PIT’s Tech 50 Awards | New AI startup | STEM scholarships

PITTSBURGH—The Pittsburgh Technology Council hosted its annual Tech 50 Awards, with which it honors tech companies who have reached big milestones as well as companies that show promise as upcoming leaders in innovation. You can see the winners and finalists of each award here.

KANSAS CITY, MO—Missouri continues to attract top companies searching for new locations for their businesses. Walgreens is the latest to announce plans to invest in the state. Walgreens will open a $30 million high-tech, micro-fulfillment center in the region.

CARY, NC—HCL Technologies, a $10.8 billion IT services company based in India, is trying a different tactic in the tech labor shortage: a debt-free college education. HCL is launching an fully paid apprenticeship program. After the completion of the program. participants will be offered full-time employment at HCL and have the fully funded opportunity to enroll in a STEM field at a university.

SOUTH BEND, IN—Tech startup Cobomba, which developed an artificial intelligence (AI) software platform to help marketing pros, has gotten its first investment from the Leighton Elevate Angel Development (LEAD) Fund. The investment was part of a seed round of funding led by the Pit Road Fund at the Notre Dame IDEA Center. Cobomba will use the funding to further software development and grow its sales, marketing and customer service efforts.