TechFest 2025: Elevating Pittsburgh’s Technological Horizon

For over a decade, the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s TechFest has brought together some of the sharpest minds from southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond. The 2025 event—a one-day celebration of all things technology, engineering, AI, and innovation—proved to be the biggest and most impactful in its history with nearly 400 techies and tech curious convening for a full day at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. It was an event that championed not just technological advancement but also connection, creativity, and collaboration among professionals eager to elevate themselves and their industries.

An Electrifying Atmosphere

The Tech Council's Senior Director of Talent and Workforce Initiatives and a powerhouse behind TechFest’s planning/programming, encapsulated what the event meant to its attendees: a space for builders, technologists, and visionaries to come together. "This was a conference at the tech council that we did for the builders, for the technologists, for the data scientists, for the engineers—the people who are building the technology that are then showcasing the region," said Pelloni.

Marie shared the value the event offered. "I hope that they left with one new connection, one new hypothesis, something that they wanted to test, and one thing they learned that they didn't know before."

TechFest’s emphasis on connecting people at various levels of their careers was on full display. Audrey Russo, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, reflected on this dynamic. “What excited me was seeing people from different career levels—those who are new and those who are more seasoned—finding intersecting points in their paths. The best things sometimes happen in hallways, right around lunch, where those moments of serendipity occur: ‘Wait a second, you’re working on this? I’m working on that!’”

Impactful Collaborations and Innovative Formats

A new element of TechFest was the introduction of the “unconference” session—a unique format designed by Colin Dean of Code and Supply. TechFest 2025 blended traditional, planned talks with attendee-driven discussions that democratized the presentation floor in real-time. Dean’s efforts were integral to enabling participants to shape the event’s content. He explained, “Unconferences are a great way to allow the attendees to decide what they want to talk about. It can surface some things that maybe didn’t get through the CFP [Call for Proposals] process. It lets people rally around themes they care about, and dive deeper into what resonates most through active participation.”

The unconference format encouraged engagement and energy, operating under the “law of two feet,” which Dean described as “if you are not engaged, bored, or feeling like you’re not gaining value from a session, just walk away—go find something that inspires you.” Pelloni echoed this sentiment, noting this dynamic created a learning environment where attendees didn’t just absorb information but actively shaped discussions.

Hot Topics and Emotional Intelligence in AI

Beyond the innovative formats, TechFest 2025 brought thought-provoking discussions on how technology impacts the workforce and human interaction. A key session was led by Dan Simkin and Doogie Levine of AtiiD, focusing on the role of artificial intelligence in reshaping work environments. Simkin shared his insights, saying, “AI may actually make work emotionally harder for employeese and that’s going to slow down productivity and adoption—the things companies truly want. This emotional resistance may be at the core of why ROI is harder to achieve.”

Simkin's lecture aligned perfectly with the event’s range of panel topics, which included technical deep dives into software development and security, explorations of ethics in AI, and career advancement strategies. Russo also reflected on the depth and breadth of 2025’s discussions, saying, “I loved the array of topics, which included ethics in AI and other fascinating discussions. It was truly a mash-up of the technical and the human.”

An Event of Inspiration

Whether attendees left with a deeper understanding of AI’s impact or made meaningful connections over a casual lunch, TechFest 2025 showcased Pittsburgh’s dedication to innovation and growth. As Pelloni aptly put it, “This was a day someone could truly immerse themselves in—a day to be inspired.”

TechFest 2025 was more than just an event; it was a celebration of technological progress, community, and the endless possibilities of collaboration.

Russo summed up TechFest: “CMU gave us this extra edge. There’s something hugely exciting about sitting here in this iconic location, seeing students meshing through everything we were doing, reminding us that this wasn’t just about the future—it was the present of tech innovation happening all around us.”