On February 9, Vynyl Partner and VP of Community Nick Crabbs participated in Idaho Business Review’s Breakfast Series panel on tech trends. Nick was joined by Denise Dunlap of Sage Growth Capital, Amy Gile of Silverdraft, Tiam Rastegar of Trailhead Boise, and Robert Poleki of Washie to discuss tech trends in the Boise startup community. The panel was moderated by Bradlee Frazer of Hawley Troxell.
The discussion covered a range of topics affecting the Boise tech community. Meeting over Zoom rather than in-person over breakfast as usual, one of the first topics discussed was of course the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on tech. As Nick noted, digital transformation is even more important now, and he pointed out that “COVID forced some change that probably needed to happen for a while” pointing to the rapid changes in digital healthcare delivery that have become standard practice in the age of social distancing. “When the need was great, people moved fast,” Nick stated.
The panel also tackled other issues of particular interest to the Boise startup community, including the concept of “unicorns” and panelists also identified some of the next big things in Idaho’s tech scene.
The panel also addressed diversity and inclusion, and talked about how to address the state’s increased need for tech talent as the industry continues to grow. Panelists offered a variety of perspectives, and Nick highlighted some of the innovative recruiting measures Vynyl has employed to leverage a talent pool full of diverse ideas and experiences.
For more on the Breakfast Series, and to see the full panel, see Idaho Business Review’s events listings.
