HAYS CALDWELL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership held the eleventh annual Innovation Summit to discuss just that — the new concepts being created by entrepreneurs locally and the ways that area businesses are evolving.
The keynote speaker for the event was Chris Stewart, Freeit Data Solutions chief technology officer. Freeit Data Solutions “offers innovative IT and cybersecurity solutions expertly designed and deployed to help companies better manage, support and secure their data,” according to the website.
“I spent my career bridging the roles of infrastructure and technology with private innovation and growth,” Stewart said. “I’ve had front row seats to the opportunities and challenges that come with rapid growth. I’ve also learned that some of our toughest infrastructure challenges around water, power and technology cannot be solved in isolation. They require collaboration, innovation and trust, and they demand that we stop thinking in terms of short-term fixes and start bringing strong conclusions together. Let’s be clear, though, Central Texas is growing faster than our system was built to handle. From Kyle to Lockhart and Buda to San Marcos, population growth, economic development and digital expansion are reshaping our landscape.”
Stewart discussed the population growth, increased development, increased number of data centers and increased need for water as well as the ways in which these issues could be addressed with the use of technology.
“Here in Central Texas, we’re particularly vulnerable. As development pushes outward and demand rises, many of our systems haven’t kept pace, especially when it comes to monitoring, automation and maintenance,” Stewart said. “We cannot simply build bigger. We have to build smarter. This means integrating technology that increases efficiency, reduces waste and provides data for proactive planning.”
Stewart said the future of Central Texas will not be defined by our problems but the response to those challenges.
“We have the talent, the tenacity and the urgency, as well as the know-how; what we need now is intentionality,” Stewart said. “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We just have to apply the best of what’s already working in Texas, across the country and around the globe to the environment and for the good of our communities. We have the tools, we have the knowledge, we have the opportunity — most importantly. Let’s lead not just in growth, but in how we manage that growth.”
Harold Strong, STAR Park executive director, moderated a panel discussion composed of Stewart, Christopher Reyes, Material Hybrid Manufacturing CTO and co-founder, and Ralph Stillinger, with Zenner USA. The panel explored the different ways technology can eliminate and/or alleviate some of the issues that we are experiencing locally and across society as whole.
The Dick Burdick award for innovation was given to Quantum Copper CEO David Irvin. Quantum Copper is “an emerging global supplier of high-performing fireretardant components for batteries,” according to the website.
