Weekly: Techie Tuesday

Sally Mesarosh
Special for The Republic
Nov. 4, 2002

For anyone interested in the latest trends in technology, it might be wise to keep an eye on the Owl's Nest Saloon in downtown Tempe the second Tuesday of every month.

Perched above busy Mill Avenue, a mix of people gather together to participate in Techie Tuesday.

This event is a social hour that gives engineers, entrepreneurs, salespeople, investors and job seekers a chance to network and exchange ideas in the rapidly changing field of technology.

Kris Baxter, coordinator of economic development for Tempe, said the high-tech industry tends to be a field where people work alone, isolated from what others in the industry are doing.

"The exchange of ideas at Techie Tuesdays is by far the most important part of the evening," Baxter said. "Often I've seen two people talking in the corner of the room, and I can almost see when the juices start flowing.

"Suddenly, they will start waving their arms and motioning for others to come listen."

Baxter said Techie Tuesdays is a way for the city to show the tech industry that Tempe is interested in supporting and attracting high-tech companies.

The event began three years ago with the combined sponsorship of the Arizona Internet Professionals Association (AZIPA) and the Arizona Software and Internet Association (AZSOFT.net).

These organizations formed the Tech Oasis Partnership with a mission to "create an ideal business environment for entrepreneurs."

Ed Nusbaum, co-founder of AZIPA, said the idea is not limited to Tempe.

"Techie Tuesdays are held in four regions of the state to help build a more critical mass," Nusbaum said. "Each region has a different expertise, whether it's the Scottsdale Airpark, or Phoenix, with a strong telecommunications base, or Tucson, with its cluster of small-tech companies."

Attendance at Techie Tuesdays varies, sometimes attracting hundreds of participants. Nusbaum said that even in a slow economy, there's "always the need to have an opportunity to access great people and great companies."

Mariane Maffeo-Muriel of Gilbert said Techie Tuesdays gives her the chance to see what the tech economy looks like in the short term.

"I always meet a new person or potential client at these events," said Maffeo-Muriel, who is president of Maffeo Media. "It makes it worth my time."

The gathering also serves as an important networking opportunity for Arizona State University.

Herb Finkelstein, research liaison officer at ASU, said the link between ASU and local companies is invaluable.

Finkelstein acts as a matchmaker by connecting ASU's research projects to local companies.

Federal grant money often is available to fund the projects, so these partnerships stimulate the local economy.

"ASU has research projects dealing with everything from high speed microprocessors to substitute blood," Finkelstein said. "Techie Tuesdays gives the university and local companies a chance to be part of a team."

Steve Baltz of Ahwatukee Foothills sees the event from a different angle. Baltz is general manager of the Owl's Nest Saloon.

"It's a great group of people," Baltz said. "They can hang out here and realize they are not alone. These dot-commers really stick together."

The next Techie Tuesday will be at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 8.

For information, visit www.techoasis.org or contact Jan Schaefer at (480) 350-8233.