UTM Takes The Stage
Hello/Hola!
This week, Universal Tech Movement stepped onto a national stage at AI ICON, one of the country’s premier conferences shaping how artificial intelligence is transforming business and the workforce.
UTM President & CEO, Michael Ward Jr. served as a panelist on “The 2026 Shift: AI Disruption & the Future of the Workforce,” a forward-looking conversation exploring how Agentic AI, human-AI hybrid teams, and ethical governance are redefining leadership and opportunity. The panel went beyond the headlines to focus on what truly matters next: how people develop skills, how roles evolve, and why human strengths like critical thinking, empathy, and judgment are becoming more valuable—not less—in the age of AI.
In addition, Michael led a hands-on training session titled “Building an AI-Powered Business: Integrating Tools for Marketing, Sales, and Operational Efficiency.” Designed with entrepreneurs in mind, this session moved from theory to execution—showing business owners how to integrate AI into real workflows, increase productivity, and build systems that support sustainable growth.
Together, the panel and training reflect UTM’s core mission of connecting communities to the tech industry through workforce readiness, innovation, and economic advancement. Whether you’re building a business, scaling an idea, or preparing for the future of work, UTM is dedicated to making sure AI becomes a bridge to opportunity, not a barrier for entrepreneurs from communities in need.
Follow UTM on IG and LinkedIn for a behind the scenes look at AI ICON.
Warm regards,
Universal Tech Movement
Tech News You Should Know
TechCon SouthWest 2026 Startup Innovation Showcase
Texas Tech News — The TechCon SouthWest 2026 Startup Innovation Showcase, taking place February 12-13, 2026, at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, has announced its five finalist startups, spotlighting breakthrough innovations across AI, digital health, advanced materials, and more. These finalists were selected through a competitive review process and represent diverse tech sectors emerging from Texas’s vibrant startup ecosystem.
AI Adoption in the workplace rises
National Tech News — U.S. Universities and the Future Workforce
A commentary in The Washington Post highlights a growing critique that U.S. universities have lost sight of preparing students for the rapidly evolving tech workplace, especially as AI adoption accelerates. The piece argues for new educational approaches and stronger partnerships between academia and industry to develop the skilled talent needed across sectors. UTM’s training programs offer this new educational approach, focusing on workforce readiness and economic advancement to give communities in need the edge they need to thrive in a tech-driven workforce.
Explore AI Skills Training with UTM
India Rises as an AI Powerhouse
Global Tech News: India has emerged as the second-largest adopter of enterprise artificial intelligence worldwide, trailing only the United States. This growth comes alongside rising cyber risks and highlights India’s accelerating role in the global tech economy—offering opportunities and challenges for inclusive access to technology innovation. For entrepreneurs and tech communities around the world, this trend underscores the importance of global collaboration on skills, safety, and equitable opportunity in AI.
The Austin Python Meetup
Wednesday| Feb. 11 | 7-10 p.m. CT | Hybrid
Get introduced to zk0, a framework designed to train advanced Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models on real-world robotics datasets. Explore how zk0 leverages Flower for privacy-preserving federated learning and SmolVLA to run efficient 450M parameter models optimized for consumer GPUs. Discussion will center the architecture behind decentralized robotics, how it handles SO-100 manipulation tasks, and the future of community-driven robot learning powered by ZK proofs and blockchain incentives.
Scaling the Smart World: Developing, Deploying, and Operating IoT at Scale
Tuesday| Feb. 17, 2026 | Virtual
Join the Austin Forum for this virtual event as they welcome Lionel Felix, Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Felix Media Solutions and Founder of StructureSense.AI--and one of the city's foremost experts in smart infrastructure--for an overview of the current landscape of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and implementation considerations. Drawing on his experience managing complex, mission-critical AV and automation environments, Lionel will share the latest best practices for building systems that are resilient, secure, and—most importantly—functional.
Global Power Platform Bootcamp — Orlando, FL
Friday| February 20 | 6:30 PM | Virtual
This free, community-driven event unites user groups around the world to explore Microsoft’s Power Platform—simultaneously, in cities across the globe. It will feature hands-on sessions, live labs, expert-led workshops and community networking, all delivered by industry leaders and community champions.
SXSW 2026 Innovation Conference
March 12-18 2026 | In-Person (Austin, TX)
One of the world’s most influential gatherings for technology, culture, and innovation, SXSW draws founders, developers, creatives, and investors to explore breakthrough ideas in AI, AR/VR, design, gaming, digital platforms, and more—all with opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs to connect with potential partners and expand their networks.
