Abilene, TX  ·  April 3, 2027  ·  Inaugural Edition

Lone Star TechCON

West Texas's regional technology conference for infrastructure engineers, security practitioners, AI builders, and the people navigating what's next.

1 Day
4 Tracks
20+ Sessions
1 Career Room

Until Lone Star TechCON 2027

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Four Tracks. One Day. All Signal.

Every session is chosen for practitioners — the people actually doing the work.

01

Track 01

Infrastructure & Data Center

The physical layer of what's coming.

  • Data center design and operations at scale
  • Cloud, hybrid, and edge architecture in production
  • Networking, power, and cooling — the parts that matter
  • Infrastructure careers: what skills are in demand now
02

Track 02

AI & Emerging Technology

Applied. Not theoretical.

  • AI implementation in real production environments
  • LLMs, agents, and automation — the practitioner's honest view
  • What AI adoption looks like outside hyperscalers
  • Regional AI training and certification pathways
03

Track 03

Cybersecurity

Offense. Defense. Everything between.

  • Penetration testing methodology and offensive security careers
  • Threat landscape for critical infrastructure and energy
  • Security fundamentals for small and mid-market organizations
  • CTF culture and community — the DC325 ecosystem and beyond
04

Track 04

Career & Job Navigation

The most honest room at the conference.

  • Navigating a tech job search in the current market — candidly
  • Which certifications move the needle, and which ones don't
  • Freelancing, fractional work, and consulting as a real path
  • What hiring managers in this region actually want
★ Only at TechCON

Speakers

The lineup is taking shape. This is the caliber of practitioner we're inviting — full lineup announced with the CFP.

Penetration Tester & Published Author

War stories and tradecraft
from real engagements

Cybersecurity

Security Community Organizer

The people who run
Texas hacker communities

Cybersecurity

Fractional CTO & Startup Advisor

Scar tissue from startups,
enterprises, and in between

Career & Jobs

University CS Faculty

Training the next generation
of West Texas engineers

Infrastructure

Want to be part of the first lineup?

Submit a Talk

CFP opens Fall 2026 · 20 & 45-minute talks · Four tracks

Something Different

The Career Room

Private. Appointment-based. No pitch tables. No booths.

The Career Room runs parallel to the main conference floor — a dedicated space for one-on-one conversations between job seekers and hiring managers, technical leads, and career coaches. Opt in at registration, schedule your appointments, have the conversation you actually needed.

For Job Seekers

  • 20–30 minute private, structured sessions
  • Direct conversations with practitioners and hiring leads
  • Opt-in at registration — no pressure, no booths
  • Resume review available on request

For Employers & Staffing Firms

  • One exclusive Career Room sponsorship slot
  • Pre-scheduled appointments with motivated candidates
  • Direct access to the West Texas tech workforce
  • View sponsorship details →

Pre-Conference Workshop

Pre-Conference · April 2, 2027

Hands-On Workshop

A limited-seat paid workshop the day before TechCON — deep focus on a single topic with a recognized practitioner leading the room. Year one topic and instructor to be announced. This is a working session, not a lecture.

~25 seats ~$175/person Hands-on format
Get Notified

Saturday, April 3, 2027 — One Day, Four Tracks

Full schedule and session details coming soon. Here's the shape of the day.

8:00 AM

Doors Open

Registration, coffee, and hallway track begins

9:00 AM

Opening Keynote

Speaker TBA

10:00 AM

Track Sessions Begin

4 simultaneous tracks · Career Room appointments open

12:30 PM

Lunch

Provided · Networking encouraged

1:30 PM

Afternoon Sessions

Track sessions resume · Career Room continues

4:30 PM

Closing Keynote

Speaker TBA

5:30 PM

Networking Reception

Location TBD

* Schedule is illustrative. Confirmed agenda published closer to the event.

Abilene, Texas

Home of Lone Star TechCON 2027.

Abilene is a city of three universities, a DEF CON affiliate chapter that draws security practitioners from across West Texas, and a growing IT and managed services community rooted in decades of military, energy, and agricultural infrastructure.

The city is also where the OpenAI Stargate data center campus is being built — one of the largest AI infrastructure investments in the country, operated by Crusoe and Oracle at a planned 1.2-gigawatt scale, with a regional training program creating direct career pathways for Abilene residents.

Venue details will be confirmed shortly. Candidates include Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University, and the Abilene Convention Center.

Getting Here

  • ABI · Abilene Regional Airport, via DFW
  • I-20 · ~3 hours from Dallas
  • HWY · ~2.5 hours from Midland · ~3.5 hours from Austin

Hotels

  • Hotel block details to be announced.
  • Downtown and venue-adjacent options available.
  • Join the interest list for early hotel info.

While You're in Abilene

  • Perini Ranch Steakhouse (Buffalo Gap)
  • The Grace Museum · Frontier Texas!
  • Lytle Land & Cattle Co.
  • Lake Fort Phantom Hill

Sponsors

Lone Star TechCON is made possible by organizations that believe in the West Texas tech community.

Be Here First.

Lone Star TechCON 2027 · Abilene, TX · Saturday, April 3, 2027

Be the first to know when tickets go on sale, speakers are announced, and sponsorships open. One list. No noise.

Lone Star TechCON is produced by Rural Capital, LLC — organized by a West Texas technologist who has spent years behind the scenes of community tech conferences and is now building one for the region he calls home.

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