Our Mission
Innovate Tech Charlotte
As the world’s population is rapidly increasing, and cities are now overflowing with residents at an unprecedented rate, economic disparities are becoming more evident as landfills begin to overflow, exposing the disproportionate burden of marginalized communities with limited access to necessary resources. Sustainability challenges of social, economic, and environmental issues are on the rise creating food deserts, lower air quality from an increase in traffic, dwindling water resources, resident vulnerability to hunger, respiratory illnesses, and water insecurities. It is more critical than ever to develop cities that are environmentally sustainable and socially equitable. The adoption of technology is playing an increasingly important role in creating sustainable cities. Technology can help achieve sustainable goals by improving energy efficiency, reducing waste, promoting sustainable transportation, creating jobs, and furthering opportunities for local communities.
Empowering Tomorrow: The Founding Vision of Innovate Tech Charlotte
In 2017, in the wake of Charlotte, NC’s unsuccessful bid for Amazon’s second headquarters, a critical gap was identified: the city lacked a robust technology talent pool. This revelation, pinpointed during a detailed debrief, spurred our Founder and Executive Director, Paul Day, to action. Thus, Innovate Tech Charlotte (ITC) was born with a visionary purpose.
ITC is dedicated to cultivating a thriving technology workforce from the ground up. We focus on empowering high school students by immersing them in all aspects of the Information Technology (IT) industry, while also equipping them with the leadership skills essential for long-term success in their IT careers.
Amidst the global challenges presented by the pandemic, we expanded our mission to include sustainability (Social, Economic & Environmental). This strategic pivot underscores our commitment to responsible technology use and holds both ourselves and other organizations accountable to leveraging technology for the greater good. At ITC, we don’t just teach technology; we inspire stewards of a sustainable technological future!
“Our commitment to building a better future runs deep. We believe technology can be a force for good, driving progress towards a more sustainable and equitable world, Innovating hearts and minds, one student at a time.”
-Paul D.
Imagine a world powered by clean energy, free from waste, and connected by sustainable transportation. We’ll make this vision a reality by harnessing technology for good, creating a future where environmental responsibility and social equity walk hand-in-hand.
Years Est. for Sustainability STEM Goals
Number of communities we will impact
Number of students we promise to impact
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Services
We help K-12 & College students to become Innovative Leaders in Sustainability and STEM to find sustainable solutions for their communities!
Sustainability
Using resources that satisfy the current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This concept encompasses three main pillars:
Environmental Sustainability: This involves managing resources so that environmental quality and ecosystem integrity are maintained.
Economic Sustainability: This aspect focuses on maintaining economic growth or stability without negatively impacting social, environmental, and cultural aspects.
Social Sustainability: Social sustainability involves maintaining and improving social quality, which includes aspects like social equity, livability, health equity, community resilience, and human rights. It aims to foster communities that support well-being and social cohesion.
STEM
We use STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) to create KITS (includes a box of sensors’ students put together with basic coding) to create Social, Environmental, Economic solutions.
Innovation
Innovation in our courses consist of creating, developing, and implementing new ideas, products, services, and methods that significantly improve upon existing Sustainability and STEM issues. Key aspects of our innovation curriculum include:
- Novelty
- Implementation
- Value Creation
- Improvement
- Problem-Solving
- Process Oriented
Students will have to have the desire to be driven, meet changing needs, analyze challenges and have the good moral character and willingness to take risks and embrace change.
Students
We currently serve K-12 and college (ages 18-25) students, in North Carolina. We are embracing our early adopter STEM School with over $1,000 in FREE STEM & Sustainability training courses, FREE merch, and FREE leadership training (with a strengths finders assessment).
Leadership
Leadership involves guiding, influencing, and directing individuals or groups towards achieving a common goal or vision. It’s not merely about holding a position of authority, but rather about the ability to inspire and motivate others. Key aspects of leadership include:
- Vision and Goal Setting
- Inspiration and Motivation
- Decision-Making
- Communication Skills
- Emotional Intelligence
- Integrity and Ethics
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Empowerment and Delegation
- Team Building and Conflict Resolution
Leadership styles can vary greatly, from more authoritative to participatory or servant leadership approaches, depending on the context, the leader’s personality, and the needs of the people they are leading. Regardless of the style, successful leadership results in the advancement and well-being of individuals and groups!
The orchestration of a sustainable and equitable future requires a symphony of solutions by all members of our communities. From architects to activists, politicians to planners, we must all play our part in composing vibrant sustainable cities. Building cities that resonate with environmental harmony and social justice is no longer a matter of choice. As a collective, it is imperative for inhabitants of this great planet to be managers of the lands our ancestors entrusted us with, giving hope to a better quality of life for future generations.
- Smart homes with connected devices can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%
- In 2023, global solar power capacity surpassed a whopping 1 petawatt (1,000 gigawatts) – enough to power over 200 million homes!
- Vertical farming: Utilizes indoor spaces for efficient, year-round food production, minimizing land use and transportation emissions.
- Automated irrigation systems: Use real-time weather data to optimize water usage, reducing agricultural water consumption by up to 30%.
We promise to help change communities, one student at a time!
WHY WE SERVE
We believe with sustainability and STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) we can better understand how to take care of our People, Planet and Environment to help increase the quality of life for future generations!
OUR LEADERSHIP
Paul Day
Executive Director
Paul Day is a U.S. Air Force Military Veteran that holds a Top-Secret Government Clearance with multiple degrees in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and Investigations. Paul has done Cybersecurity, Cloud and Ethical Hacking for top Fortune 100 companies. Paul also has multiple certifications in Blockchain, AI, and IoT from Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT), Linux, and Duke University. Paul is a full stack developer that is currently pursuing his MBA in IT Management in 2024.
Paul’s true passion lies where technology meets sustainability, spending his days building technology solutions that tackle environmental challenges, all while weaving his insights into engaging books that empower others to join the Green-STEM revolution. Beyond the speaking stages, Paul thrives on human connection. He is a champion of collaboration, Paul builds bridges between diverse minds, sparking innovation and fostering a vibrant community of eco-warriors.
So, if you’re looking for a tech whiz who speaks fluent green, a wordsmith who can make climate change cool, and a friend who radiates sunshine even on the cloudiest days, look no further than Paul. Just be warned, his infectious enthusiasm might just inspire you to save the planet one line of code, one sentence, one captivating page, and one bright smile at a time…he is a Green Visionary that invokes change & “The Soul of Technology”, with a purpose to serve humanity!
