FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The inaugural Tech Yeah conference began Monday, with organizers hoping to showcase the opportunities available to potential employers considering a move to West Virginia.
Monday’s event was a welcome reception at the Marriott at Waterfront Place in Morgantown. Multiple presentations will happen Tuesday at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont.
Event organizer Randy Cottle said the center’s location at the I-79 Technology Park allows companies to understand the business possibilities in West Virginia.
“We actually live on Silicon Mountain,” Cottle said on Monday’s “MetroNews Talkline.”
“They have Silicon Valley out in California, but here we have all these government technology agencies, and we really want to make sure people are aware of this because we are trying to bring more jobs and opportunities to our state.”
Cottle said he wants companies to learn more about the work happening at the I-79 Technology Park and the relationships between private businesses and the public sector.
“You see those big satellites on the hill and wonder what it is,” Cottle said. “With the weather going on, they don’t realize most of the data that’s being collected is coming out of there.”
Organizers have sold all available tickets for this year’s conference. US Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va., and Gayle Manchin, the federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, will deliver remarks Tuesday morning.