DC Byte at the 2026 WiMCO Tech Summit

Market Intelligence, Practical Learning and Meaningful Connections

DC Byte was proud to sponsor the 2026 WiMCO Tech Summit, an event bringing together women from across the mission-critical industry to exchange knowledge, develop their skills, and build genuine professional relationships.

Our Americas Research Manager, Alexandra Desseyn, presented a data center market overview during the Data Centers 101 program to a standing-room-only audience. She explored why data centers matter, the scale and geographic distribution of US supply, and the factors shaping the market’s future growth.

The summit also gave our team the opportunity to learn directly from professionals across research, development, construction, and operations—and to reflect on what effective leadership and networking really look like.

DC Byte’s Market Intelligence on Stage

Alexandra’s presentation introduced attendees to the fundamentals of the US data center market and the intelligence needed to understand its development.

Drawing on DC Byte’s market data, she discussed:

Why data centers are essential to today’s digital economy
The composition and scale of current US supply
Where facilities and development activity are concentrated
How the market is expected to evolve
The infrastructure and delivery considerations influencing growth

The session formed part of a broader Data Centers 101 program designed to make industry knowledge accessible to professionals at every stage of their careers.

“It was fantastic to share DC Byte’s view of the US market with such an engaged audience and contribute to a program helping more people understand the infrastructure behind our digital world.” — Alexandra Desseyn, Americas Research Manager, DC Byte

Leadership Is a Skill, Not a Promotion

Senior analyst Emma Reese’s strongest takeaways was that holding a managerial title does not automatically make someone a leader. Leadership is demonstrated through the ability to facilitate discussion, support others, and create an environment in which everyone feels welcome to contribute.

That spirit was visible throughout WiMCO. Speakers and attendees openly shared their experiences, encouraged questions, and made space for people with different levels of industry knowledge.

“Leadership is a skill, not a promotion. The women at WiMCO demonstrated that by facilitating discussion, supporting one another, and welcoming everyone, regardless of experience.” — Emma Reese, Research Analyst, Canada and Northwest, DC Byte

For Emma, the event also showed why women-centered industry spaces remain important.

“This event creates a safe space to grow professional skills, fail forward, and learn how to rely on each other.”— Emma Reese

Confidence Creates Opportunity

For research analyst Alyssa Dowless, one of the most memorable sessions was Julie Brown’s keynote on confidence, opportunity, and meaningful professional relationships.

Alyssa’s central takeaway was that many women delay pursuing an opportunity until they feel completely qualified. In doing so, they risk waiting for a “perfect” moment that may never arrive.

“If an opportunity excites you, don’t wait for the perfect moment. Have confidence in yourself and take it now.”— Alyssa Dowless, Research Analyst, Midwest, DC Byte

The keynote also offered a more human perspective on networking. Strong professional networks are not created simply by exchanging business cards, they develop when people show a genuine interest in one another and continue the conversation after an event.

“Networking is about building genuine relationships. Learn who someone is—their interests, experiences and passions—and create connections that extend beyond a single business conversation.”— Alyssa Dowless

Understanding What Really Affects Data Center Delivery

The summit gave Alyssa a deeper view of how construction activity can affect an entire data center development schedule.

Permitting, utilities, and equipment lead times are widely recognized constraints, but the sessions highlighted the equally important coordination required once construction begins.

Crane availability is one example. Multiple contractors may depend on the same crane to position structural steel, concrete panels, generators, cooling equipment, and transformers. A late delivery, delayed inspection, or unsafe weather conditions can disrupt the crane schedule and create a ripple effect across the project.

Material sequencing, specialist-trade coordination, labor availability, and quality inspections can appear to be individual operational details. Collectively, however, they can determine when a facility is ready to become operational.

“Many seemingly minor construction issues can have a meaningful impact on progress. Together, they can significantly affect project schedules and ultimately determine when a data center becomes operational.” — Alyssa Dowless

Inside The Bunker

A standout experience was the tour of The Bunker, a data center created inside a former nuclear bunker.

The visit demonstrated the level of planning required to repurpose an unconventional facility for modern digital infrastructure. The team learned about the challenges involved in transporting heavy racks into the building, retrofitting the environment for power and cooling, and planning future expansion within an existing structure.

For several attendees, it was also their first opportunity to tour an operational enterprise data center, making the experience an accessible and memorable introduction to the physical infrastructure behind the industry.

“Converting a former nuclear bunker into a data center requires an incredible level of planning—from moving heavy equipment to retrofitting the cooling and power environment and preparing for expansion.”— Emma Reese

Professional Relationships Built Through Genuine Connection

WiMCO combined learning with opportunities to connect in a more natural and personal setting—from informal conversations by the pool to line dancing, poker and shared dinners.

These experiences reinforced an important message: the strongest industry relationships often begin as genuine personal connections. They provide emotional and professional support, enable the exchange of knowledge and can lead to new opportunities long after an event has ended.

“We were learning together, but we also centered fun. Those moments created space to build personal connections—and in this industry, those relationships can be just as important as the professional ones.” — Emma Reese