RI NEXUS to Connect State's Info-Tech and Digital Media Community
September 19, 2007 | Print this page | Share This |
RIEDC initiative aims to grow jobs, support new company creation in high wage ITDM sector
Rhode Island's Information Technology and Digital Media sector now has an online community to collaborate, connect and share ideas —RI Nexus.com. An online hub for Rhode Island's ITDM community, RI Nexus.com will be officially launched at the Providence Geeks' monthly dinner held on Wednesday, September 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the AS220 in downtown Providence.
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, in conjunction with Providence Geeks co-founder Jack Templin, developed RI Nexus.com to serve as an online portal for connecting companies, individuals and academic organization within the ITDM sector and streamlining access to the resources they need to grow.
"The ITDM sector is an engine of high-wage job growth in the 21st century global economy," says Templin. "RI Nexus will maximize communication, connectivity and collaboration within the ITDM community and provide a valuable resource for this important sector of Rhode Island's economy."
The website features a comprehensive directory of IT and digital media companies in Rhode Island, an interactive blog, a daily news section on Rhode Island ITDM companies, discussion forums, an events calendar, and the RI Nexus Marketplace — a free, one-stop place to find and post local info-tech and digital media-related jobs, internships and more.
"As a start-up technology company founded in Rhode Island we are always looking to link up with other groups in business, academia and government," says David Durand CEO of Tizra, a local start-up that helps businesses flexibly package, deliver and sell information online with its hosted solution. "We are excited by RI Nexus as a stellar example of documenting events, information, trends and opportunities online for everyone in Rhode Island to see and share. RI Nexus will be a focal point to learn and share news and information as we grow our community."
With its enormous growth potential, the ITDM sector is one of the high-wage industries in the state that the RIEDC is working to develop, says RIEDC Executive Director Saul Kaplan. "The information technology and digital media sector in Rhode Island employs more than 15,000 people and accounts for more than $1 billion in wages. In 2006, the average salary in the sector was $69,510, which is higher than that in many other industries. RI Nexus will help the sector's stakeholders connect, communicate and collaborate, with the ultimate aim of creating more high wage jobs for our state's citizens."
The RIEDC launched the RI Nexus effort in March of 2007. In addition to the RI Nexus.com portal, the agency has canvassed the ITDM community to create a better understanding of what companies in the sector need to grow.
"As a tech professional and business owner operating in Rhode Island, I am excited by the resources being offered through RI Nexus.com," says Pamela O'Hara, CEO of BatchBlue Software. "We have chosen to be in Rhode Island because the state offers a great quality of life, but we have to compete with other regions of the country when it comes to finding new employees and funding opportunities. A knowledge and networking resource such as RI Nexus.com will help us to succeed and make new connections that are extremely valuable to our business."
About RI Nexus
RI Nexus is a public-private initiative of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to support and grow the state's info-tech and digital media sector. RI Nexus aims to help transform the sector's collection of organizations, individuals, and initiatives into a highly interconnected statewide industry cluster by helping the sector's stakeholders to connect, communicate, and collaborate; nurturing a culture that recognizes and celebrates entrepreneurship and innovation; streamlining access to support resources relevant to entrepreneurs and innovators; and promoting Rhode Island's dynamic IT and digital media sector beyond our borders.
Media Contact
Andy Cutler
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