Rooted in Johnston County — open to the region
We're based in Johnston County, North Carolina, and everyone across the county and the surrounding areas is welcome. Our very first meetup is coming up in Clayton — and as the community grows, we'll move meetups around the county so more people can join close to home.
From century-old fields to the labs and code of what's next.
For generations, Johnston County has been farm country — soybeans, corn, and tobacco grown here for well over a century. Today that same ground is one of North Carolina's fastest-growing tech and life-science economies. The people who power it are already here across Johnston County and the surrounding areas — biotech and software teams, engineers, data and AI folks, artists and media creators working with new tools, and plenty of curious enthusiasts. What's been missing is a place for them to connect.
JoCo Tech & AI exists to give those people a home base — a welcoming, local community where the grower experimenting with ag-tech, the bioprocess engineer, the self-taught developer, the artist or media maker working with new tools, the student, and the simply curious can meet, swap ideas, and build something together. Everyone across Johnston County and the surrounding areas is welcome — good ideas don't stop at the county line.
What we're here to do
Connect
Bring the county's tech, AI, ag, and life-science people into one room — regularly, and for free.
Learn
Share practical knowledge through talks, demos, and hands-on workshops.
Grow
Help local talent, founders, and employers find each other — and keep more of that work here at home.
Free, and community-first
Every event is free to attend. We're funded by community sponsorship, not ticket sales — local businesses and employers who might want to support a growing tech community. That means sponsors get visibility and our thanks, but never bought stage time or gated access. Talks are chosen on merit; the room stays open to everyone. If that model fits your organization, become a sponsor.
Around the county
Our first meetup is at Deep River Brewing Company in Clayton, but we'll move around Johnston County and nearby so more people can join close to home. Each meetup's location is on the Events page. As the community grows, we'll welcome sponsors and partners who want to support free, open events.
Want to help shape it? This community is brand new — founding members and volunteers set the tone. Get involved →