 Over the last few years, the Vermont Technology Alliance has become more involved during the legislative session in protecting and promoting the interests of our members and Vermont's technology business community. To help us in this area, long-time vtTA board member Mark Heyman, who is transitioning out of his position of General Counsel for vtTA member Logic Supply, will take a lead role in helping the vtTA strengthen and coordinate its public policy outreach. Mark will help the vtTA prepare, connect with members, and step-up our advocacy efforts on behalf of Vermont's tech sector. Members and others interested in our efforts or getting involved can contact
jeff@vtta.org
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 The Vermont Technology Alliance is considering a new program we're calling Vermont Technology Leadership Forum to present and discuss organizational, technology, process and management challenges faced by technology businesses. The intention is to provide a forum for Vermont technology leaders to share experiences, expertise and insight that could benefit others facing similar needs and challenges. Possible topics include Implementing and Sustaining DevOps, Buy vs.Build Decisions, How to Achieve Organizational Alignment, and How to Succeed as a Technology Team in a Non-Technology Business.
We welcome participation by our members and others in this brief survey
to determine interest and format for this event. We hope you can take a few minutes to share your thoughts.
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Speaking of events, our signature networking event is less than a month away. Be sure to
sign up now for the vtTA's Sunset Dinner Cruise
on Lake Champlain, August 21. It's a fun, informal way to mark summer, network, and celebrate with members, friends, clients and others - all are welcome. Don't miss out.
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 Gallagher Flynn & Company is offering the Gallagher Flynn Salary Survey for 2019-2020 free
to all Vermont Technology Alliance business members who sign-up and participate by the end of August. The Gallagher Flynn Salary Survey is an on-line survey providing information for participating Vermont and New Hampshire businesses and organizations on the salary ranges of more than 150 positions, including 20 tech-specific positions and many other jobs found in technology-driven businesses. All vtTA members who join the survey during the promotional enrollment period by August 31 can participate in and access the survey at no charge.
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.
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Vermont Distributed Ledger & Blockchain Innovations Meetup
(July 31, 2019 - Reconciled HG, Burlington)
This meeting will discuss creative uses for Blockchain in Vermont business and government, and the distributed ledger technology applications and pilot projects the Meetup group will want to demo at its upcoming meetings.
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Second Vermont Community Leadership Summit
(August 12, 2019 - Vermont Technical College, Randolph)
Join local leaders working to improve life in their communities at the Second Vermont Community Leadership Summit. The summit aims to support, encourage, inspire and train leaders with the skills they need to succeed.
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Vermont Technology Alliance's Annual Sunset Dinner Cruise
(August 21, 2019 - Spirit of Ethan Allen)
Reserve your space to set sail with the Vermont Technology Alliance and friends aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen for our annual sunset dinner cruise on Lake Champlain - a fun and informal summer networking event.
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Vermont Technology in the News
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Vermont Among 10 States Selected for Manufacturing-Focused Policy Academy
(July 25, 2019 - Press Release)
 Vermont is one of 10 states from across the country selected to be part of a unique program designed to grow and strengthen the manufacturing sector. Over the course of the next year, interdisciplinary state teams will meet together in Washington, D.C., and separately in their home states, to develop and refine strategies impacting manufacturing industries. The Policy Academy guides states through a planning and implementation process to identify relevant manufacturing-related partnerships and policies to move their economic development strategies forward.
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Plans Move Ahead for NEK Broadband Internet Service
(July 24, 2019 - VTDigger)
Broadband internet service in the Northeast Kingdom could be split between two communications union districts in the coming years - one for Caledonia County and one for Essex and Orleans counties. That's according to an action plan released by the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative that provides more details on how leaders aim to tackle limited access to high-speed internet in the region.
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Newport 'Mesh Internet' Project Wants to Provide More Wi-Fi
(July 22, 2019 - VTDigger)
Diane Peel is the director of Newport Wireless Mesh, a nonprofit that, through a technology called "mesh internet," provides low-cost wireless access to a low-income neighborhood in the city's downtown. As others in the Northeast Kingdom are trying to increase the availability of high-speed broadband, the Newport group is focused on one of the barriers to basic internet access: the price tag.
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Hypertherm Foundation and VT HITEC Partner on Software Development Program for High School Students
(July 17, 2019 - Press Release)
The Hypertherm Owners' Philanthropic Endeavors (HOPE) Foundation is partnering with the Institute of American Apprenticeships at Vermont HITEC on a pilot program to teach software development to high school juniors and seniors. The program, funded with a grant from Lockheed Martin, provides an opportunity for students to learn about software development from a team of dedicated instructors and teaching assistants.
Read more
here
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Local Tech Expert Weighs in on FaceApp Privacy Concerns
(July 17, 2019 - WCAX)
A mobile app is all the buzz on social media and newsfeeds. But while it's aimed at a quick laugh, it's also raising security concerns. FaceApp allows users to digitally edit a photo to make them look older, younger, or even the opposite gender. The app continues to trend even with concerns over the app's terms and conditions that are making headlines. They warn that the Russian company will have access to your photos. "This is not to say it's not a concern, but perhaps the concern was a little overblown," said Eric Hart of NPI technology management in South Burlington.
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Winooski-Based BioTek to Sell for Nearly $1.2 Billion
(July 12, 2019 - Seven Days)
 The family that founded one of Vermont's largest tech firms has reached a blockbuster deal to sell it to a publicly traded California company. Agilent Technologies, a Silicon Valley spinoff of Hewlett-Packard, plans to acquire Winooski-based BioTek Instruments for $1.165 billion this fall. The Vermont company, which designs and manufactures life science instrumentation used in research and medical settings, had revenues of $162 million in 2018 and expects to grow by 10 percent this year. BioTek employs 500 people worldwide, 300 of whom work out of its Tigan Street headquarters in Winooski.
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AT&T Pushes Ahead with FirstNet, Invests $40 million in Vermont
(July 10, 2019 - Vermont Business Magazine)
AT&T announced that it has invested nearly $40 million in its Vermont wireless networks during 2016-2018. It also improved critical services that support public safety and first responders using the FirstNet communications platform. Building upon its current and planned investments in Vermont, including $25 million in federal funding, AT&T continues to extend the reach and increase the capacity of the FirstNet communications platform.
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Collaboration with Flatiron School to Provide Tech Training for Springfield Area
(July 5, 2019 - Press Release)
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Artist's rendering of BRIC
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The Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC), the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) and Flatiron School, a global school that specializes in teaching tech skills such as Software Engineering, Data Science and UX/UI Design, announced a collaboration aimed at helping residents of Springfield and the surrounding area learn new skills that open up digital economy employment opportunities. Instead of paying tuition up front, eligible students can access Flatiron School Income Share Agreements (ISAs), and make payments only after securing an annual income of at least $40,000 upon leaving Flatiron School.
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Vermont's New Registry Highlights the Difficulties of Regulating Data Brokers
(June 23, 2019 - Washington Post)
Lawmakers in Vermont are at the forefront of a national movement aiming to shine a light on data brokers that buy and sell the personal information of millions of Americans with whom they have no direct relationship. A state law passed last year required all businesses that trade data on Vermont's residents to register publicly and share some basic information about how they operate. The experiment in Vermont is being closely watched at a time when regulators across the country are trying to address growing concerns over online privacy.
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Featured Member - Instrumart
Established 30 years ago, Instrumart came of age in an era where companies in its field of process controls relied on printed catalogs, trade shows and outside sales reps to generate leads. As a small company, tucked away in Northwestern Vermont, it was hard to distinguish themselves in this arena, but technology provided an avenue.
Instrumart took a huge gamble when it finally cleared its warehouse of old catalogs and trade show displays and replaced them with programmers, SEO/SEM professionals, and content specialists. Many of Instrumart's old friends in the industry thought they were foolish for abandoning a business model that had always worked. More than a decade later those same people are still trying to catch up to Instrumart.
Even though Instrumart has a staff of engineers who sell highly technical products on the Internet, they don't really think of themselves as a tech company - they don't exist because of tech, but they do thrive because of it.
As Instrumart continues to refine its business model and positions itself to take advantage of new technology, they are proud to support the Vermont Tech Alliance for being such an effective advocate for the tech sector in Vermont. Insrumart looks forward to hiring Vermont's next generation of tech workers.
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Do North CoStarters Program Registration Open
The deadline for registering for Do North Coworking's new CoStarters program is now August 30, for a cohort that will meet one evening per week, September 5 through October 31.
Co Starters is a national program to help entrepreneurs explore and test their ideas to build profitable businesses.
Find more information and register
here
.
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Business Startups Invited to Apply for OnRamp Program at The Mint
 Have a great business idea? Own a business that you want to grow? Apply now for OnRamp, an entrepreneurship development program at Rutland Makerspace, The MINT. Participants will have access to business experts from across our community, complete an entrepreneurship curriculum from CoStarters, and go from idea to complete business in one year.
Find more information
here
.
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Computer Science Education Course Offered to K-12 Teachers at Castleton University
The Castleton Center for Schools is offering a course for K-12 teachers at Castleton University on "Exploring Computer Science Education Resources & IT Job Market." The course has two in-class sessions on August 15 and 16, followed by online learning activities through early November.
Find more information
here
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CCV Offering Cyber Academy
 CCV is launching its Cyber Academy, in partnership with Socratic Arts, for participants to develop skills in cyber security. The Cyber Academy offers a 100% online format in two-course, non-credit program that results in a digital badge.
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VMEC Offering Lean Office 101 Session
The Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center is offering a Lean Office 101 workshop focused on applying Lean techniques to an office where processes are not always visible. Using an interactive approach, students will use several tools to learn the best way to see a process, identify waste, and determine what Lean tools to use to create a more effective administrative organization.
Find more here.
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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 regularly lists between 100 - 200 tech and non-tech jobs. Jobs available from vtTA members are listed at no charge in the Career Center as a member benefit.
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The vtTA Thanks Its Member/Sponsors
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© 2019 Vermont Technology Alliance | 70 South Winooski Ave., Box 270, Burlington, VT 05401 | (802) 735-0840
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