MATR Newsletter - Fri Mar 30, 2018 |
In more-connected areas, the technology could inject a new competitor into markets that have historically been dominated by one or two Internet providers — potentially driving down prices, increasing speeds and improving service. -- SpaceX gains official approval to launch high-speed satellite Internet service -- http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Montana Launches State-Wide Business Plan Competition With Up To $50,000 In Capital Investments - EarlyStageMT.org - Have you started your application yet? Do you know someone who should enter? http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Big Sky Economic Development
Gov. Steve Bullock
- Groups behind One Big Sky aim to flesh out plans for the downtown Billings project
"I can't say that will be the exact return on investment (for the One Big Sky project), but with the team you have assembled, we will do our best to enjoy the same return on investment. It won't happen overnight. It will take many years to get where we need to go." Steve Arveschoug, executive director of Big Sky Economic Development
Montana Department of Commerce
- Governor Bulock asks 'Daily Show' host to see real Montana
The Democratic governor sent a message via Twitter to Noah: "... meanwhile, in the same town and across the state, thousands of students organized #MarchForOurLives rallies. How about you come to Montana, I'll make you lunch and show you what Montana's really about."
Great Falls Development Authority
- 2018 Governor's Conference: Maximize Your Experience With Special Features
Montana's tourism and recreation industry is a diverse group, and the Governor's Conference agenda represents an equally diverse perspective everyone will enjoy and learn from.
Early Edge Montana
- GFDA Top 10
Here is our Top 16 for last week, celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen the Great Falls regional economy.
- Great Falls Development Authority Business Education Calendar: This April...
Here is our upcoming educational event for business owners, managers, and professionals for April 2018:
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Investing in Montana's Kids - Gov. Steve Bullock
Children with high-quality early learning opportunities are more likely to read at grade level, graduate from high school, and earn more money. Every $1 spent on high-quality preschool programs creates $7 in future savings to the communities and states that invest.
VR/AR, Blockchain, Bitcoin, Artificial Intelligence and The Internet of Things
- An Alternate Reality Game That Takes Freshman Orientation to a New Level
A massive ARG became an obsession at the University of Chicago. It also taught students how to handle not getting along.
Come Home Montana
- This Start-Up Uses Human Swarm Intelligence to Develop AI That Can Predict the Future
Unanimous A.I. is using human swarm intelligence to help its AI algorithms predict with better accuracy.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- With Lucky's and ClassPass ramping up, jobs are on the table in Missoula, Montana
"I'm just beside myself doing all this hiring,"
Leadership Montana
- Heartland Tech Weekly: The Midwest offers more than just an escape from Silicon Valley
If you really want to get venture capitalists to invest in the Midwest, it will take more than a three-day trip. But, how else do you get venture capitalists to give Midwest investments a chance?
Montana Business
- Women in Montana Making History: Three Part Series
Montana women have been making history since the beginning of history. From Title IX trailblazers to political icons like Jeannette Rankin and everyone in between, there's no shortage of women who have paved the way for future generations.
Montana Economic Development
- Visitors Spent $3.4B in Montana Last Year
It is likely that this figure would have been even higher had it not been for the severe smoke and fire season Montana experienced during 2017.
- Prospera Releases the 2018 Economic Profile of Gallatin and Park Counties
"The 2018 Economic Profile is full of local information that reveals why southwest Montana is a great place to do business. There is no other publication like it in Montana that assembles regional data and focuses in on our local economy. The Profile is extremely useful for assessing the trends that influence our economy and communities" said Paul Reichert, Prospera Business Network's Executive Director.
Careers
- Opportunity Zone Proposals Due Friday - Is your community eligible?
The program provides a federal tax incentive for taxpayers who reinvest unrealized capital gains into "Opportunity Funds," which are specialized vehicles dedicated to investing in low-income areas called "Opportunity Zones."
- Helena pitches Urban Renewal District to spur economic growth downtown
Helena is determining how to best serve the downtown area's future growth in considering an Urban Renewal District, or URD.
- Groundbreaking set for Montana's first housing cooperative for those 55 and older
"It will be a place where people can build community and live a more carefree life."
Business Plan Forums
- The 25 most influential books ever written about business
Warren Buffett -- arguably the most skilled investor of our time -- said reading 500 pages a day was the key to success, because "that's how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest."
- How Can You Tell Someone Is a True Leader? Look for 1 Skill That Makes Bosses Cringe
This superhuman skill is foundational for effective communication.
City Club Missoula
- Montana Launches State-Wide Business Plan Competition With Up To $50,000 In Capital Investments - EarlyStageMT.org - Have you started your application yet? Do you know someone who should enter?
Online applications are due in late April or early May, depending upon the regional showcase. Detailed information, as well as the online application for interested companies, is available online at http://www.EarlyStageMT.org.
Government
- City Club Missoula Presents: State Of The Community: A Confluence Of Opportunity - 4/9
Missoula City Mayor John Engen, Missoula County Commission Chair David Strohmaier and University of Montana President Seth Bodnar examine how the city, county and university contribute culturally and economically within Missoula's diverse ecosystem.
Incubators and R&D
- The Paradox of Universal Basic Income
Clearly income disparity is ripping the nation apart, and none of the efforts or programs seeking to address it seems to be working.
- Beware the privatization of your town's water
Private investment comes at a cost. Fundamentally, it means handing over our most essential resource to those who put profits before the public interest. That's what we learned here in Missoula, Montana, where we recently wrested control of our water system away from a multinational corporation.
- Pfizer, pocketing a big tax cut from Trump, will end investment in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research
This time around, the company is again gifting its shareholders and laying off workers. Abandoning a challenging research field is a new wrinkle, however.
Other Economies
- Anti-Alzheimer's antibodies clean out brain plaques in mice
In mice tests, the team has demonstrated an antibody that can clear away the disease's characteristic build-up of proteins in the brain, which may lead to an early-stage treatment to prevent symptoms from occurring.
Regional Business
- Ranking GDP: 9 states with the fastest-growing economies. Are you living in one of them?
There are some states with economies that are growing significantly faster than the national average.
- Rural Iowa has a housing crisis. Here's how a handful of communities are solving it
"The joke is that good homes sell at the funeral home," said Manning City Clerk Dawn Meyer.
Regional Economic Development
- Exchange or exploitation? Ski towns turn to foreign students
Most of the J-1 workers she interviewed felt they were given the least desirable jobs and shifts, and in many cases felt they didn't have the ability to change shifts or speak up about mistreatment.
Washington State Business
- 'Old becomes brand new': Opportunity zones might unlock rural America's economic potential
Buried more than 300 pages into the late December tax overhaul signed by President Donald Trump is what some officials think might be a route to economic prosperity for rural America.
Workforce Development
- Washington Rural Broadband Bill Becomes Law
The newly signed legislation grants telecommunications authority to port districts, a move officials hope will widen the reach of Internet in rural parts of the state.
Wyoming Business
- Former US Treasury secretary: Here's how to prepare for the future of work
Work is changing fast--how do we make sure everyone benefits?
Education
- ENDOW, entrepreneurship and Wyoming's economic future
Unfortunately, the reality today is that too frequently young professionals and young couples want to stay but cannot find good-paying, fulfilling work.
Community
- Today's TED Talk - Academic research is publicly funded -- why isn't it publicly available?
"A functioning democracy requires that the public be well-educated and well-informed," Stone says. "Instead of research happening behind paywalls and bureaucracy, wouldn't it be better if it was unfolding right in front of us?"
Funding and Building your Business
- Bozeman, Montana holds the top spot among the nation's largest-gaining micropolitan areas
Missoula County remains state's 2nd most populous, but Gallatin, Flathead make gains
Connectivity & Communications
- What You Need to Know to Get the Most Out of a Coworking Space
Coworking spaces are great for meeting other entrepreneurs, building relationships and more.
- Podcast - The Workplace Culture Chasm: Why So Many Get It Wrong
One of the biggest challenges in the business world today is developing a collaborative and productive workplace culture that can than boost performance.
- Google Increased New Employee Productivity by 25 Percent With 1 Email. Here's What You Need to Know
Yet another example of when 'back to the basics' is great advice.
Government Technology
- SpaceX gains official approval to launch high-speed satellite Internet service
The decision marks a major milestone for chief executive Elon Musk as he pursues a dream of putting 12,000 small satellites into low Earth orbit, connecting rural and developing parts of the world to the Internet.
- San Francisco Aims to Close the Digital Divide with Citywide Fiber Project
The city is the latest jurisdiction to contemplate making high-speed Internet a utility, joining a diverse group of cities and states that includes the likes of San Francisco and Colorado.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- 10 of the world's top technology-enabled public sector innovations and how governments are benefiting.
Discover how governments are using them to boost efficiency and quality today--and to drive more sustainable and productive societies for the future.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- First-ever Montana International Film Festival hits Billings this fall
As someone who has himself made both short and feature-length films, Brian Murnion knows how painful it is to have film festival organizers reject your work after watching it for a minute or less.
Transportation
- How We're Born. How We Live. How We Die--It's All Changing
We're all going to die!
- Jeff Bezos gave a sneak peek into Amazon's future
"If you could hold a conference about the beginning of a golden age, why wouldn't you? It's so fun. And I really do believe that we are on the leading edge of an incredible renaissance. I'm so optimistic about it." Jeff Bezos
- Could 'Nanowood' Replace Styrofoam?
The material, made from tiny wood fibers, is called nanowood.
Events
- Autonomous Vehicle Reality
Planners must be realistic. Autonomous vehicles will probably provide smaller net benefits, including safety benefits, than optimists predict.
- Self-driving cars could kill hundreds but save tens of thousands, Toyota executive says
Lentz estimated that autonomous vehicles could eventually save 35,000 lives annually, representing the 98% of deadly crashes blamed on driver error.
- Parking lots: Why autonomous cars could save acres of space
If autonomous cars work together, even more space can be saved - though perhaps not surprisingly there's a trade-off to think about too...
- 16 automakers launch campaign to promote electric cars
"It's really important to get this information to consumers before they go to the dealership," said Britta Gross, General Motors director of advanced vehicle commercialization policy. "Nine out of 10 consumers already know which technology they want in their vehicle before they go to the dealership."
- MT Code School Demo Day: Missoula PT , 04/03, Missoula
- 2018 Big Sky GeoCon, 04/16-20, Helena, Montana
- Building Tomorrow’s Nonprofits: Engaging Each Generation, 04/05, Hamilton
- Building Tomorrow's Nonprofits: Engaging Each Generation, 04/06, Missoula
- Building Tomorrow's Nonprofits: Engaging Each Generation, 04/19, Red Lodge
- Welcome To The Montana Food Show - 10/1 - Bozeman, Montana
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