Buffalo is known for its architectural gems and the roles those jewels like Hotel Henry have played in the city’s history.
But on the 4th floor of the hotel Monday, a conversation about a different type of resurgence was underway.
"You've got the Rochester Institute of Technology that's really driving a lot of new ideas, the University of Rochester, the University at Buffalo and a lot of other universities in the area," Scott Weber, vice president of cloud solutions at EagleDream Technologies said.
TECHTalks was giving local CEOs, CIOs or anyone who was interested a look at how to take those practices and research and utilize them in a revamped business model that focuses on technology — like artificial intelligence, the cloud and how to catch the eye of venture capitalists.
"I think you're seeing sort of a re-birth,” Weber said. “Unfortunately we were in a little bit of a decline with the Kodak and the Xerox's and now the others, but I think you are going to start seeing things grow up around those employers that are replacing that."
Those in attendance were asked to think about one question: "Where do you see your business in five years?" CIO of Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Sam Marrazzo, a speaker at Monday's event, already has an answer.
"Be curious and every once in a while come back and learn what innovations and how to innovate from within,” Marrazzo said.
The medical campus has been working with not only Kaledia Health but companies across the Queen City to think outside the box. The end goal is to create a more tech-savvy Buffalo across the board.
What they need right now is a bigger workforce.
"One of questions I get from most of the executives in town is, ‘Do you have a girl, do you have a guy?’ They are really looking for great talent," Marrazzo said.
"There's going to be a renaissance here,” Weber said. “There are a lot of smart and intelligent people come out of the universities here. If we can get them to stay in this area, they are going to drive business forward over the next five years."