Developer Meetup to Highlight Manufacturers

Next week's Wetware Wednesday mixer for software developers will introduce the local programmer community to Hawaii's manufacturers. The HTDC says it hopes to "keep the collaborative juices flowing and meet up with another industry," echoing last month's "Foodware Wednesday" by renaming the August gathering "Hardware Wednesday."

Tbe upcoming meetup is cosponsored by Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, which includes a number of light manufacturing businesses, and the College of Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The HTDC's Cindy Matsuki explained the definition of "light manufacturing" an interview on Hawaii Public Radio's "Bytemarks Cafe" last Wednesday.

"It's different from regular industry where you don't have as intense products -- you take some refined products, put them together, and add value," Matsuki said. "Even weight wise, they say 'light manufacturing' is literally light, so it's lighter products."

The definition includes technology, fashion, and other smaller items.

"It's perfect for Hawaii," she added.

Chamber of Commerce Hawaii had launched an initiative to bring together all the manufacturing companies in Hawaii together, Matsuki explained, and plans to launch a regular networking event similar to Wetware Wednesday. Meanwhile, the College of Engineering will use the opportunity to show off some of the work its students and faculty are doing in the field.

Having recently combined its software developer group with a couple of different industries, the HTDC envisions casting its net even wider.

"We're trying to get together with the retail industry, tourism industry, agriculture, because our view now of technology is that it's in all industries, it's not just 'high tech' anymore," she said. "Technology can help improve all different industries."

"Hardware Wednesday" will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at Holoholo Bar & Grill (2494 South Beretania St.). There's limited free parking plus discounted parking next door at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii. It's free to attend, but interested participants are encouraged to register online.

For more information, visit HTDC.org/WetwareWed, or connect with the Wetware Wednesday page on Facebook.

Listen to our interview with the HTDC's Cindy Matsuki here:

https://archive.org/download/hardware-wednesday/hardware-wednesday.mp3