xTuple was honored with the Enterprise Innovation Product of the Year Award for their newly released product, xTupleCommerce, an eCommerce platform conceived to give small-to-medium sized manufacturers and distributors, and their entire global supply chain, a head-start over their competition with digital transformation technology. xTuple's business users can now add a new revenue channel, reduce their sales cycles, and engage with customers 24/7, in the same self-service, business-to-consumer (B2C) format we're all used to — with this powerful sales enablement tool. xTupleCommerce is the ONLY business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce Customer Web Portal featuring a real-time open source ERP integration. Accepting for xTuple were founder and CEO Ned Lilly and Josh Fischer, product manager for xTupleCommerce.
NORFOLK, VA
Hampton Roads Tech Expo yields big insights, challenges and awards in Southeastern Virginia
Building the regional economy through collaboration focused on innovation, technology jobs, and intellectual property
The Hampton Roads Innovation Collaborative (HRIC) gathered over 200 regional tech leaders together on Wednesday September 5, 2018, for a daylong expo to further technology-based economic development in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The event was held at Old Dominion University’s (ODU) Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center (VMASC) in Suffolk.
From a welcome kick-off by ODU president John Broderick, remarks from senior Virginia Senator Mark Warner to subject matter expert panels, the event served to celebrate and inspire innovation in the Hampton Roads region.
Hot topics and future trends discussed in sessions included enabling digital transformation using artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and biometric signature identification, intellectual property protections and patents, and next generation networking and infrastructure.
“The Tech Expo hosted by HRIC was a great mix of topics and discussion around emerging technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. As a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization for our area, I was happy to share personal thoughts and observations on running a technology company in today’s regional business environment,” said Brad Scott, president and CEO of Cetan Corp, a certified Native American, veteran-owned small business IT solutions company who also serves as HRIC’s chairman.
CIO panel of IT leaders included Daniel Jones, city of Portsmouth; Deborah Cassidy, PRA Group; Joe McMahon, Naval Safety Center; Amber Boehnlein, Jefferson Lab; moderated by Chuck Williams, city of Chesapeake.
Emerging Technology panel featured Daniel McPeters, Applings Studio on augmented reality; Kevin Esser, G2 Ops, on cybersecurity; and Barry Ezell, VMASC, on modeling and simulation; moderated by Patrick Ryan of Huntington Ingalls.
Entrepreneurs Organization panel featured Cetan Corp.’s Scott, Array Digital’s Erik Olson, On Call Telecom’s Glenn Davis, moderated by Patti Hamilton of Hamilton Consulting Solutions Corp.
Larry "Chip" Filer, associate vice president for ODU’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, discussed ODU’s role in the regional technology ecosystem, commenting: “I encourage each one of you to use ODU, your regional research university, to the fullest; it’s your resource for not only higher education and career development. We are growing entrepreneurs who will create jobs and strengthen Virginia's economy. From the Strome Entrepreneurial Center where students, faculty and staff collaborate to launch new businesses to the Center for Enterprise Innovation where nationally — and internationally — known experts mentor new business leaders, veterans and up-and-coming entrepreneurs to grow their enterprises.”
During the evening’s Tech Night Awards Banquet, several technology firms were recognized for their unique products and entrepreneurial efforts.
- Emerging Unmanned System Product of the Year — Advanced Aircraft
- Emerging Cyber Product of the Year — Jigsaw Security Enterprise Inc.
- Emerging Augmented Reality Product of the Year — Ario
- Emerging Bio Med Product of the Year — PolyPhysics, Inc.
- Innovation Enterprise Product of the Year — xTuple’s xTupleCommerce
- Innovation Training Product of the Year — Mymic LLC
- Top Small-Medium Technology Job Creator — G2 OPS Inc.
- Technology Start-up of the Year — Applings Studio, LLC
- Technology Entrepreneur of the Year — Pratik Kothari of TechArk
- Technology Small-Medium Sized Enterprise of the Year — DroneUp
HRIC president Dan Bell closed the day’s events with a call to action and next steps stating, “The Tech Expo with Tech Night Awards are an opportunity for liked-minded people from technology business and innovation to gather, learn, share and celebrate. The Tech Expo is an important part of what we’re trying to achieve in Hampton Roads, which is to develop a strong, new economic pillar of small-to-medium sized technology business.”
About Hampton Roads Innovation Collaborative (HRIC)
HRIC is one of 10 regional members of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) Tech Council Network, originally formed in 1996 to help advance economic development through technology business initiatives and education with political, civic and business leaders. HRIC is a collaborative model, instrumental in the development of a common fabric for technology innovation and entrepreneurship in Virginia’s Hampton Roads region. Learn more at TechnologyHamptonRoads.com #HRTechExpo
About xTuple — Open Source ERP+CRM+Web Portal
Award-winning xTuple is the leading commercial open source suite of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software with integrated CRM for Manufacturing and Distribution companies who need control over operations and profitability. Includes all critical supply chain functions in one modular system: accounting, sales, customer and supplier management, inventory control, manufacturing and distribution. Manufacturers: make-to-order, make-to-stock, mixed-mode. Distributors: electrical, HVAC, plumbing, industrial and consumer wholesale distribution. Available with real-time business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce / Sales & Service Customer Web Portal.
xTuple is powerful tools to Grow Your World®. Modular by design, discrete pieces may be utilized separately, without implementing the entire ERP system. xTuple gives customers the ability to tailor solutions with multi-platform support for Windows, Mac, Linux and mobile as well as flexible licensing and pricing options.
Join the innovation conversation with the open source community at xTuple.com. Learn about the product with xTupleUniversity.com.