Welcome to 2020. It's a new year, it's a new decade (depending on who you ask), and it's a new Tech Forum!

That's right; if you missed our annual holiday extravaganza event, we announced some changes for Tech Forum in 2020. We gave you the first look at our new logo and announced that Tech Forum would be changing its format.

We will no longer be a membership-based organization; we will be event-based. We will also be moving from a monthly event to more significant quarterly events.

We understand there are many events and only so much time, so we will be bringing you more significant, more impactful events quarterly. We will also be partnering with several organizations to put together several of our events.

We are in the middle of the branding process and will be launching our new website soon! In the meantime, if you receive an email about membership renewal, please ignore it. Membership has been set to $0. We will be changing platforms altogether, but in the meantime, you may receive a membership alert.

Stay tuned for more exciting news to come!

Jake Ruddy
Tech Forum President

A reboot is in the works at the Technology Forum of Delaware.

Janet Reed, chair, said a rebranding, including a new website, is underway for the nonprofit group. Reed is an attorney at Potter Anderson.

Reed spoke Wednesday at the annual holiday get-together at the University and Whist Club. Reed was joined in the announcement by Jake Ruddy, president. Ruddy is President DE/MD at PCS, a managed service provider.


The Technology Forum is a pioneering group in a fast-moving sector of the economy.

Plans call for the name to be shortened to Tech Forum, a reflection of the regional focus of the group. The Tech Forum name is already in common use. Fewer events will be scheduled for the Technology Forum, which traditionally held networking and presentations on a monthly basis.

The next event, Tech Talks, is slated or March.Tech Talks offer insights, ideas, and inspirations from local and regional technology leaders.

The board of the organization has been working on the new approach for months, according to Ruddy and Reed.

More details on Technology Forum’s plans will be forthcoming.

https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2019/12/reboot-in-works-for-technology-forum/

A Note from the Board

Hi Everyone,

We had a great event this month. Lots of wisdom was shared, and I would be surprised if someone didn’t grab a nugget or two of knowledge to tuck away for later use. Thanks to our event committee and Tonic Bar and Grille for making it happen.

Spring has Sprung, and warmer weather is on the horizon, that means it’s time for Spring into Networking! We are looking forward to seeing you all at Stitch House, April 17th. Last year we had a great turn out, and the food was delicious. What more can you ask for besides good food and drinks with your friends at Tech Forum?

Speaking of which, don’t be surprised if you get a call from our new membership committee. We are on a mission to reach out to you to learn more about what we can do better and what events would interest you. Don’t forget, as a member we start 30 minutes early at 5 pm, you get a discounted ticket, and a free drink. We call that the triple play!

Lastly, the May Tech Showcase still has some openings. If you or someone you know has a new technology related product or service that should be featured, let us know ASAP!

Have a great month,

Jake
President
Tech Forum

“The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don't really even notice it, so it's part of everyday life.” — Bill Gates, Co-founder of Microsoft

#FreedomFriday

Discussing their businesses on Thursday night at the Tonic Bar and Grille in downtown Wilmington were Robert Prybutok established Polymer Technologies Inc., Glasgow and Richard D. Dombrowski
founder
STF Technologies.

Moderator for the Fireside Chat event was Vincent DiFelice of the University of Delaware Horn Program.

Polymer got its start in 1989 and has grown steadily. It now operates from three sites in Glasgow, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

Prybutok credits a detailed business plan for getting Polymer Technologies off to a good start and even had a competitor invest in the company. He has since bought out minority investors, with the family now owning the company.

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” Prybutok said of the 90-hour weeks and sometimes bumpy times that comes with a start-up.

Is also in the early going to not delegate control of the profit and loss statement, Prybutok emphasized. One key decision came in hiring the right people for key roles, even when the company could not afford the positions, he added.

Dombrowski
’s company STF Technology has its roots in University of Delaware research into a material originally viewed as a candidate for body armor.

Dombrowski
said the company was aided by federal efforts to move technology from the lab to its agencies and the overall marketplace.

Unlike Prybutok, Dombrowski did not come up with a detailed business plan, citing the adage of plans never holding up after the “first contact with the enemy.”

STF, a much smaller company than Polymer Technologies, has already seen the value of being flexible.

Instead of its technology ending up in body armor, the first use came in a popular sports bra from Reebok. See story below.

Dombrowski said he has learned that the company was at first too reticent about sharing its technology. With the proper legal agreements in place, partners can find uses for technology that will pay off for both parties.

Dombrowski says he continues to enjoy working at STF, noting that several projects are in the works. He said he still has time to come home at night to his family – one of his original goals.

Both men said Delaware has an infrastructure in place for start-ups and established businesses. Dombrowski said he would like to see more resources in terms of dealing with the red tape and other steps entrepreneurs have taken in establishing a business.