnerships.
"The heart of Priority Health's mission is to improve the health of the communities that we serve, and that is what innovation fuels at Priority Health but also is very synergistic with what is going on at Techweek in Detroit," said Krischa Winright, CIO at Priority Health. "We are here to fuel innovation and start-ups in the Detroit area to better business and better fuel the economy of the state of Michigan. We are completely and wholly aligned with the mission of the event."
Techweek continues Friday with hiring fair, entrepreneurship summit and a tech wearables fashion show.
