PUSH Tech 2020, a one-day conference created by Rainbow Push, filled the Hyatt Regency San Francisco with a multitude of corporate executives, venture capitalists, app developers, ad agencies, media and others, for the purpose of creating new connections and learning ways to do business with the top tech companies in the world, including Intel, Apple, HP, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Salesforce, Yelp, Cisco, Pandora, Twitter and more. There was also a $10,000 pitch competition which was won by eHarvestHub, an app that allows growers to more efficiently track and manage their fresh produce as it moves from farm to market while also helping them promote and strengthen their brand at the same time.
Intel CEO announced a partnership with the Oakland school district that will provide 2,400 students with guaranteed jobs if they go through summer programs with Intel and finish school. This goes along with the supplier and employment goals previously announced by Intel a couple of months ago. It’s an amazing program and the challenge is now for other Silicon Valley firms to follow suit and commit to underserved communities like Intel has. It’s important that we support those organizations that support our community and you can be sure that my next computer will be running on Intel chips and not their competitor.
Panels covered hot tech and money topics, including “The business of Tech: Innovators, Technologists & Entrepreneurs”; “Our Money Where Our Mouths Are – The VC’s and Angels who are Leading Change in Tech Startup Funding”; “From Contacts to Contracts, Supplier Diversity and the Tech Industry”; “There Is No talent Deficit: Entrepreneur Success Stories” and many others.
The day ended with a fun reception at Yelp’s headquarters and the announcement of the pitch competition winners. Only the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners were scheduled to receive a free, high-end HP computer, but with a little prodding from Rev Jackson, HP agreed to reward all 10 of the finalists with a laptop to help support their entrepreneurial efforts. The 2nd and 3rd place finishers also received $2,500.
