Goodbye 2021, Hello 2022
Simply put, our world revolves around the founder, the doer, and the technology professional. What she needs to start, scale, sustain, and succeed influences our daily actions and strategic choices–from the people she needs to meet, to the most impactful places and programs, to the capital she needs to launch and soar. This past year has been exhausting, exciting and unforgettable for all. VCET reopened and reimagined a future with our 240+ members, 23 portfolio companies, 130+ mentors, and the 389 entrepreneurs and teams we assisted in the last 365 days. Words like access, community, gratitude, grit, compassion, purpose, and optimism are top of mind as we close out this year.
So, from your VCET team, a hearty thank you. Let’s go build a brighter 2022 together!
Sam, Nikki, Kelly & David
Dave & Seymour celebrate the MySuperSitter investment!
Sam’s 2 month old son meets Senator Leahy
Team is Everything
- The VCET team grew! We welcomed Nikki Mattos Parodi as our Marketing Associate and Kelly Keen as our Manager of Operations and Culture. Go team go!
- Expert Advice. We added 7 new venture experts to the VCET team. The group of national investors and local advisors will support companies as they grow and scale in Vermont.
- Chase your dreams. Phoebe Lo moved on to dive full time into her art business, Golden Our Studio, and we’re beaming.
- Start ‘em young. Vice President Sam Roach-Gerber welcomed a baby boy in June!
VCET’s newest venture experts from top left: David Aronoff, Gwen Pokalo, Andrew Allen, Diane Abruzzini, Cassie Polhemus, Evan Lovell & Ernie Spears
Creating Actionable Advantages
- As the Beatles sang, we “get by with a little help from [our] friends.” Donations from the Vermont Community Foundation, People’s Bank and family foundations made a HUGE difference to our organization under COVID and beyond. Their financial support allowed VCET to focus on our members, clients and companies.
- Senator Leahy announced $9M in new seed capital at the VCET Founder’s Table event to serve as a powerful force in our innovation ecosystem here in Vermont.
Senator Patrick Leahy and Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray with founders
Founder’s Table in Action
- Internships got easier. The Micro-Internship Program launched in partnership with UVM and VCET startups to make finding and building local talent more seamless than ever.
- You went nuts. New member perks were added like fresh coconuts to the fridge courtesy of VCET member Prince Awhaitey of Healthy Kingdom, and #ScaleHere Platform perks like 30% off Click Up, 35% off BambooHR, and huge discounts off Clerky.
VCET Member Prince Awhaitey, Founder of Healthy Kingdom
UVM’s Micro Internships are a great tool for startups and students alike!
Community is Vital
- All are welcome. Saw 240+ VCET members come through our doors and added members to our community including companies like Geopipe, Inntopia (they’re baaack), and the UVM ARC Program student teams. This includes 84 sponsored memberships for students, interns, Plus Ones, and remote team members.
- Come together. Hosted 40 events (at no cost) for our community including 27 Lunch & Learns where we heard from experts and mentors at the top of their fields, and of course, got to know each other better!
Building Community at a New Member Lunch
- Howdy Partner. We teamed up with VtSBDC and CWE to improve accessibility and expand the reach of our programming.
- Story time. Gathered both virtually and in person for 3 Female Founders Speakers Series events focused on Starting a Farm, Education Technology, and Tech Businesses here in Vermont.
- New Chapters. After a decade of operation, we sold the Middlebury Courthouse and are embedding on campus to support students and Addison County founders.
- Collectively flourished. The Vermont Startup Collective reached new heights as we watched 900+ members come together to help one another start businesses, find jobs, and gain access to valuable resources and advice. Join today!
The Vermont Startup Collective grew to almost 1,000 members.
Female Founders events from 2021.
VCET supports LaunchVT’s 2021 winners Zion Growers, based in the NEK
Scaling Happens Here
- The Vermont Seed Capital Fund made 5 new company investments. Zestbloom (NFT/Crypto), Geopipe (Digital Twins/Metaverse), Widewail (Trust Marketing), Vernal Biosciences (mRNA Manufacturing), and MySuperSitter (Childcare Solutions) were all added to the Portfolio in 2021.
- VCET portfolio company, Burlington Code Academy, wins the Wayne Roberts New Business Awards.
- Vermont’s State House becomes first in the nation to have battery backup power (a clean alternative for backup power over fossil fuel) courtesy of VCET portfolio company, Northern Reliability, in collaboration with Dynapower, Virtual Peaker, and Green Mountain Power (GMP).
- Lost Lantern Whiskey was featured in Forbes and The New York Times for shaking up the spirits industry!
- SheFly, founded by former Midd Entrepreneurs students Georgia Grace Edwards and Charlotte Massey won (drumroll please) Mass Challenge’s Diamond Award!
- VCET portfolio company Benchmark Space Systems joins the Catalyst Accelerator’s On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing Cohort! and sent its CubeSat systems into space!
- Faraday, Visura, GPMS, OhMD and Fluency continue to experience record growth in revenues and employment.
Purpose & Gratitude
Our world revolves around the founder, the doer, and the technology professional. We’re with her from start to scale, and beyond.
Our services and impacts would not be possible without the continued dedication of VCET’s strategic partners: US Senator Patrick Leahy, the University of Vermont, Middlebury College, Consolidated Communications, the Vermont Technology Council, and the State of Vermont. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
Sam, Nikki, Kelly & David
