Our Origin Story

TechNext was born in 2017 at Western Michigan University from a powerful collaboration between students, faculty, and alumni. What started as Kirsten Settle's Honors College thesis evolved into an innovative educational initiative, sparked by a pivotal dinner with WMU alumnus George Hoyem of In-Q-Tel.

The program flourished through the combined efforts of Kirsten Settle, twelve passionate students, instructor Barcley Johnson, and forward-thinking department leaders who dared to embrace innovation. Alumni leaders like George Hoyem and Hitesh Shah bridged the gap between academia and industry, creating unprecedented opportunities for student success.

Today, TechNext stands as a premier technology education program, where industry connections, mentorship, and hands-on learning prepare students for exceptional diverse careers in companies embracing "Deep Tech".