VCET Named Inc. Power Partner 2024
The annual list recognizes the country's leading B2B companies that have proven track records of supporting entrepreneurs and helping companies grow
Burlington, Vermont, October 22, 2024 – Inc., the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future, today announced its third annual Power Partner Awards. The prestigious list honors B2B organizations across the country that have proven track records supporting entrepreneurs and helping startups grow. This year’s list recognizes the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, Inc. (VCET) among the top organizations that are proven in helping to make other companies great.
Every company on the Inc. Power Partner award list received top marks from clients for being instrumental in helping leadership navigate the dynamic world of startups. These B2B partners support entrepreneurs across various facets of the business, including hiring, infrastructure development, cloud migration, fundraising, etc., allowing founders to focus on their core missions. “This is our definitive listing of vendors and suppliers who have demonstrated excellence in serving small- and midsize customers,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Mike Hofman. “As part of the vetting process, our team of editors, researchers and reporters gathered information on companies’ products and services, assessed their reputation as captured in online comments and forums, and collected customer testimonials to ensure that the sales pitch matches the actual client experience. In every case, we spoke to founders who were happy to attest to a vendor’s genuine commitment to a mutually beneficial business partnership. We’re happy to be the conduit for that positive word of mouth.” Inc. has selected 359 companies and organizations across B2B categories as Power Partner awardees.
“Widewail received tremendous amounts of support from VCET as we started and scaled our company. From our first office space, identifying early key employees, lifecycle venture capital advice and operational tips on a day-to-day basis, they have been a trusted resource during our success,” shared Matt Murray, co-founder of Widewail, a reputation management SaaS provider named an Inc. 5000 company in 2023 and 2024. “Founders often hear an investor’s pitch about how they’re a “value add partner” and I am here to say that the VCET crew actually walks the walk in so many ways beyond just its investment. It’s great to see that Inc. recognized VCET as a Power Partner.”
Last year VCET assisted 377 companies, founders and student entrepreneurs with no cost business advice and mentoring, operated a 180+ person innovation hub and launched a second $9M evergreen venture capital fund. Over their lifetimes, VCET’s portfolio of companies have raised over $500 million in capital, earned more than $500 million in revenues and provided over $400 million in wages. For nearly two decades as an independent non-profit corporation, VCET has made impacts at the intersection of entrepreneurship, education and economic development across Vermont and greater New England.
“Leading with authenticity, expertise and empathy, our team works daily to be the trusted partner for Vermont’s founders to find actionable advantages when starting and scaling their businesses,” said David Bradbury, VCET president. “Companies find the people they need to know, the platform where resources are accessed and the early stage venture capital required. We are grateful that Inc. has recognized our impacts and model for success in supporting this next generation of employers.”
To view the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/power-partner-awards/2024
About VCET
Accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship since 2005, the non-profit Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, Inc. (VCET) provides expert business mentoring, technology professional networking, coworking and accelerator spaces in Burlington, innovation programs, and venture capital investment. VCET manages $15 million in evergreen venture capital funds to support Vermont’s startup and scaling technology firms. Learn more at www.VCET.co, join us on www.instagram.com/vcet.co/ and listen to the Start Here podcast at www.vcet.co/podcast. Recognitions include: Inc. Power Partner (2024), InBIA Impact Award – Rural Incubator (2019), RETN Community Partner of the Year (2017), VT TechJam Ambassador of the Year (2016) and Ranked #11 Globally by the UBI Index (2013)
About Inc.Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.’s award-winning work achieves a monthly brand footprint of more than 40 million across a variety of channels, including events, digital, print, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since its launch as the Inc. 100 in 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
