PICnet is proud to be a long-time supporter of NTEN (Non-profit Technology Network), which is why we do our best to keep the NPtech love flowing from coast to coast with our monthly 501 Tech Club happy hours.

I organize the meetings for the DC “Accidental Techies” on the fourth Thursday of every month while my co-worker, Lauren Grau, coordinates the San Francisco NTENers one night each month.  The NTEN Happy Hours are a great way to meet more people in your field, learn something new about non-profit management, and keep up with today’s ever-changing technology. And don’t worry; you don’t have to be an NTEN member to join, so invite your friends!

This week is a very busy one on the PICnet social calendar as both Lauren and I have happy hours. Find details below.

Ask any economist, and you'll likely hear the same response:  as markets mature, consolidation tends to occur.  So, while it's big news, it's not necessarily surprising to hear today's announcement that Blackbaud is purchasing Convio.  These two publicly traded corporations have been in the non-profit technology space for a long time, and I congratulate their boards on coming to such an important agreement.

Now, let's get to the real business at hand:  what can be done now to ensure technology service prices go down, not up, in an era of mega consolidation?  Our answer:  a fresh approach with a dose of healthy competition.