Building an electrical grid was essential for North Carolina’s industrialization in the first half of the 20th century. Now and into the future, high-speed digital networks, powerful computing systems and access to data will be crucial for our region’s prosperity and quality of life.
The Technology and Digital Institute is committed to transforming the Piedmont Triad into a smart and connected region where communities and innovation will flourish through shared technology and data. TDI is a regional public service institute leading a collaborative effort to ensure that everyone — scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, communities, K-12 students in underserved areas — has the digital infrastructure needed to thrive. Without it, businesses can’t grow, students can’t prepare for successful careers and communities can’t solve urgent problems.
For many years we’ve known that access to data and a robust technological infrastructure are essential for our businesses to compete globally. High-speed networks and computing capacity are also vital for our researchers and communities who are working on some of our toughest issues in areas such as health care and community development.
As the COVID-19 pandemic showed us, too many of our children don’t have adequate access to the technology they need to learn effectively from home. It also made us understand that access to these resources must be universal — whether on school and college campuses, in corporate offices or in the homes of students and employees.
