| Vermont Named Among Top 5 States for Start-Up Activity [June 16, 2015 - Source: Kauffman Foundation]
The Kauffman Foundation has ranked Vermont number five in its state-by-state listing of business start-up activity. The report found that startup activity was up in 32 of the 50 U.S. states last year, and 18 of the nation's top 40 metropolitan areas also saw increases in new venture activity. Vermont moved up in this year's index from the 12
th spot in 2014.
For more, click here. Are alternatives to old-fashioned offices better? [June 18, 2015 - Source: burlingtonfreepress.com] VtTA's Lunch & Learn on creating effective workplaces prompted this Burlington Free Press feature on office choices and alternatives, highlighting our speakers at the event, Stephen Frey of Arocordis Design and Adam Bouchard of Agilion. The discussion focused on remote and on-site office environments, and how to create a workplace atmosphere that is productive and inviting. For more, click here. Vermont fights patent troll case on two fronts [June 16, 2015 - Source: vtdigger.org] The Office of the Vermont Attorney General is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by MPHJ Technology Investments that challenges the state's 2013 law designed to stop companies from making "abusive" patent infringement claims. The original case started in Washington Superior Court, but is now tied up in the U.S. Court of Appeals following about two years of back-and-forth over whether state or federal judges should hear the arguments. For more, click here. Tech grants announced for Vermont schools [June 15, 2015 - Source: vtdigger.org] All Public K-12 schools in Vermont are invited to compete for technology grants and could win a cart filled with 20 Apple iPads or Google Chromebooks. The Educate/Innovate grant program is being offered for the second time through the Vermont Lottery, in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Education. For more, click here. Dealer.com vows to stay in VT after sale [June 15, 2015 - Source: burlingtonfreepress.com]  Dealertrack, the company based in Lake Success, N.Y., that bought Dealer.com in December 2013 for nearly $1 billion, has in turn been purchased by an Atlanta-based company for $4 billion. Dealertrack announced Monday it has been acquired by Cox Automotive in an all-cash transaction expected to close in the third quarter of this year. Dealer.com will remain rooted in Vermont. For more, click here. KeepBTLocal plans to buy Burlington Telecom
[June 15, 2015 - Source: vtdigger.org] A 500-member not-for-profit cooperative is gearing up to buy Burlington Telecom when it goes on the market in the next few years. KeepBTLocal, a members-based cooperative that started in 2013, brought together members, board of directors, and a telecommunications consultant to announce that the co-op is writing an acquisition plan. For more, click here. Coworking Space to Open in Bennington [June 13, 2015 - Source: vpr.net]  A new project in Bennington, called The Lightning Jar, hopes to tap into the growing popularity of coworking spaces. Organizers of the project have partnered with the Vermont State Employees Credit Union to convert 1,200 square feet of the credit union's downtown offices into a coworking space. The idea is to provide small businesses and start-ups with low-cost professional facilities and opportunities to collaborate with others. For more, click here. Colleges Receive $17.8 Million for Biomedical Research [June 13, 2015 - Source: vermontbiz.com]
A $17.8 million grant has been awarded to further biomedical research and education at all of Vermont's colleges. The National Institutes of Health grant is the third to be awarded to the Vermont Genetics Network, which is based at the University of Vermont and serves UVM, the state college system, St. Michael's College, Middlebury College and Norwich University.
For more, click here.
[June 9, 2015 - Source: vermontbiz.com] VTel has introduced 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps) Internet available to every VTel home. VTel's new 10 Gig residential Internet has been made possible by an $85 million VTel telephone network award from the US Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS). This RUS project is expected to be complete by June 30, 2015. For more, click here. Konica Minolta Acquires South Burlington's SymQuest [June 3, 2015 - Source: vpr.net] Konica Minolta Business Solutions, U.S.A has purchased South Burlington-based, SymQuest, which provides a variety of computer and network services for business. Konica Minolta, which has more than 41,000 employees worldwide, said it will retain SymQuest's 186 employees. For more, click here. Burlington's Designbook Faces Off With Facebook [June 2, 2015 - Source: sevendaysvt.com]  Facebook has challenged Burlington startup Designbook's trademark filing. Designbook allows budding entrepreneurs, or "founders," to create free public profiles that explain their business concepts, and then to crowdsource the resources they need to get their enterprises off the ground. The company's founders aren't backing down from a fight against the social networking giant. For more, click here. |
.jpg)
