March yourself to these 21 tech community events

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The old saying goes “March goes in like a lion, out like a lamb,” but the weather isn’t the only thing changing this month — you can transform your business and career thanks to an exciting slate of local tech community events across the mid-Atlantic.

If you’re a founder looking for guidance and resources for your startup, there are panels and workshops to help you find funding, refine your pitch and navigate your company’s growing pains. And if you’re a technologist working to increase your knowledge, there are webinars on the latest AI trends, info sessions on coding bootcamps and mixers to grow your network. No matter your goals, this rundown has what you need to unleash your inner lion (or lamb).

Check out the links below and browse the Technical.ly Company Directory for more info on the host orgs. For more local tech community events (or to promote your own), visit the Technical.ly Events Board.

Wednesday, Mar. 5

• PCI Ventures Office Hours with Yi-Yen Chen (Virtual) — “Meet virtually with a member of the PCI Ventures team to discuss your business questions on topics ranging from company formation and legal agreements to benefits and insurance.” Hosted by Penn Center for Innovation.
• AI: It’s All About the Data — “Join us for a discussion of the latest developments impacting AI solutions and associated data—from use cases to the overall landscape.” Hosted by Morgan Lewis.

Thursday, Mar. 6

• Unlocking Value: Developing an Effective IP Strategy for Business Success — “Are you looking to protect and leverage your innovative ideas and technologies? Join us for a dynamic session on Building an IP Strategy that will equip you with the knowledge and tools to strategically plan and manage your intellectual property. In this presentation, our experts will guide you through the essential steps of developing a robust IP strategy for your startup. We will help you identify and prioritize valuable IP assets, enabling you to fully capitalize on your innovations.” Hosted by University City Science Center.
• Fasten Your Seatbelts: Health Tech Founders on the Messy Middle — “You’ve built something great—now what? The hardest part isn’t innovation, it’s adoption. Breaking through the messy middle means navigating complex regulations, securing funding, and proving long-term value. Startups that scale don’t just build—they adapt. As Science Center CEO and President, Tiffany Wilson, points out, founders who master capital efficiency, deep customer alignment, and the shift from founder to CEO are the ones who break through. This series brings those lessons to life—spotlighting founders tackling these challenges in real-time.” Hosted by University City Science Center.
• The US Government Embraces AI: Opportunities, Requirements, and Risk — “The US Department of Defense and federal civilian agencies are focused on incorporating AI into their platforms while collaborating with industry to advance AI-powered solutions. While these developments present opportunities for companies to grow their customer base and access new funding, they can also pose challenges in safeguarding intellectual property and ensuring compliance with export control requirements.” Hosted by Morgan Lewis.

Tuesday, Mar. 11

• TEDCO’s DefTech Monthly Office Hours — “Come to the office hours to discuss how DefTech can support your business by leveraging cutting-edge technology, facilities, equipment, and expertise found in the Maryland Department of Defense Labs.” Hosted by TEDCO.

Wednesday, Mar. 12

• PCI Ventures Office Hours with Melisa Lopez-Anton (Virtual) — “Meet virtually with a member of the PCI Ventures team to discuss your business questions on topics ranging from company formation and legal agreements to benefits and insurance.” Hosted by Penn Center for Innovation.
• Zip Code Virtual Admissions Session — “Get information about both 12-week programs during this session. Our Candidate Recruiter will cover the curriculum, financial assistance, job placement and more! Zip Code Wilmington now offers two 12-week immersive coding programs! The Java bootcamp teaches object-oriented programming with a focus on Java, one of the most in-demand and highest paying programming languages in the country. The Data Engineering and Analytics bootcamp focuses on data engineering methods and processes, database setup, and R programming with an introduction to Python. Both programs are held Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm (Tuesdays & Thursdays are 8am-5pm). There are also required evening sessions 1-2 nights a week.” Hosted by Zip Code Wilmington

Tuesday, Mar. 18

• Copyright and AI: Controlling Rights and Managing Risk — “The relevance of copyright law to the future of AI can hardly be overstated. Key issues include whether the foundational practice of training large language models constitutes infringement or fair use, and whether AI-generated output can be registered and protected. Additional concerns involve whether AI output infringes copyright; misappropriates name, image, and/or likeness rights; or qualifies as fair use. These are all issues that will impact content creators, content users, and AI service providers globally. Join us for a lively discussion on copyright law, current AI litigations, and legislative developments that may influence creative industries, technology companies, and society at large for years to come.” Hosted by Morgan Lewis.
• M&A Considerations Across the Evolving Life Sciences Sector — “Join Laurie Burlingame and Luciana Griebel for an overview of current market trends in M&A and partnerships within the life sciences sector.” Hosted by Morgan Lewis.

Wednesday, Mar. 19

• Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Forum — “CONNECTpreneur Forums are bi-monthly in person networking mashups, which have been attended by over 30,000 business leaders over the past 13 years.” Hosted by CONNECTpreneur with partnership from NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers.
• PitchMasters —  “At this virtual, workshop-style event, companies seeking to become ‘pitch-perfect’ will present their investor decks to the group and receive feedback to help refine their pitch before they go in front of investors. This is a great opportunity for companies to get ready for that ‘ask.’ Founders receive 6 minutes to pitch and 5 minutes of feedback.” Hosted by NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers.
• Data Center Operations: The Vendor Perspective — “Data center operations are the systems, processes, and workflows that keep a data center running. Data center operators rely on a wide range of internal and third-party services to ensure reliability, protection, and efficiency, including utilities, connectivity, facilities management, equipment maintenance, automation, and security. Join us for a discussion of the issues impacting data center operators when they contract with third parties.” Hosted by Morgan Lewis.

Thursday, Mar. 20

• Speak with Confidence: Engaging Your Audience & Owning Your Message — “Whether giving an update to your board, leading a team, or sharing the impact of your innovation, your voice is one of your most powerful tools. In this interactive session, Maiken Scott—host and executive producer of WHYY’s weekly health and science show The Pulse—will share expert strategies for speaking with confidence while staying true to your authentic self. Drawing from her extensive experience in radio and storytelling, Maiken will also dive into vocal techniques that enhance delivery, helping you refine your message, connect with your audience, and communicate in a way that inspires action.” Hosted by University City Science Center.
• Fasten Your Seatbelts: Health Tech Founders on the Messy Middle — “You’ve built something great—now what? The hardest part isn’t innovation, it’s adoption. Breaking through the messy middle means navigating complex regulations, securing funding, and proving long-term value. Startups that scale don’t just build—they adapt. As Science Center CEO and President, Tiffany Wilson, points out, founders who master capital efficiency, deep customer alignment, and the shift from founder to CEO are the ones who break through. This series brings those lessons to life—spotlighting founders tackling these challenges in real-time.” Hosted by University City Science Center.
• FDA’s Regulatory Policies Impacting the Rise of AI in Intelligent Medical Product Development and Operations — “AI, machine learning (ML), and other digital health technologies have the potential to transform healthcare by accelerating the development of new medical products, including both pharmaceuticals and medical devices; optimize medical product operations; and revolutionize healthcare delivery. As these advanced technologies become more prevalent in the medical space, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been updating its regulatory policies to keep pace. This webinar will discuss the FDA’s policies on the use of AI/ML for pharmaceutical and medical device development and operations, how the FDA regulates AI/ML intended for health-related uses, and recent FDA developments related to AI/ML.” Hosted by Morgan Lewis.

Wednesday, Mar. 26

• TEDCO’s Investment Open Forum — “Come to the Open Forum to discuss topics related to venture capital investing and learn more about the TEDCO Investment Funds.” Hosted by TEDCO.
• PCI Ventures Office Hours with Bhavana Mohanraj (Virtual) — “Meet virtually with a member of the PCI Ventures team to discuss your business questions on topics ranging from company formation and legal agreements to benefits and insurance.” Hosted by Penn Center for Innovation.
• Women in STEM ~ Pathways for Women in STEM: Exploring Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship — “The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (OAA EOP) will host this annual program to celebrate Women’s History Month.  Women in STEM is open to the Penn community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, partnering institutions, and members of the external Penn community. Now in its tenth year, this year’s program will focus on the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI), Penn’s one-stop solution for technology commercialization and entrepreneurship.” Hosted by Penn Center for Innovation.
• AI and Algorithmic Pricing: Recent Antitrust Developments — “Please join us as we discuss the latest developments in antitrust cases and proposed regulations involving algorithmic pricing, the Trump-Vance administration’s approach to AI, and the potential antitrust implications for companies that are using or plan to use AI tools.” Hosted by Morgan Lewis.

Friday, Mar. 28

• Founders Q&A with Anthony Millin — “An open session for founders to ask serial entrepreneur, venture capital partner, startup attorney, and Founder of NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers Anthony Millin questions about launching and growing a company.” Hosted by NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers.

Looking to get out more in your local tech community? Explore the Technical.ly Company Directory to learn about orgs making moves in the ecosystem and the Technical.ly Events Board to find opportunities to connect.