Gov. Markell, others weigh in on Delaware’s 2014 tech scene

Technology left its mark on Delaware in 2014.
This year, we’ve seen a community solidify around innovation in Wilmington and a growing emphasis on technology and entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware. We’ve seen startups rise, technologists and entrepreneurs awarded and plans unveiled for campus expansions.
In the first few months of Technical.ly Delaware, we’ve met dozens of startups hoping to solve problems and hundreds of technologists and administrators leading the charge across the state.
With the end of the year in sight, we asked three leaders to share their thoughts about what went down in Delaware this year.
You’ll hear from Gov. Jack Markell; Start It Up Delaware Chairman Jon Brilliant; and Mac Nagaswami, founder of Carvertise.

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What is the biggest story in Delaware’s tech scene this year?

Markell: One of the biggest tech stories for Delaware this year would be the state’s top ranking in terms of broadband speed, along with our expansion of high-speed, broadband access in Sussex County.

Brilliant: Community. This year saw the relaunch of Start It Up Delaware’s coworking space, The Loft, the launch of 1313 Innovation, the launch of the Venture Development Center at the Horn Program for Entrepreneurship at the Lerner College of Business at the University of Delaware, the the launch of 1 Million Cups of Coffee in Wilmington, and the opening of the STAR Campus at the University of Delaware. All of these are playing their part in building a burgeoning startup tech scene here in Delaware.

Nagaswami: Biggest Delaware story of 2014 — the opening of SIUD. While in it’s infancy now, this is going to be the center of entrepreneurial innovation in Delaware. A much needed step for Delaware to start nurturing innovation and entrepreneurism.

What’s going to be big in Delaware in 2015?

Markell: Looking forward, we see the continued, tech-fueled growth of the sharing economy as something to pay close attention to in 2015. The potential of the sharing economy is extraordinary, both because it provides consumers with access to a wider range of goods and services, which spurs more economic activity, and because it empowers millions of people with dormant assets to increase their income and realize more of their economic potential.

Brilliant: The further building of our community and anticipate one or two breakout startups coming out of the community.

Nagaswami: Cnvrg, Kurbi and Ellen Kullman.