How 4 orgs give back to their local tech community

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As the name implies, a tech ecosystem is a supportive network of individuals and organizations helping each other succeed and grow. The strength of the whole benefits each component, and those that recognize this make an intentional effort to contribute to the overall health of the community.

Few understand this more than Technical.ly’s Preferred Partners, a pre-vetted group of service providers across various industries who support startups, entrepreneurs and technologists with resources including legal guidance, fundraising, tech talent sourcing and more. Many of their programs and initiatives are aimed at social impact and giving back, enabling people from underrepresented backgrounds to access opportunities that would be unavailable to them otherwise.

Take a look at the examples below, and follow the links to their Directory Pages to learn more and explore ways to connect.

Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services — creating tangible value at speed and scale.

“Creating value in communities around the world — from developing skills to supporting refugees — is core to our belief in shared success. We collaborate with our clients, ecosystem and nonprofit partners and others to create positive, lasting change and help build stronger, more vibrant communities.” — Jordan Rambo, office managing director

Ballard Spahr

Ballard Spahr is a national, full service law firm with more than 600 attorneys spread across 15 offices. Its attorneys work with entrepreneurs and emerging companies from ideation through exit and understand how to provide expertise while offering a broad network to help businesses grow and achieve great heights. The firm’s emerging companies and venture capital (ECVC) lawyers also advise venture capital funds and angel investors to help seed ventures from the most nascent stages.

“Through Ballard’s nationally recognized pro bono program, Ballard attorneys provide legal representation to individuals and nonprofits that otherwise would not have access to counsel. About 5% of the total time we spend on legal work annually is in service to pro bono clients. Recognizing that legal barriers can stand in the way of innovation and economic opportunity for those who need it most, we capitalize on the experience of Ballard Spahr attorneys who regularly work with emerging companies to advise low-income entrepreneurs and small business owners in matters like entity formation, compliance, brand protection and data security. To ensure that our legal support has the greatest impact, we frequently partner with business professionals that provide ongoing mentorship to our clients. Through a partnership with Philadelphia Housing Authority, for example, we host an annual legal clinic for housing authority residents who are launching small businesses. While they are participating in a fellowship program for entrepreneurs, we help them incorporate the appropriate business entity and address their most pressing legal needs while they are getting their business models off the ground.” — Kimberly Klayman, partner

NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers

Shulman Rogers is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys working from offices in Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia. The firm’s attorneys work collaboratively across practice groups to support national, regional and local clients and respond to all of their legal needs.

“NEXT Powered by Shulman Rogers is deeply committed to the DC metro region startup ecosystem, including strong support for underrepresented founders. NEXT regularly sponsors startup events, provides free webinars for founders, hosts free office hours, donates legal time and services and has created a new model of pricing, packaging and delivering legal services to make quality legal services more attainable for early stage company founders.” — Anthony Millin, founder of NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers, venture capital partner and serial entrepreneur

Zip Code Wilmington

Zip Code Wilmington’s mission is simple — train, place, repeat! Zip Code Wilmington supports the economic development of the greater Wilmington Region by providing accessible and affordable software programming training to high-potential individuals who have the raw talent necessary to become entry level software developers and data engineers.

“Our scholarships enable low-to-middle income Delaware residents to attend our program at no cost, while also providing living stipends. Zip Code empowers students who are under-represented in tech to transform their lives and embark on a new, exciting career as a software developer or data engineer.” — Dan Stabb, director of admissions & professional development

Looking to get involved in your local tech community? Check out other companies in the Technical.ly network here to find out about their missions, cultures and initiatives.

And for more orgs dedicated to supporting the tech community, take a look at Technical.ly’s Preferred Partners list here.

P.S. If you’re curious about Technical.ly’s services for your own org, find more info here and connect with us.