Tech CEO Calls for Community Action to Bridge Digital Divide

Gregory Pranzo, Founder and CEO of PranzoTech Solutions, is sounding a powerful alarm about the overlooked crisis of the digital divide, calling for immediate, community-led action. In a compelling critique, Pranzo argues that both private and public sectors are failing to address the core issue, stating, "We don't need another press release about broadband expansion plans. We need people on the ground showing others how to use the tools we already have." His work in Baltimore has exposed the severe, real-world consequences of digital exclusion, from small business owners unable to access affordable automation tools to families being locked out of essential city services due to a lack of basic digital literacy. Pranzo reframes the problem as a systemic failure, declaring, "When a resident can't apply for a housing program because the form is online, that's not a tech failure—it's a systems failure."

The data supporting his call to action is stark and undeniable. According to the Baltimore Civic Tech Survey, 35% of households in underserved Baltimore neighborhoods still lack reliable internet access. Nationally, Pew Research Center data shows 43% of adults in low-income U.S. households do not have home broadband, and the National Skills Coalition reports over 30 million Americans lack basic digital skills. Pranzo emphasizes that these gaps have a cascading effect, impacting not just individuals but city budgets, workforce pipelines, and entire healthcare systems. While his company, PranzoTech Solutions, builds sophisticated dashboards and automation tools, Pranzo champions surprisingly simple, human-centric solutions. He believes the most impactful action can be as fundamental as helping someone sign up for email or learn to use a shared document, asserting, "That's how change starts."

Pranzo is not just advocating; he is actively building solutions on the ground. In 2024, he helped launch a citywide digital skills accelerator that trained over 300 Baltimore residents in basic tech fluency, many of whom had never used a computer before. He also volunteers with the youth organization Code B'More, teaching coding and robotics in underserved neighborhoods. His urgent message is that we "can't build smart cities if we leave whole communities digitally invisible." He concludes with a direct call to action for individuals, businesses, and civic groups, urging them to take local ownership through practical steps like donating devices, hosting tech literacy workshops, mentoring neighbors, and advocating for community technology staff. His guiding principle is clear: "Innovation isn't about building for the top 1% of users. It's about making sure the bottom 30% can still participate."