DEPARTMENT: Information & Technology Services Department (ITSD)
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Craig Hopkins, Chief Information Officer
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
SUBJECT:
Update of the CivTechSA program and year-one summary.
SUMMARY:
This item will provide a summary of year one of the CivTechSA program to the Committee.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
CivTechSA
The mission of the CivTechSA Program is to connect students, companies, and the tech community with the City of San Antonio to solve community challenges and grow civically-minded tech talent. The Program is a partnership between the CoSA’s Office of Innovation and Geekdom, a co-working space and leader within the local entrepreneur and technology communities. This program is dedicated to building a city of problem solvers by working with entrepreneurs and students to find real, impactful solutions to current civic challenges, and actively grow the startup and technology ecosystems in San Antonio.
In its first year, CivTechSA engaged 250 participants and 10 City departments, and formed partnerships with 15 local schools, universities, entrepreneur-focused programs, and other organizations. A total of 13 civic challenges were addressed during the first year of the program. The goal of the CivTechSA Program’s first year was to build foundational excitement and engagement, which was accomplished through roughly 30 local and national news stories, 26 blogs on its website, and more than 781 followers across its social media channels.
In addition to building its brand, CivTechSA implemented the following projects in 2018:
• Website & Online Engagement
• Developed 6th-12th grade Education Partnerships with SA Works, Brackenridge High School, Southwest High School and Youth Code Jam
• Developed Higher Education Partnerships with University of Texas San Antonio, Trinity University and University of the Incarnate Word
• Hosted an Ideathon, a CivTechSA Startup Weekend and SmartSA Datathon,
• Executed two 16-week Startup Residencies
ISSUE:
CivTechSA is a unique program that seeks to connect and develop our student, entrepreneur and tech communities while tackling City challenges. Goals of the CivTechSA program are to: expand the City’s capacity for innovation; develop customized technology solutions to community challenges; create a tech talent pipeline that fuels startup ecosystem growth; and develop civically-minded business leaders.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing purposes only.