PUDDLE HOPS: Solar-powered speakers | Indy autonomous challenge | HR Tech Awards

Solar-powered speakers

KANSAS CITY, MO—A local musician developed a solar-powered battery to be used as a power source for his speakers and keyboard. Now AY Young is one of only 17 people around the world, and the only one from the U.S., to be appointed as a youth representative for sustainability with the United Nations.

When there are no gentlemen to start their engines

INDIANAPOLIS, IN—Sorry Mr. Harvick, but you can sit this one out. A race with no drivers is happening at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this fall. The Indy Autonomous Challenge will be a 50-mile autonomous car race that will showcase technology and innovation. College students are fueling the innovation, and the winning university will take home a $1 million prize.

HR Tech Awards

ST. LOUS, MO—Engagedly, which makes employee management software, received the Best Enterprise Solution 2021 at the HR Tech Awards. The solution helps companies digitize their performance management and improve employee engagement.

Drones helping farmers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN—Sentera designs tech to offer drone-acquired, real-time agricultural insights that help farmers in their in-season decision making. The tech, called FieldAgent, is being used by agronomists around the globe.

The New Black Wall Street

TULSA, OK—It’s been 100 years since the Tulsa race riot that destroyed the wealthiest Black community in the U.S., known as “Black Wall Street.” Today, a tech-based financial literacy startup, New Black Wall Street LLC, wants to provide 21st-century platforms for Black economic empowerment. The company seeks to level the playing field and enhance generational wealth by educating 2 million children in financial literacy by 2030.

Nashville: Second largest gain of tech talent

NASHVILLE, TN—LinkedIn data shows that the city attracted the second-largest net gain of tech talent in the U.S. from May 2020 to April 2021. The only market with a larger net migration was Austin, Texas.