TechTrends 2024; Atlantic City, April 3-4, 2024 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Conference Center

SMART is re-starting our founding TechTrends series of major annual events addressing current tech enterprise opportunities (both public and private) and as important, the significant tech workforce requirements.

This R&D-focused series was conducted from 1999 to 2004 in Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Wilmington and Pittsburgh. It was replaced by an annual procurement-focused series, SMART PROC GOVCON, from 2004 to the present held in Frederick MD to leverage Washington DC proximity for our Federal speakers. We will re-start TechTrends 2024 in Atlantic City in the Spring and retain SMART PROC GOVCON in the Fall.

Current planning is ongoing for the April 3-4, 2024 re-start of TechTrends 2024 in Atlantic City. Besides the NJ Host Committee, State-wide working committees are being formed in DE, MD & PA to ensure participation and prepare to host as we rotate among the States; TechTrends 2025 will be in Baltimore MD.

In summary, the two-day event features:

• Morning and afternoon plenary sessions followed by three concurrent breakout sessions.
• Mid-day and late afternoon specific exhibit time; exhibit hall open all day of course.
• First day evening dinner w/ major keynote (US Sec of the Navy invited, among others).
• Closing reception in exhibit hall; Gov Murphy invited to “pass TechTrends” to MD Gov Moore for 2025.

The current 6 Plenary topics are Congress/States, Major Businesses, IT/AI, Manufacturing, VIP Dinner and Closing Reception (NJ & MD Governors, Invited).

• Speaker invitations are out to all and responses expected soon; stay tuned.

The 12 current breakout topics are Advanced Manufacturing, Women In S&T, Cyber/HLS, Bio/Pharma, Veterans, International, Energy/Environ, Health Care, Ag/Food Tech, Transportation/Infrastructure, Defense and STEM Educ/Workforce Development. These topics may change as major sponsorships develop.

• In closing on TechTrends, please contact SMART Executive Director, Robert Carullo, for details on the above planning, participation and sponsorships at 609-304-2904.
• Again, DE, MD, NJ & PA committees have started; especially NJ Host Committee with TechTrends 2024 Chairman Upendra Chivukula (Retired: NJ BPU Commissioner, NJ Assembly and Bell Labs).

Drive for Data Across America series is in the planning stages for a several local Mid-Atlantic drives prior to the above annual TechTrends and followed by a significant Spring of 2024 series that will launch this national program. See the Program’s menu tab for details on SMART’s top priority program.