Events Roundup: March into spring with these 8 Philly tech and biz events

Events Roundup is a Technical.ly column where we highlight events happening in the Philly area each month. Got a submission? Email us the details so we can consider it for our next roundup: philly@technical.ly.

With the return of (some) warmer temps and longer days this month, we’re also spotting a bunch of very relevant tech and business events — some back IRL after virtual or hybrid options in the past two years.

It’s also Women’s History Month, a great time to talk about how women are investing more, starting more companies and representing a larger portion of the tech workforce than in the past. Below, you’ll find some events focused on the issues that women in STEM careers still face, and ways to improve circumstances. You’ll also find events offering office hours for startups, cybersecurity tips and “career changer” content.

Dig in, folks.

Women in Data Science Worldwide conference

Women in Data Science, the aptly named org serving the growing cohort of women in the industry, is hosting its worldwide conference this month, with a mix of in-person programing at Stanford University and virtual programming on Hopin. Sessions will hit on technical talks, career sessions and networking. The org has a local Philly chapter.

• Monday, March 7
• All day
• Register here

Why, How and Where to Invest in Women-owned Businesses

This ImpactPHL and Impact for Breakfast event, on International Women’s Day, will explore how women are underfunded in the venture capital space, and how investors can change the landscape by broadening their investors. In 2020, only 2.3% of venture capital went to women-led startups, but they were more profitable than their male counterparts, Harvard’s Research Report found. Panelists Chaitali Patel, Mindy Posoff and Judee von Seldeneck will speak with moderator Ruth Shaber about their experiences and how to invest in women-owned businesses.

• Tuesday, March 8
• 1 to 2 p.m.
• Register for the virtual event here

OnRamp Demo Day

OnRamp, a program that aims to increase accessibility to education and opportunities for a wide cross section of Philly founders, will host a Demo Day for participants from the program. Register for the in-person session, to be held during Venture Cafe at the University City Science Center.

• Thursday, March 10
• 6 to 7:45 p.m.
• Free, register here

How to build and communicate an effective cybersecurity strategy

This virtual event by PACT will focus on the challenges, opportunities, ins and out around, indeed, building and communicating an effective cybersecurity strategy. You’ll learn about current threats, the key components of a good strategy, and ways to communicate current risks to your stakeholders. (For advance reading, check out “What will the cybersecurity industry look like in 2022?“)

• Monday, March 15
• 3 to 4 p.m.
• Register here, tickets $5 for non PACT members

Diversitech Summit

Diversity-focused talent platform and community Tribaja is bringing back its Diversitech Summit this month for its second year. The three-day virtual event with an in-person reception in Philadelphia, will focus on “career changer” content — the themes and skills needed to navigate changing a career path or upskilling amid the Great Resignation. This year’s will be the second annual event, and while the main programing is virtual on March 16 through March 18, the last day of the conference will also hold an in-person closing reception at the W Hotel in Philadelphia.

• Wednesday, March 16 through Friday, March 18
• All day
• Tickets are between $10 to $60

US Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Summit 

This US Small Business Administration two-day conference is made up of virtual panels, “Ask an Expert” workshops and fireside chats to help women-owned small businesses build, scale and grow. In-person listening sessions will be held by local hosts, who will be announced closer to the event. Topics the sessions will cover include innovation and investment, building equitable recovery frameworks for women entrepreneurs, ecommerce and the changing landscapes of industries like entertainment and hospitality.

• Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30
• All day
• Free, register here

Bridging the Digital Divide and Access to Equal Opportunity: A Roadmap for Growth

One in six Philadelphia households don’t have high-speed internet. This Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia event will cover how the digital divide impacts Black and Latinx neighborhoods and their ability to grow. At this in-person event at Temple University, learn how internet access can improve education, telehealth, and digital job training and opportunities. Regional leaders will discuss how initiatives like the Affordable Connectivity Program plan will address the digital divide.

• Wednesday, March 30
• 8:30 to 10 a.m.
• Tickets $20

Office Hours: Data Science and Analytics for Startup Success

Local data pro Steve Pisani is hosting an in-person office hours session during Venture Cafe at the end of the month for early-stage startups. You can book 20-minute sessions with Pisani to go over questions like how to capture, manage and extract value from data, how to leverage automation, and “Is my data stack set to scale without issue?” Proof of vaccination is necessary for attendance.

• Thursday, March 31
• 5 to 6 p.m.
• Register for a time here