The Vermont Technology Alliance submitted a letter summarizing observations and recommendations to improve opportunities for Vermont firms to secure IT contracts with the State of Vermont to Governor Phil Scott;
Michael Schirling, secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development; John Quinn, secretary of the Agency of Digital Services and Chief Information Officer; and Christopher Cole, commissioner of the Department of Buildings and General Services. The letter lists eight ways to improve the State of Vermont IT procurement process, and is signed by 35 vtTA members. You can read the letter here.
We look forward to seeing vtTA members, friends and many new faces for our annual
Sunset Dinner Cruise on August 24
. It's a traditional event for socializing, networking and marking the success and progress of the vtTA and Vermont's tech sector. The cruise is made possible by presenting sponsor
FirstLight Fiber
and by vtTA sponsors
PCC
and
Dealer.com
.
Looking ahead, in September the Vermont Technology Alliance and EMBOLDIA are partnering to present a
discussion with Dougan Sherwood
, managing director of the Cambridge Innovation Center on the growth and development of entrepreneurial communities, moderated by business and technology writer Adam Bluestein.
We're also working with some great tech-based businesses in Winooski to host a "tech crawl" event as part of Innovation Week this fall. We hope it will be a fun way to discover some of the variety of tech-based businesses and jobs in Winooski, particularly those that have made their home in the historic mill buildings - a textiles to tech success story.
And following that is the annual Tech Jam event, Oct. 20 and 21, which includes our presentation of the annual Tech Jam awards. Details to come, but start thinking of nominees for tech innovation, ambassador, newcomer and startup awards..
We hope you can make it to these and other events and thank you for keeping connected with the Vermont Technology Alliance.
Jeff Couture
Executive Director, Vermont Technology Alliance
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Useful Links
We have sponsorship opportunities in our newsletter, for our Lunch & Learn and social events, on our website, and much more.
Click below to contact us!
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Vermont Technology Alliance's Annual Sunset Dinner Cruise
[August 24, 2017 - Spirit of Ethan Allen, Burlington]
 Set sail with the Vermont Technology Alliance and friends aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen for our annual sunset dinner cruise. Enjoy spirits and a plated dinner amid the spectacular setting of Lake Champlain. Come join us for an evening of food, fun and conversation.
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Catalysts of the Climate Economy Summit
(September 6-8, 2017 - UVM)
 This summit will bring together
entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders who are accelerating economic development by solving the challenges presented by climate change. The summit will feature spark speeches, solution pitches, a business and policy leader fishbowl, sessions with industry leaders, and innovation tours.
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Young Professionals Summit of Vermont
(September 9, 2017 - Rutland)
The Young Professionals Summit of Vermont is an annual, one-day event for Vermonters to network, share ideas, and confront issues faced by the state's young workforce.
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The Power of Entrepreneurial Communities & Engaging with Generation Y and Millennials
(September 14, 2017 - Manchester)
 EMBOLDIA presents its first event outside of Chittenden County, featuring Issa Sawabini, owner of Fuse, and Michael Jager, founder and chief creative officer at Solidarity of Unbridled Labour, for a discussion on "The Power of Entrepreneurial Communities and Being Engaged with Generation Y and Millennials," moderated by Joy Proft, owner of JOY-all things underthings.
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Vermont Code Camp
(September 16, 2017 - Champlain College)
 Vermont Code Camp is a full-day event that brings together technology community members, students and professionals from around Vermont and beyond. Sessions are on a variety of software topics including programming, databases, web development, and business.
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Hinesburg Pop-Up Coworking - Autumn Edition
(September 19, 2017 - United Church of Hinesburg)
Bring your laptop, enjoy Bristol Bakery snacks, and get to work with others in the Hinesburg area interested in co-working at this pop-up event in the Osborne Parish House, adjacent to United Church of Hinesburg on Route 116.
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Developing Entrepreneurial Communities - a Conversation with Dougan Sherwood
(September 28, 2017 - Study Hall, Burlington)
 The Vermont Technology Alliance and EMBOLDIA are partnering to present a discussion with Dougan Sherwood, managing director of the Cambridge Innovation Center on the growth and development of entrepreneurial communities, moderated by business and technology writer Adam Bluestein.
Find our more and register here
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Vermont Technology in the News
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Step Ahead Raises Over $7 million to Bring Groundbreaking Water Technology to Consumers
(August 18, 2017 - Source: Vermont Business Magazine/press release)
 Step Ahead Innovations, Inc, creators of the MindStream aquarium water monitoring system, has announced that it has completed a recent $1.5 million capital round, which moves the firm toward bringing its innovative water monitoring technology to market. This latest round brings the total amount raised by the Burlington company in seven rounds of funding to over $7 million, a substantial amount for a Vermont technology start-up.
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WonderArts Receives Grant for Creative Incubator Space in Northeast Kingdom
(August 18, 2017 - Source: VTDigger/Press Release)
WonderArts Vermont received a $58,947 Rural Business Development Grant to support the purchasing of equipment for a Creative Incubator Space, in the Northeast Kingdom. The project twill make high-tech equipment and classes available in graphic design, web development, business planning, computer software, and marketing.
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Vermont ranks ninth in place to live 'richer life'
(August 17, 2017 - Source: Vermont Business Magazine)
 Vermont ranked number 9 in a list of states for families to live richer lives, compiled by personal finance website GOBankingRates. New Hampshire ranks as the Number 1 state, followed by Wyoming and Virginia. New Mexico was listed as the worst, followed by Louisiana, and California. Vermont ranked high for education, median household income and safety, which were offset by cost of living.
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Vermont Precision Tools, Vermont HITEC to train new machine operators
August 16, 2017 - Source: Vermont Business Magazine/Press Release)
Swanton manufacturer Vermont Precision Tools and Vermont HITEC announced a fifth education and apprenticeship program that will bring machine operator jobs to Vermont over the next several months. The program provides free education and one year of on-site mentoring through an apprenticeship at the VPT Swanton, Vermont location.
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More VT Low-Income Families Gain Internet Through Program
(August 15, 2017 - Source: Vermont Business Magazine/Press Release)
Comcast reports that 270 more low-income homes in Burlington and South Burlington signed up for Internet Essentials, the nation's largest high-speed internet adoption program. Comcast increased the program's Internet speeds and added free access to 18 million Xfinity WiFi hotspots, helping low-income families stay connected in and out of their homes for possibly the first time.
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Road Pitch rolls out 2017 winners
(August 14, 2017 - Source: Vermont Business Magazine)
 The fourth annual FreshTracks Road Pitch was held July 31 through August 4. The "business bikers" listened to a total of 44 presentations in 10 Vermont towns. The 10 winners have been named and will now gear up for the statewide pitch-off October 19 at Champlain College.
Here is the list of winners from each location:
- Essex Junction - MajorWise
- Grand Isle - Sustainability Benefits
- Lowell - Vermont Chalky Paint
- Rutland - Fire Technologies International, LLC
- Bennington - Valt
- Brattleboro - Sugar Bob's Finest Kind
- Randolph - Edgeworks Creative
- Barre - Whistlekick
- St. Johnsbury - Biochar Waste Management
- Hyde Park - Potlicker Kitchen
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More Optimism in Latest Davis & Hodgdon Economic Outlook Survey
(August 14, 2017 - Source: Vermont Business Magazine)
 The results from the recent Vermont small business economic outlook survey indicate that key issues for Vermont businesses include health insurance costs, taxes, and finding qualified employees. These issues were identified for all Vermont businesses surveyed, regardless of size and county. Nearly 150 Vermont businesses completed the latest semi-annual economic survey of Vermont's small- to medium-sized businesses, presented by Davis & Hodgdon Associates CPAs and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.
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Nearly $550,000 in Broadband Grants Will Serve 307 Addresses
(August 10, 2017 - Source: VTDigger)
The Public Service Department will give more than a half-million dollars to three companies to upgrade internet speeds in rural areas of Vermont. The department announced the $547,500 in grants to Comcast, Consolidated Communications (formerly FairPoint) and ECFiber to upgrade speeds at 307 homes and businesses. The grants are part of the Connectivity Initiative, a program the Legislature started in 2015 to reduce the number of Vermonters without high-speed internet.
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Leaders laud 60 years in Vermont for IBM, GlobalFoundries
(August 10, 2017 - Source: VTDigger)
Vermont's top political leaders and the head of GlobalFoundries praised the contribution of the company and IBM during a celebration in August, marking 60 years of making semiconductor chips in Vermont. Speakers, including GlobalFoundries CEO Sanjay Jha, said Essex Junction remained an important manufacturing site because of the "perseverance" of the employees through changes that have occurred over those six decades.
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Taking The Pulse Of Vermont's Tech Industry
(July 26, 2017 - Source: VPR)
The idea of growing the tech industry and developing a Vermont spin on Silicon Valley has a lot of appeal. But the state faces big challenges in terms of attracting and keeping talent and companies. Vermont Public Radio checks in on the tech industry here in Vermont: from the unique circumstances around working remotely to how to help local startups take their next steps.
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Co-working in the country: Hinesburg Church Hosts Digital Nomads
(July 31, 2017 - Source: Burlington Free Press)
 Entrepreneurs and remote workers gathered for a pop-up co-working space in the Osborne Parish House at the United Church of Hinesburg last month. Wayne Maceyka first got the idea to establish a co-working space in Hinesburg last year, and after a few false starts, he thinks he has found the right place at the Osborne house.
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Featured Member: CSL Software Solutions
Since its inception in 1992, CSL in Burlington has provided advanced software solutions that enable its customers' sales performance management strategies. CSL is a global solutions provider, operating on three continents and is focused on the Pharmaceutical/Biotech, Financial Services and Animal Health industries. Its primary goal is to enhance their client's success through its domain expertise and customized software solutions in areas such as employee coaching, incentives management, key performance indicator reporting and analysis of process quality and feedback.
World-class companies come to CSL because they need solutions that are easy to use, add value quickly, and can be implemented swiftly without IT challenges. Many Fortune 500 companies rely on CSL for their mission-critical ICM, SPM, and Coaching solutions. CSL solutions are an essential part of their customer service and retention plans, and their goals for measuring and rewarding their employees.
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Useful Information & Links
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Community and Military Veteran's Job Fair - Sept. 11
The Vermont Department of Labor, Workforce Development Division, is hosting a
Community and Military Veteran's Job Fair on Monday, September 11 from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Sheraton Conference Center on Williston Road, So. Burlington.
There is no cost for employers or job seekers to attend. This event will be open to the general public and will take the place of the Annual Veteran's Job Fair that we normally hold in conjunction with Veteran's Day.
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Make Connections with Quebec Tech Businesses
 The Vermont Technology Alliance, in collaboration with the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ), offers an online business networking and opportunity exchange service for technology companies in Vermont: The COREX Opportunities B2B networking platform -
vta.corexb2b.com
.
COREX Opportunities promotes contact between Vermont and Quebec companies through targeted networking based on their industry sector and their individual profiles and needs. Companies can also use this tool to find new customers, suppliers or potential partners, post requests for proposals or other business opportunities, or ask questions.
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vtTA Career Center
Vermont Technology Alliance member companies are hiring, and when you visit the
Career Center
on the
Vermont Technology Alliance website
you can browse and search for these job openings
. The Career Center features about 200 tech and non-tech jobs with Vermont Technology Alliance member businesses. Jobs are listed in the Career Center at no charge as a vtTA business member benefit.
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The vtTA Thanks Its Annual Sponsors
Leadership Sponsors:
Sustaining Sponsors:
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© 2017 Vermont Technology Alliance | 70 South Winooski Ave., Box 270, Burlington, VT 05401 | (802) 735-0840
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