The Technology & Information Industry Collaboration Office (ICO), is a public-private collaboration between the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT)and CTA.

The purpose of ICO is to bring together industry leaders, entrepreneurs and academia to create and execute on industry-specific initiatives that will advance the industry, spur innovation and create a thriving technology start-up community that keeps and creates technology jobs in Colorado.

As a virtual organization, industry executive leadership teams and tactical initiative teams are divided across the six Colorado Blueprint objectives and are staffed by volunteers who want to act and see tangible results. Initiatives are funded and staffed by company sponsorships and volunteers. Most working teams are diverse with participation from all aspects of the community from technology companies, IT departments, business services providers, government agencies, associations and academia.

Portfolio of Initiatives
Internship Program
Growth Connection
Invest4tech Kit
Public Policy Agenda 2013 Session
State of the Industry 2012 Refresh

INITIATIVE DETAILS

	Workforce Internship Program	Goal: Create more flow between companies and interns. Leadership Annette Quintana, CEO, Istonish
	Growth Connection	Goal: Connect emerging companies with company that will be their 1st reference/customer. Leadership Charles Corfield, CEO, nVoq
	Invest4Tech Education	Goal: Inspire the next generation to create the Talent Pool of tomorrow. Leadership Frank Daidone, CIO, City & County of Denver, CTA Board Member Steven Nichols, Director of Business Development, Mission Critical Systems
	Public Policy Agenda for 2013 Session	Goal: Work with industry leaders and legislators to identify relevant legislation to encourage, sponsor, support for the 2013 session. Leadership Bill Mueldener, Partner, Hein & Associates, CTA Board member John Leonard, Fairfield & Woods, CTA Board member Sandra Hagen-Solin, Lobbyist, Capital Solutions
	State of the Industry 2012 Refresh	Goal: Refresh the 2010 State of the Industry industry data. Leadership John Leonard, Fairfield & Woods, CTA Board member Adam Haynes, St. Charles Capital, CTA Board member Joe Adams, EKS&H

TARGETED FUTURE INITIATIVES

A host of specific ideas about how to take the technology industry economy in Colorado to the next level came out of the strategy and business planning in Q2 of 2012. Tactical teams refined these ideas into a list of proposed goals. As we complete current initiatives and/or have the capacity to take on new initiatives, we will draw from the list below:

• Ambassador/mentor for new to Colorado company
• Attract ex-Coloradans back to Colorado with a marketing campaign/kit
• Launch a refreshed awareness campaign for IT careers
• Communicate Colorado’s strengths through a unified grassroots approach
• Connect companies needing beta testing with companies willing to be beta testers to accelerate/enable rapid development cycle within Colorado
• Create a strong image for Colorado as a state where technology companies thrive "It's Easy To Connect In Colorado”
• Create synergies among current innovators
• Create the ability to invent innovation
• Evaluate immature, early-stage technologies to track and nurture future growth
• Increase Colorado IPOs
• Increase level of investment from angel investors
• Increase Mid-Stage capital investments
• Provide Colorado innovators access to training to increase their ability to actually innovate
• Statewide free clearinghouse for technology jobs

Colorado Technology Association 501(c)(6) Copyright 2013