When it comes to technology and startups in the Bay Area, people primarily talk about San Francisco, Silicon Valley and more recently, Oakland. Berkeley’s tech scene, though flourishing and entrepreneurial in its own right, is largely unexamined. Co-hosted by Impact Hub Berkeley and Telegraph Academy, this panel brings together Berkeley-based tech-preneurs, specifically operating in the social enterprise space. Our goal is to go beyond the narrative of technology as inherently good or evil but as a medium that can be harnessed to influence social change. Panelists will share stories of how their work in tech differs from the dominant narrative and uncover Berkeley’s unique position in the tech boom. Does Berkeley’s historical countercultural identity influence tech companies and startups today? How does the scene in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Oakland interact with the landscape in Berkeley?

Panelists:
[more forthcoming]

Jennifer Cogley, Innovation and Sustainable Business Coordinator at City of Berkeley. Jennifer Cogley helps set the direction for local business organizations, with a focus on growing the high-tech industry and promoting sustainability for all sorts of businesses. Jennifer led the effort to build the Berkeley Startup Cluster from an idea into a community of over 300 startups, 6,000 subscribers, and multiple events per week. In 2015 she launched initiatives to connect community college students with high tech startup internships, and co-founded wBerkeley.com, a collaboration to connect and grow Berkeley-based, women-led companies. Next up: Jennifer is managing projects to expand access to high speed fiber in critical business districts and increase use of mass transit through targeted shuttle services.

Albrey Brown, CEO & Founder of Telegraph Academy. [bio forthcoming]

Organizers:

Impact Hub Berkeley is a coworking and events space for entrepreneurs interested in making a social and environmental impact.

Telegraph Academy is a mission-driven, nationally-recognized Reactor Core school that empowers people of color underrepresented in tech to contribute fully to our innovation economy.