The Lowcountry’s technology scene got a shot of validation this month when Charleston was named one of the best cities for startups.
Charleston placed No. 8 on a ranking of the nation’s best tech hubs that aren’t in California or New York. The city got kudos for its fast-growing tech community, good quality of life and financially stable startups.
The analysis by the data-tracking startup Datafox — which, for the record, is headquartered in San Francisco — also praised the annual interactive tech conference Dig South and the Charleston Digital Corridor.
The South fared well in the rankings, which considered affordability, business success and companies’ financial stability. Elsewhere in the region, Alpharetta, Ga.; Charlotte; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Durham, N.C.; Irving, Texas; and Jacksonville, Fla., made the cut.
Tech camps
Tech boosters in Charleston talk often about the so-called talent gap — the idea that there are more jobs in the industry available than there are workers to fill them.
This summer might offer a solution, if you’re willing to play the long game: Charleston is playing host this year to a handful of tech-minded summer camps.
The Code Life programming camp, which runs from June 13-17 at Porter Gaud, will teach students how to build mobile apps. Registration is open, and the camp costs $500.
Throughout the month of June, the nationwide Camp Innovation — which promotes the science, technology, engineering and math fields — will be held at five schools around the area. Each weeklong camp costs $220.
And the Iron Yard coding school is holding a series of hourlong camps in June at the main branch of the Charleston County Public Library. The sessions are free, but there’s a waiting list to get in.
Googlefest coming
Online search and advertising giant Google is bringing its annual Googlefest back to Charleston next month, but the company says tickets are limited.
The free tutorial event, hosted at Trident Technical College’s main campus in North Charleston, features workshops for teachers, small businesses and nonprofit organizations on how to use the company’s products in day-to-day work. That includes things like using low-cost virtual reality technology in classrooms or building a website for a business.
Googlefest 2016, which will be held June 21-22, runs from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Trident Tech’s Complex for Economic Development. Go to https://events.withgoogle.com/googlefest-sc/ to register.
Google, which has a large data center in Berkeley County, held its inaugural Googlefest in the Charleston area in 2012.
Reach Thad Moore at 843-937-5703 or on Twitter @thadmoore.