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Ashley Durkin-Rixey ACT app development Community

ACT Event to Highlight the Melting Pot of MN Tech

Tomorrow night, ACT | The App Association will be stopping into town to learn a little more from local app developers. Their event, Developed: The App Economy Tour, will be held at Finnegans Brew in downtown Minneapolis at 5pm. The night of “brews and views” will include a panel discussion with legislators, developers, and tech community experts surrounding innovations driving the current app economy. Panelists will include Congressman Dean Phillips (CD3) and Jacquie Berglund, founder of Finnovation Lab.

Ashley Durkin-Rixey, Director of Communications for ACT, said that they chose Minneapolis as a stop on their tour because of the growing app development emerging here. According to Durkin-Rixey, ACT’s aim is to, “keep developers aware of what’s happening at the Federal level in cyber-security, privacy, and workforce initiatives. We want them to be in the loop so if things come down the pike, they won’t have an unexpected overhaul for their business.” These nationwide panels also give ACT the ability to bring stories back to congress where they can influence decisions being made every day. “We meet the developers where they are, and then return to D.C. where we can inform the work being done there, advocating on behalf of developers throughout the country.”

When asked about the app scene here in Minnesota, Durkin-Rixey said that we have a different mindset here than that of other parts of the country. “There’s a real sense of community here, and a sharing of resources that you don’t really see anywhere else. The idea that a success for one is a success for all is alive and well in the Midwest.” Durkin-Rixey feels that the story of app development in Minneapolis is one that needs to be held up as an example for other cities. “It’s definitely not your traditional tech-hub. It’s incredibly diverse.”

The event is expected to bring together a wide range of companies, some with apps already in the market, and some with none, as well, there will be representatives from the local congressional offices, bringing a direct connection to resources for the melting-pot that is MN Tech. Attendees will have opportunities to find their markets, learn best practices, and engage and network with industry professionals and policy makers. “Things are changing,” said Durkin-Rixey, “…they’re moving back to small business, and we are building an eco-system around that.”

More information on the event can be found on their eventbrite page, as well as the ACT website.

Valerie Lockhart
Valerie is proud to spend her time immersed in the Minnesota tech scene, whether she’s writing articles for tech.mn, designing websites, or coordinating events for the Minnesota Women in Technology meetup group.