Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host Allie Johnston welcomes back to the show Kris Adams, Director of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference, and it serves to further enhance, diversify and catalyze the economy of Bentonville and the Northwest Arkansas region. Throughout the episode, Kris breaks down what it takes to plan the NWA Tech Summit–and he shares what attendees may expect from this year’s gathering, the positive impact this important annual event has on the NWA community and why tech startups and scaleups are relocating, launching and growing in Bentonville.

Thanks for tuning in!

‍Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(1:00) Introduction to Kris Adams
(3:54) Kris’ Role as Director of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
(5:44) Planning the NWA Tech Summit
(6:50) Importance of the NWA Tech Summit
(10:05) This Year’s NWA Tech Summit Theme
(15:51) The NWA Tech Summit’s First AI Series
(19:31) The Rise, Evolution and Implementation of GPT
(24:05) Kris’ XPONENTIAL Speaking Opportunity
(26:02) Why Bentonville Is the Ideal Home for Tech Companies
(29:44) #BecauseBentonville Story
(33:37) Closing Question
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‍Links‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍‍‍
‍ALLIE JOHNSTON
KRIS ADAMS
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT

Quotes
“I think the way I contribute to making Bentonville better is that the Tech Summit, while it is the Heartland’s premier technology conference, it’s not really a conference. What we’re building is more than that. We’re building a tech community here, and that’s what I love being a part of.” – Kris Adams, (4:58)

“It’s important for us to highlight [Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas], but it’s really for the tech community because you might think you need to relocate to Silicon Valley or New York City…but in Northwest Arkansas you can enjoy the trails and the art and the local culture that you can’t find anywhere else. So it’s important to tell that story as part of the Tech Summit.” – Kris Adams, (7:21)
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“There’s a great quality of life here. There are places you can go and have office space available. There’s trails and bike paths to clear your head and get a fresh perspective. There’s just a lot of great reasons to be here in Northwest Arkansas, and anyone launching their company or looking to relocate should check us out here.” – Kris Adams, (26:52)

‍Exploring the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit with Kris Adams
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host Allie Johnston welcomes back to the show Kris Adams, Director of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference, and it serves to further enhance, diversify and catalyze the economy of Bentonville and the Northwest Arkansas region. Throughout the episode, Kris breaks down what it takes to plan the NWA Tech Summit–and he shares what attendees may expect from this year’s gathering, the positive impact this important annual event has on the NWA community and why tech startups and scaleups are relocating, launching and growing in Bentonville.

The Year of the Machines
As the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit celebrates its tenth anniversary, the theme of this year’s summit is The Year of the Machines. This is a result of the recent progression of artificial intelligence systems and how robots, machines and smart software might automate a lot of the processes driving today’s technology. Additionally, this year’s content tracks include:
       — Security and Privacy
       — Retail Innovation
       — Startup and Scaleup
       — Smart Community
       — Advancing Health Access, Equity and Outcomes
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The summit will take place Sunday, October 29, through Wednesday, November 1, at the Rogers Convention Center, with evening activities being held in Downtown Bentonville. It’s an all-inclusive event, meaning anybody from C-suite executives to high school students participate side-by-side, feeding off a shared interest in modern technology.

“I think the way I contribute to making Bentonville better is that the Tech Summit, while it is the Heartland’s premier technology conference, it’s not really a conference. What we’re building is more than that. We’re building a tech community here, and that’s what I love being a part of.” – Kris Adams, (4:58)

The NWA Tech Summit’s Impact
The local impact of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit is significant and compelling, with attendance from Fortune 500s headquartered here, including Walmart, Tyson and JB Hunt, along with other global companies that have hubs and teams here, including Google, Salesforce, Zebra, IBM and Microsoft. Furthermore, last year’s conference boasted more than 1700 attendees from 27 different states and 137 presenters.

Although the NWA Tech Summit’s goal is to highlight technology, it also aims to showcase why Northwest Arkansas is a great place to live and work, and play, as well as a great place to raise a family, build a company or start a career. Bentonville is an ideal location for a technology startup to develop, grow and scale because there are multiple pathways to funding and a very high density of entrepreneurial support organizations, such as the Fuel, Plug And Play and FemHealth Founders accelerators, among others.

“It’s important for us to highlight [Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas], but it’s really for the tech community because you might think you need to relocate to Silicon Valley or New York City…but in Northwest Arkansas you can enjoy the trails and the art and the local culture that you can’t find anywhere else. So it’s important to tell that story as part of the Tech Summit.” – Kris Adams, (7:21)
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Get Connected!
‍Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories and advice from the entrepreneurs, business executives and community leaders who are sparking the rise of Bentonville. If you are interested in discussing whether your business should have a presence in Bentonville or would like to discuss this podcast, please contact James Bell. You may reach James at jbell@greaterbentonville.com or (479) 273-2841.