TechWeek planned at Marquette Tower next month

As the Marquette Tower is being transformed into the Marquette Tech District — a high-tech hub for startup technology companies — a weeklong festival is planned to celebrate technology and the progression of the district.

Marquette TechWeek will offer networking opportunities for entrepreneurs, educational opportunities for children and give developers, designers, artists, students and researchers a chance to compete for a cash prize.

TechWeek begins July 22 with the Code For Cape Hackathon.

For three days, the free competition will prompt participants to develop solutions to civic problems such as difficulty finding properties owned by licensed landlords, matching volunteers with the appropriate organizations and communication issues during relief operations or between residents and city facilities.

“We have partnered with the city of Cape Girardeau and are inviting teams from anywhere in Southeast Missouri to attend,” James Stapleton, a founding member of Codefi, said in an email.

Winners will receive $5,000 and agree to make their solution available via open-source repositories.

Teams also may work with the city to enter into service agreements to develop and implement technology solutions, Stapleton said.

Teams must register at the Code Cape website. More information may be found at codeforcape.devpost.com.

On July 23, the focus of TechWeek will turn to a younger crowd, with Code-Cape Youth Code Studio.

The program from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Codefi offices at 339 Broadway will allow children from third to eighth grades to hone programming skills.

Stapleton said Codefi has offered youth programs that have proved to be popular, but this is the first youth program hosted as a part of the new initiative, Code Cape, in partnership with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce.

Children wishing to participate should have an interest in computers and games such as Minecraft or Flappy Bird, Stapleton said, but the Code Studio program serves as an excellent introduction to programming.

Tickets for the event are $35.

A Tech Talk is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 26 in the Codefi offices.

Touted as “TED for geeks,” the presentation will offer insights from innovators in programming.

After the event, participants are invited to Broadway Biergarten to meet investors, mentors, employers and other tech-minded people.

On July 27, local entrepreneurs will join together for a 1 Million Cups.

Founders of Cape Crucible, a new maker space in the Marquette Tower, will discuss their startup, which board secretary Charlie Wallgren said was “a bit like a gym, but instead of exercise equipment and personal trainers, we provide tools and equipment for individuals or groups to work on technical projects.”

Wallgren said the work-space startup also offers “ad hoc seminars on technical topics that may be of general interest.”

All this will lead up to the penultimate TechWeek event and the final public event of the celebratory week: Marquette TechFest.

Beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. July 28, TechFest will allow attendees a chance to view the second-floor maker space and the sixth-floor Codefi co-working business center before adjourning to the rooftop for a program at 7:30 p.m.

That will be followed by the lighting of the building at 8 p.m. when, according to the Marquette Tech District website, Jerry Howe, CEO of Big River Communications, will flip the switch that “lights up the Marquette Tower with Gigabit internet service.”

An after-party will follow on the rooftop and ground floor of the Marquette Tower. Tickets for the event are $75.

Participants in the latest round of 1st50K will be at TechFest to discuss their projects before they compete for $100,000 in cash and services in the 1st50K Pitch Competition on July 29 during a private event that ends the TechWeek Festivities.

Marquette TechWeek is hosted by the Marquette Tech District Foundation, with lead sponsor Codefi.

Stapleton said TechWeek is expected to be an annual event moving forward.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

339 Broadway, Cape Girardeau

338 Broadway, Cape Girardeau