Starting in 2024, the Austin Technology Council will be launching the “AUSTIN TECH HALL OF FAME” and the “FIRST TIME FOUNDER AWARD”.
(Actually – we are apparently re-launching this idea…as in preparing to announce the Austin Tech Hall of Fame, it turns out the Austin Technology Council started this for one year in 2013. We are in the process of seeing if it was done any other years, and currently only one entry appears in a Google search: Bill Wood, of Silverton Partners was announced as the first member of ATC’s Austin Tech Hall of Fame in May (and a tweet was sent by Kip McClanahan on 5/13/13 congratulation Wood for this honor). Because of this – Bill Wood will automatically be added to the original group of legacy inductees and anyone else we can discover that was inducted will automatically be included.
This Hall of Fame, and this new award are being created by the Austin Technology Council, and we hope to partner with some other organizations in Austin.
The purpose of the Austin Tech Hall of Fame is to honor the people who have come before that contributed to the Austin technology community growing into the international tech city that it is today.
For the first four years we will induct five “Legacy Hall of Fame Honorees” (those who made their mark with their success and contribution to the tech community before 2020, and one current honoree (who is making a giant business and civic impact in present time). The Legacy Hall of Fame honorees will cap out at 20 members. Nominations can be submitted by anyone in the community during the nomination period (Dates TBD), and for the initial year will be voted on by the board of directors of the Austin Technology Council.
The First Time Founder Award will be celebrated and presented at the same event as the Hall of Fame, and will be awarded to a local tech entrepreneur who is serving in the CEO role of his tech company. The requirement is that this must be the first time he or she has founded a company that has achieved funding or grew above 10 employees. The criteria of this will be determined before the nomination period by the board of the Austin Technology Council, and for the first year will be voted on by the ATC board of directors.
In future years, 2025 and beyond, the ATC will from a committee and select outside judges.
The event itself, for the first year, will be a simple cocktail reception to be held at a location TBD (The ATC wants to create something long lasting, and is not looking to get ahead of our skis). This will not be at a fancy hotel or club for the venue…but something reflective of our tech community. We are open to suggestions. Any tech company who has an appropriate space that would like to host the first year’s event should let us know. For subsequent years the location and style of the event will be determined by the committee.
The Austin Technology Council is excited to begin this new legacy event that will be scheduled for May or June 2024. Unlike our first attempt, we want to induct several people the first few years to be sure to honor as many people who have impacted our community over thirty years.
Stay tuned to the ATC newsletter and social media for upcoming announcements about this exciting new program. Anyone in the tech community can submit nominations.
For more information, or if you want to sponsor this event (or for other organizations, if you want to be a community partner) contact Thom Singer at Thom @AustinTechnologyCouncil.org.