Events Roundup: Big tech parties and conferences are coming to Pittsburgh this June

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

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The weather’s heating up and so are community events for Pittsburgh tech.

Instead of the usual coworking or networking events that happen nearly every month in Pittsburgh, the highlights for June include two big conferences, one party and one grand opening celebration. Our big takeaway from that: Everyone wants to get down to business in strengthening the community, and have fun doing it.

Whether it’s the first conference for a revitalized organization, the launch of a newcomer to the local tech and manufacturing scene or the celebration of a longtime entrepreneurship hub, June’s calendar looks like a big party for Pittsburgh tech. So join in on any of these events as local industry leaders enjoy the fruits of their labor over the past couple of years, and hunker down to plan for what lies ahead.

Digital Foundry Grand Opening

The Digital Foundry at New Kensington — an initiative in collaboration and innovation for manufacturing from Penn State University New Kensington and the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland — is finally opening. Its initial launch will occur at an invite-only event for media and certain community members, and will feature speakers like Penn State University President Neeli Bendapudi and Richard King Mellon Foundation Executive Director Sam Reiman. A community open house will also occur at the foundry this month on the evening of June 24 as part of New Kensington’s Friday on Fifth.

• Wednesday, June 1, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
• Digital Foundry at New Kensington, 851 Fifth Ave., New Kensington, PA 15068
• Invite-only, free to attend

Recruitment strategy tips at Ascender

Looking to build your team amid an ongoing tech labor shortage? Ascender has the event for you. Next month, the innovation community hub will host an in-person session on “Creating a Recruitment Strategy that Scales With You.” The session will feature longtime HR pro Tiffany Castagno, who is also the founder and CEO of HR consulting firm CEPHR. This event is in-person and requires proof of vaccination to attend. Masks are strongly encouraged as well.

• Thursday, June 9, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206
• Free to attend

2022 Pittsburgh TechFest

The annual Pittsburgh TechFest, hosted by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, is back to bring together leading technologists and industry companies in the area, including representatives from Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sparq Designs, FedEx, Aspirant, Tech Elevator and more. Specific focus areas for this year are cybersecurity, return to work policies, new innovations on the blockchain, agile project management and coding tools. This event is a can’t-miss for anyone looking to advance their career in local tech.

• Saturday, June 11, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• LaRoche University, 9000 Babcock Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA, 15327
• $35 per person

PART’s Responsible Tech Summit

The Partnership to Advance Responsible Technology (PART) will host its inaugural one-day conference to discuss responsible uses of technology in Pittsburgh and beyond. PART told Technical.ly earlier this year about plans to make the conference an annual occurrence, after releasing a comprehensive report on responsible uses of tech in Pittsburgh. This first event will feature panel discussions, fireside chats and a keynote address from the University of Virginia’s Renée Cummings, who is an instructor and data activist there. Plus, to top it all off, the event will take place at one of the most beautiful botanical sites in the city.

• Tuesday, June 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1 Schenley Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
• $75 per person

Nerd Nite

This lecture series/networking mixer focused on science, technology and pop culture — or any other topic worth being nerdy about — is picking up its activity in Pittsburgh. Since September, the local chapter has hosted three events, with the most recent taking place at the end of April. In June it will return to bring together discussions on galactic supernovas, bladders and the perils of using free WiFi. While not a tech industry event per se, this is a great chance to have some fun with others working in the science and technology space.

• Thursday, June 16, 6:30 to 10 p.m.
• Spirit Hall, 242 51st St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201
• $7 per person

Ascender 10th Anniversary Celebration

One of Pittsburgh’s favorite tech and innovation community hubs has been around for a decade, and it’s throwing a party to celebrate. This fun event will feature a yoga paint party, a content creation station, an absinthe-tasting demo, a steelpan demonstration and performance and a chance to upgrade your headshot with a professional photographer. Food will be provided by St. Clair Social and Made by Marla Mae, with beer from Arboretum Trail Brewing and cocktails courtesy of Wigle Whiskey. This party is sure to bring together some of the longtime leaders of Pittsburgh’s innovation community, so be sure to attend if you’re looking to get involved.

• Saturday, June 18, 7 to 10 p.m.
• Ascender, 6401 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206
• $75 per person for a regular ticket or $125 per person for a VIP ticket

Sophie Burkholder is a 2021-2022 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Heinz Endowments.