The City of Charlotte will hold Charlotte Community TechDay 2026 on Thursday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Johnson C. Smith University’s Innovation Center. Demonstrations and workshops will fill the day. Student teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities will compete for $10,000 in prizes.
Pathway Community Foundation has teamed up with the city to organize the event. Student teams representing HBCUs will present prototype solutions they built after three months working with Charlotte and Henry County, Georgia. These teams will pitch ideas designed to tackle actual civic problems facing communities today.
“Charlotte is proud to host the HBCU Smart Cities Challenge in our growing city,” said Mayor Vi Lyles, according to Charlotte.gov. “This partnership creates the opportunities to showcase some of our innovation work; connect with others; and expand our horizons, and we cannot wait to see it all come together on April 23.”
This marks the city’s second run with the HBCU Smart Cities Program. The Charlotte Department of Transportation worked with students last year through this initiative. Now they’re back, bringing fresh minds to brainstorm solutions for getting people and goods around town more efficiently.
Want to show off your tech? Exhibitors can sign up to display their innovations at the event. Anyone with technology to share can register. Technologies that improve mobility — how people and goods move — get first consideration.
Exhibitor registration closes Thursday, April 9. The partnership with Pathway Community Foundation shows how serious the city is about working together to spark new ideas.
Community members can sign up online. Johnson C. Smith University’s Innovation Center will buzz with activity all day as visitors check out demonstrations and join workshops.
