Formed in January 2006, the Providence Geeks is a social networking group that brings together information technology workers from a wide array of industries. Monthly dinners held at AS220 downtown attract people from large and small businesses, government, nonprofits and academia...The events have been drawing as many 100 people on a monthly basis...

...In a state that boasts a number of young technology startups and institutions such as the University of Rhode Island and Brown University, Jepson and Templin knew that the people were out there. The key was bringing them together. Once they did, the number of people aligning themselves with the geek movement began to grow...

...“I think we’re really going to create a culturing community that’s conducive to collaboration,” Templin said, adding that the aim is to help IT workers “not only feel more a part of a community, but also give them easy access to other people, ideas and technologies that are complementary to innovation and entrepreneurship.”...

...Being chosen as this year’s Innovation Champion award recipients, Jepson said, shows that the work they are committed to is actually starting to make a difference in the state. “It validates our sense of connection to the people in Rhode Island,” Jepson said. “It grounds us.”