By Adam Lapierre
Overwatch Imaging media release
HOOD RIVER —Overwatch Imaging, a developer of autonomous airborne imagery intelligence systems, is honored to announce a donation of $10,000 to strengthen STEM education in the Columbia River Gorge ecosystem.
At Overwatch Imaging’s 10-year anniversary celebration on Feb. 19, founder and CEO Greg Davis presented the donation to the Gorge Technology Alliance (GTA), an organization dedicated to connecting and supporting the local tech community. The funds will sponsor programming for the Columbia Gorge STEM Hub, a department of the Columbia Gorge Education Service District that provides dedicated programming for science, technology, engineering, and math.
“As Overwatch Imaging marks a decade of innovation, we are proud to make this donation to strengthen the connection between the local technology ecosystem and our community,” said Greg Davis, founder and CEO, Overwatch Imaging. “As a business with deep roots in the Gorge that employs many graduates of local schools while also attracting top talent from throughout the region and nation, we truly believe in the importance of a strong local community, and we value the educators, coaches and mentors who provide excellent training for the next generation of engineers, builders, and problem-solvers.”
This donation ensures that the STEM Hub’s robotics programming will be offered to families throughout the Gorge for the 2026-2027 school year. Now in its fourth year, the robotics program has served over 500 students across 12 schools.
“We’re grateful to Overwatch Imaging for providing funding that will support the students, parents, and coaches of our competitive robotics program,” said Julie Cucuel, Director, Columbia River Gorge STEM Hub. “In the Columbia River Gorge, we see over and over again that industry shows up for education with time, resources, and expertise. With their generosity, Overwatch Imaging is making an important commitment to ensure the youth in our community are STEM-literate and future-ready.”
Strengthening STEM education is a key focus area of GTA’s work to bolster the Gorge as a hub of innovation for aerospace and imagery intelligence. Serving as a connecting point between industry and education, the GTA routinely provides connections to mentors, teachers, and speakers for the STEM Hub’s programming.
“Education is foundational to the continued flourishing of our local ecosystem,” said Jason Hartmann, Project Manager, Columbia Gorge Tech Alliance. “As successful businesses like Overwatch Imaging continue to grow, programming provided by the STEM Hub will provide a pipeline for homegrown talent that will help our local economy thrive.”
The donation was announced at the Overwatch Imaging 10-year Anniversary Celebration, which drew about 75 people to the Ruins in Hood River. In addition to the presentation of the check, Davis provided a history of Overwatch Imaging, charting its evolution from a bootstrapped startup to a global provider of AI-enabled sensor autonomy deployed across six continents. The Gorge ecosystem played an important role in the company’s journey from day one, and the company continues to value its role as a longstanding local employer and steward of its rich technology lineage.
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