TechNite 2024: What to Expect

This year at the 24^th annual TechNite by Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black, we’re celebrating all the elements that make our innovation ecosystem so dynamic. Join us as we recognize the entrepreneurs, companies, mentors, and groundbreaking work that’s putting our region on the global map. For Roanoke-Blacksburg, it’s the biggest night in tech, and it all happens May 8 at the iconic Hotel Roanoke.

The Event

Celebrate the elements of technology in the heart of Roanoke at the stunning Hotel Roanoke. The evening kicks off with networking and drinks beginning at 5:30 PM. Then, enjoy a strolling buffet dinner with friends in the ballroom, where TechNite award finalists will be featured and on display ahead of the highly anticipated awards ceremony and guest speaker. This year, Barrows will provide beautiful soft seating vignettes to allow for comfortable networking all evening.

The Speakers

Each year, RBTC invites a special guest to the stage to kick off the celebration. This year, we’re proud to present special guest Rishi Jaitly who will deliver the evening’s inspiring address.

Rishi Jaitly is a distinguished entrepreneur, executive, and educator with extensive global experience in technology, media, and civics. Jaitly also serves as a Senior Advisor to OpenAI, helping lead the company’s expansion into India and the Global South. As Professor of Practice and Distinguished Humanities Fellow at Virginia Tech, he founded the Institute for Leadership in Technology, which offers the world’s first Executive Degree in the Liberal Arts and Humanities to rising leaders in the world’s technology landscape.

“At RBTC, we know firsthand the power of relationships to fuel innovation and technology. We’re thrilled to present Rishi at TechNite to become inspired by his unique, human-centered perspective on the technology revolution and apply his insights to our innovation ecosystem,” said RBTC Director Taylor Spellman.

Previously, Jaitly co-founded and served as Founding CEO of Times Bridge, a leading venture capital firm facilitating entry into new markets for companies like Airbnb, Uber, and Coursera. Before Times Bridge, he was Twitter Inc’s Vice President for Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa, and held leadership roles at Google & YouTube in South Asia.

Jaitly has also devoted a range of his career to social entrepreneurship, co-founding initiatives such as Michigan Corps, Kiva Detroit, and the BMe Community. He serves as Vice Chairman of the National Humanities Center, and Board Director of Virginia Humanities and the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation. In 2022, he was recognized as one of Rest of World Magazine’s “Top 100 Global Tech Changemakers.”

A public speaker who has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Forbes and on CNN and the BBC, Jaitly earned his A.B. in History and Certificate in American Studies from Princeton University.

The Vibe

TechNite 2024 will be an indoor, semi-formal event. The venue has plenty of parking for attendees in the Hotel Roanoke lot, including a valet option. Look for the RBTC Welcome Team as you check in and grab your drink tickets and name badges upon arrival. Don’t miss the 360 glam cam photo opportunity at the main entrance before mingling at the pre-ceremony mixer.