This past weekend, Wilson wrote wrote a piece on precisely this topic: why those in tech need to find a way to get themselves civically involved. Wilson argues that technology has become so deeply embedded across several aspects of our society, and with this increased role of tech on society comes a greater need for that technology to serve a positive impact. Whether it’s in the form of philanthropy or civic engagement, getting involved in larger societal issues like education reform, housing, and digital accessibility is something that the tech world needs to put more emphasis on. Conway has led many major efforts to get the tech industry involved with communities. Circle the Schools, for example, is an initiative that allows tech companies in San Francisco to “adopt” a school and offer assistance to areas of need – whether that’s helping the educators to monitor kids or helping students to read. We’ve previously written about the ways through which various startups have gotten involved with their respective communities. Whether it’s during the holidays or throughout the year, startups from across the world have found many ways to leverage their skills and resources to benefit the needs of their communities. Outside the realm of volunteer community involvement, many in the tech community find various ways to get engaged with their civic leaders to discover strategies that will enable communities to solve problems utilizing technology. According to Wilson, there’s a huge opportunity for those in tech to work alongside civic leaders to come up with innovative solutions to traditional problems. One great example of this kind of activity can be found in the D.C. tech ecosystem, where 1776 has made an ongoing effort to connect tech startups with both the local and Federal government to solve issues in education, health, energy, and city infrastructure. By engaging in these ways, the tech industry can empower the development of those communities on which – when it comes do to it – they ultimately rely on.