Hard Tech Week Opens the Doors on What Utah Builds
Did you know there’s a missile factory in Salt Lake? Or that rocket boosters that launched NASA’s Artemis moon missions were built in Promontory, Utah? Most people don’t. That’s because most of this work happens behind closed doors.
Aerospace and defense make up 19% of Utah’s economy. That’s more than $100 billion in output and half a million jobs. Rockets, drones, isotopes, energy systems, and composites. It’s all being built right here.
Here’s what to know about Hard Tech Week and how to get in on the action.
What is Hard Tech Week?
Held October 26-30 in Salt Lake and throughout Utah, Hard Tech Week is a five-day celebration of companies building physical technology in aerospace, defense, drones, advanced manufacturing, energy, and space. Think live demos, factory floors, and HQ tours you normally can’t get into, plus a chance to meet the founders, engineers, and investors behind it all.
More than 50 events fill the calendar, and most of them are free. The week is presented by 47G in partnership with Utah Tech Week, Nucleus, and Silicon Slopes.
Solve Real Problems at the Hackathon
The week starts with builders, engineers, and students teaming up to tackle real problems from real companies. Sponsored by Torus and Nucleus, with a cash bounty for the teams that crack them. Kickoff is Monday, demos are Wednesday, and winners are announced on the main stage at Zero Gravity. If you’ve ever wanted to test your skills on something that might actually fly, drive, or power a grid, this is your shot.
Monday evening, the Opening Party takes over Traeger HQ. Presented by OTW Safety, with a Space Cowboy theme, so dress the part. Expect around 500 guests in a room packed with founders, engineers, and investors.
The Zero Gravity Summit on October 28-29 at the Salt Palace Convention Center, is the week’s flagship event. Two days of keynotes, panels, and live demos bring together the leaders advancing national security technology, from defense executives to space founders.
Take part in community events taking place all week. Tour drone companies and advanced manufacturers. Watch hardware get built up close. Swap ideas at networking nights, dinners, and social events around town.
Tip: Many tours have limited capacity, and some are already open, book early.
Who Should Attend?
Short answer: everyone. Students can explore careers they didn’t know existed in their backyard. Investors can scout what’s next. Engineers can see how things are made. And if you just like knowing how the world works, there’s an event for you.
Plan Your Week
Pick your tours, lock in your Zero Gravity Summit ticket, and dust off your cowboy boots. Check out the full calendar and event signups.
Coming in from out of town? Downtown Salt Lake is a 10-minute drive from the airport, and everything sits close together, so a tour, a Zero Gravity Summit session, and a networking night fit easily into one day. This is America’s Mountain City ™, after all, you can even get a canyon hike before you fly home.
