As a business association with a mission to support, promote, and grow technology-focused businesses, organizations and jobs in Vermont, the Vermont Technology Alliance’s members range from individual entrepreneurs to large companies, representing a cross section of Vermont’s tech ecosystem. The Vermont Technology Alliance works on behalf of its members and is able to carry out its mission through the support of its membership.
To make sure we’re on the right track, we’re asking our members to give us their feedback. If you are a member, or part of a member business or organization, please take a few minutes to take the
vtTA Member Survey
to help us understand what current programs and activities you value, and what you would like to see us consider for the future.
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The Legislature is moving ahead with a bill to level-fund state government for the first quarter of the new fiscal year, which begins July 1. Once passed, the body will recess and plans to return mid-August, to work on a budget for the remaining nine months for FY2021, and take up other legislation.
In the meantime, the Vermont house has passed a $93 million Coronavirus relief package for businesses – short of the governor’s original $310 million request – from the $1.25 billion Vermont received under the federal CARES Act. The House Energy and Technology Committee released a
draft memo
proposing that $100 million be spent on initiatives to expand broadband in the state, along with other areas. The governor also proposed spending $20 million in support of broadband expansion as part of his Phase 2 proposal in response to the Coronavirus.
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If not already, please consider becoming a member of the vtTA and join our community to promote and support Vermont’s tech sector and ecosystem. See our member
registration page
.
Jeff Couture
Executive Director
Vermont Technology Alliance
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The Power of SEO: 5 Tactics to Drive Awareness, Engagement, and Leads
(June 17, 2020)
The Vermont Technology Alliance presents a free
Let’s Tech Together
webinar with Julia Scott of J. Scott Marketing discussing five tactics to boost a website's SEO to drive awareness, engagement, and leads.
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Coming out of COVID-19 - Presented by Capital Area Tech Association
(June 17, 2020)
The Albany, NY based Capital Area Tech Association invites vtTA members to join its June virtual meeting discussing "Coming out of COVID-19, featuring Greg Caito from Google and James Page from the New York State School Board Association.
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Venture Summit Virtual Connect | Global
(August 4-6, 2020)
Meet, interact and network online with more than 1,300 venture capitalists, corporate VCs, angel investors, industry execs, and founders of venture-backed, emerging and early-stage companies at the Venture Summit Virtual Connect | Global. Take advantage of vtTA discount code.
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Gartner Free Webinars
(June 17 – July 9, 2020)
Research and advisory company Gartner is offering a series of complimentary webinars on a range of tech and business topics through July 9.
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Legislature Passes $93 Million Economic Relief Plan, Scott Wanted $310 Million
(June 12, 2020 – Vermont Business Magazine)
The Vermont House fast-tracked a $93 million Coronavirus Emergency Economic Recovery Grants package and sent it to Governor Phil Scott for his signature. The money is targeted for those businesses most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant economic impact. However, Scott and his administration are "frustrated" with the package that cuts his $310 million proposal by more than two-thirds and adds restrictions in how it is dispersed.
The House bill provides $50 million in grants, $20 million to economic development organizations to distribute grants, and $23 million for grants to nonprofit housing partners and service organizations.
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Governor Presents Phase 2 of Economic Relief and Recovery Package
(June 13,, 2020 – Vermont Business Magazine)
Governor Phil Scott announced the second phase of the administration’s $400 million Economic Recovery and Relief Package. Phase 2 uses $90 million to bring financial assistance to struggling businesses, housing and community recovery efforts, broadband expansion, and regulatory modernization.
The plan includes $55.5 million to support longer term recovery efforts via seed funding to create and grow job creators in new technologies; $20 million for broadband expansion; $11 million in grants and resources for villages and downtowns; and $3.5 million for regulatory modernization.
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Coworking Spaces, Slowly Reopening, See Promise in Push for Remote Work
(June 11, 2020 – VTDigger)
Vermont’s coworking spaces were growing in number and just starting to get organized when the pandemic closed down business activity around the state and nation this winter. Active organizers like Monique Priestley, who runs the Space on Main coworking space in Bradford, estimated there were about 30 of them, most of them small startups, in November. It’s not clear how many will reopen this summer as guidelines allow.
Many were surviving and finding members through events and other programming, activities that will now be limited. That is likely to hurt fundraising and other support. But they could also get a boost from what is expected to be a large move toward remote working.
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Bottom Line: How GlobalFoundries Makes Microchips During Lockdown
(June 10, 2020 – Vermont Business Magazine)
Since March, entering this massive campus — bigger than most Vermont towns — has required a new kind of pass code. A skeleton crew of more than 1,000 masked workers lines up each day before one of three gatekeepers to have their temperatures read by an infrared thermometer. Once they pass the test, the employees put on head-to-toe protective garments. Then they walk onto the floor, a labyrinthine, controlled environment where they begin their "essential" day's work that continues unabated through the coronavirus pandemic.
This campus is not a hospital, and these employees are not nurses. They are engineers and technicians for semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries in Essex Junction. Its "Fab 9" plant, as the local foundry is called, prints microchips that power consumer and commercial electronics. While COVID-19 has required quick adjustments and brought new uncertainty to an already complex, competitive global marketplace, Fab 9 continues to hum along.
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LaunchVT, Generator and VtSBDC Team Up to Support Collegiate Entrepreneurs
(June 10, 2020 – Vermont Business Magazine/Press Release)
LaunchVT, Generator, and Vermont Small Business Development Center announced the start of the 2020 Jumpstart Collegiate program. Jumpstart Collegiate helps aspiring student entrepreneurs launch their ventures. Ten intrepid students from Vermont colleges will participate in an eight-week comprehensive business development program and get connected with the mentors and service providers they need to be successful.
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Education Agency Partners with Remote-Learning Firm
(June 10, 2020 – Vermont Business Magazine)
The Vermont Agency of Education announced a partnership with global education network
Edmodo
to create a statewide network for Vermont educators to collaborate and access learning resources to enable continued support for all Vermont students. The Edmodo platform will also provide educators with a virtual ecosystem for peer learning and networking communities to share information and best practices. Built like a social network, the Edmodo platform enables group conversations and threaded discussions, in addition to classroom tools and a robust content resource library.
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Vermont Systems Announces Solution Enhancements to Support Parks and Recreation
(June 9, 2020 – Vermont Systems)
Vermont Systems, the leading provider of recreation management software and services announced a series of solutions enabling employees of parks and recreation departments to safely return to work while providing members and patrons with social distancing and contact-less methods for engagement. Vermont Systems developed their technology to meet the needs for self-check-in, activity, court, and facility registration, point-of-sale, and contact tracing.
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Chroma Named Deane Davis Outstanding Business of the Year
(June 4, 2020 – Vermont Business Magazine)
Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce announced that Chroma Technology Corp of Bellows Falls as the winner of the Deane C Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award, 2019.
An employee-owned company, Chroma Technology produces optical filters for the scientific, biomedical, photonics and imaging and detection industries. The filters and mirrors that Chroma manufactures are used in microscopes, DNA sequencers and clinical diagnostic devices, among other applications.
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Featured Member – Systems & Software
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For a utility, a Customer Information and Billing System is more than just a collection of records and rules, it’s a lifeline between the utility and its most important asset, its customers. From turn-on to move-out, no other system will have the impact on the customer experience than the CIS does, so ensuring that this solution offers the breadth of scope and responsiveness that modern consumers require should be a priority for every utility management team.
Systems & Software has been meeting this need for its numerous electric, water, sewer and gas clients by combining an intuitive design with powerful technology. Since 1973 it has been their unrelenting mission to provide quality customer information system solutions to municipal and investor-owned utilities. To achieve that mission, they fully understand the importance of a committed, invested group of developers, implementers and support staff to provide the level of innovation that they have become known for.
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Vermont Technology Alliance Membership Update
The Vermont Technology Alliance works on behalf of its members and is able to carry out its mission through the support of its membership.
New members include Dan Lyons and Tobin Winters
Not a vtTA member yet? Then why not join now. Find more information
here
, or sign up at our new member registration page
here
.
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Useful Information & Links
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Vermont Community Recovery Resource Website
The Local Support and Community Action Team, a committee of the Vermont
Economic Mitigation & Recovery Task Force
, is developing strategies to speed long-term community recovery. The group has launched a
new website
to share examples of best practices and other news in the Vermont community recovery.
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RFP for Vermont Buy Local Consumer Stimulus Plan
The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development is seeking innovative strategies, programs and products from companies to stimulate and incentivize local spending and support to Vermont businesses disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The full details on this Request for Proposals opportunity are available on the
ACCD website
.
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PPP Funds Still Available from the SBA
The Paycheck Protection Program provides small businesses affected by COVID-19 with funds for payroll costs and utilities. More than $100 Billion in PPP funds are still available. The recent passage of the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act allows small businesses to use funds up to 24-weeks and have the option of extending the life of the loan from two years to five. SBA will forgive loans if funds are used as intended.
Small businesses, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.
Find more information
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 and subscribe to updates. The Career Center currently has
200+
tech and non-tech jobs
with Vermont Technology Alliance member businesses and organizations. 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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