Tech About Town by Communitech

Why community comes first: Communitech CEO Sheldon McCormick on what’s next

09 Oct 2025

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What does it mean to be community-first in a tech ecosystem?In this episode, we check in with Communitech CEO Sheldon McCormick to reflect on his first five (LinkedIn says six!) months on the job and look ahead to what’s next. From AI adoption to KW Oktoberfest lederhosen, we talk about building momentum, reconnecting the region’s tech community, and why Sheldon believes the “return to office” is critical for Communitech’s mission.We also explore:Communitech’s shift back to its original community-first ethosHow AI adoption and “AI-native” thinking are reshaping how orgs operateThe importance of global networks, not just local ecosystemsThe vision for increasing activation across 10% of the region’s tech workforceAnd yes, there’s hummus, lederhosen, and festhallen talk too.01:47 – Oktoberfest plans and lederhosen commitments03:08 – Community events and hosting techtoberfest04:11 – Hosting OpenAI’s Salman Chowdhury in Waterloo06:17 – Nabil’s hummus, persistence, and bringing global talent here07:11 – Building network effects vs stopping “brain drain”08:29 – Why Communitech is thinking in terms of network, not just ecosystem09:10 – Making Waterloo globally competitive without becoming an island10:24 – What keeps Sheldon up at night (spoiler: the tension between urgency and commitments)11:49 – Why “Community in Tech” starts with what’s in the name13:05 – Reconnecting the community post-COVID14:07 – AI is top of mind for everyone—from startups to HR leaders14:54 – How Communitech is adopting AI (and learning from members)17:01 – First step: documenting processes and aligning on outcomes17:56 – Internal adoption of AI to reduce “cost per member served”18:22 – Why Communitech is going back to a full-time in-office model19:52 – Is return-to-office a model for other tech orgs?21:54 – Being out in the community vs just being at your desk23:35 – Reframing Communitech as a movement, not just an address24:46 – Looking ahead: what success could look like in 6 months25:28 – Defining goals: 10% tech worker activation, late-stage founder mentorship28:37 – Using AI for podcast production (and why timestamps matter!)

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3ª PARTE | 17 DIC 2025 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

01 Jan 1970

El Partidazo de COPE

13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

12:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

10:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

13:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

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Tech About Town by Communitech

Why community comes first: Communitech CEO Sheldon McCormick on what’s next

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Other recent transcribed episodes

3ª PARTE | 17 DIC 2025 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

12:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

10:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

13:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

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