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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Sep 23, 2014 |
I may be old but I got to see all the great bands.
7th Annual Downtown Montana Conference, 9/24-26, Helena, Montana http://www.matr.net/ev ... =4983 --- Blackstone LaunchPad MSU To Host Meet The Angels Of Frontier Fund 2, 9/27, Bozeman http://www.matr.net/ev ... =5208
Montana Data Focused Business Cluster
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- Cyber security course kicks off at the University of Montana
"Students aren't just learning about it in theory, they are doing it and I do think this is bleeding edge."
- Big Data Alliance Meeting, 9/23, Missoula, Montana
Come join the Big Data in Missoula conversation and share your thoughts
TicketRiver.com
- Blackstone LaunchPad MSU To Host Meet The Angels Of Frontier Fund 2, 9/27, Bozeman
Larry Cates, Chairman of Frontier Fund 2 said, "As angels, we are passionate about new business and product ideas, new enterprises and serving as mentors, teachers, coaches as well as funders of the next generation of prosperity creating companies in our state and region."
Inteneo Systems
- How social logins helped boost TicketPrinting.com's revenue
Enabling event organizers to sign into the ticket printing company's sites using their Facebook credentials has led to 30% more buyers logging in.
Come Home Montana
- Using Analytics to Define the Ticketing Experience
Data and analytics have become the new buzz word in ticketing. Dynamic pricing took all the data and produced information that allowed us to properly price our tickets. Now our analytical team is providing us with recommendations to better run our business. We rely on this information for promo dates, special events, season ticket, risk assessment and keeping the sellout streak alive.
- Whole Foods CIO Invests to Satisfy Shopper Data Cravings
"Customers want to know the next level of information. We need to take a broader look at the different customer ecosystems going on, and how do we plug into those?" CIO Jason Buechel
- CMOs and CIOs Increasingly See Eye to Eye
A consistent point of friction across the years is marketers' demand for speed. Particularly as teams tasked with enabling new customer experiences experiment with advanced digital marketing techniques, we hear from technology teams that they are scrambling to keep up.
- How is the Information flowing within your organization?
It is much easier to focus on the basics and forget the possibilities.
- Big Data Helps Marist College Predict, Prevent Poor Student Performance
"Within two to three weeks, we can predict within 75% certainty whether they will succeed or fail in the class."
Montana Business
- Montana jobs most in demand include RNs, truck drivers
Irvin said many truckers driving for the company make $65,000 to $85,000 a year - far more than the $42,735 average 2013 wage for truckers listed in the state report.
- Montana Career Opportunities - User Interface (UI) Developer, DevOps AWS Engineer, QA Engineer, Middleware Engineer, PostgreSQL DBA - SoFi in Helena
Combining the growth trajectory of a startup with the stability of a venture-backed company, we are one of the hottest financial technology companies today.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Computer Technician - Alter Enterprise
Alter Enterprise is an innovative and unique IT Company located in Missoula, MT. We are local company lead by local people. We are serious about our commitment to our clients and our employees. Alter Enterprise offers a professional work place and creative, engaging projects.
Montana Economic Development
- A fork in the Silk Road in Missoula, Montana
We're still gonna cook for this town," Sam Risho says, "but [the change] will allow us to put a lot more focus into catering our events and we will be doing a lot more of our speciality products as well."
- Carlyle sells Missoula's Mountain Water to Canadian utility
The announcement came as the city of Missoula's eminent domain case against Mountain and owner, the Carlyle Group, heads toward a spring trial in Missoula County District Court.
- EcoStar Awards honor Montana companies for pollution prevention
This year's 24 EcoStar Award winners are a diverse group representing 20 different communities across Montana. The winners include several agricultural entities, the healthcare companies, schools, restaurants, lodges and a guest ranch, spas, organic dairies, a brewery, a rafting company, a handful of retail businesses and two non-profit organizations.
- Montana Legal Services Association awarded $141,000 innovation grant
The Legal Services Corporation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded by Congress, recently announced that Montana Legal Services is one of 11 groups to be awarded Pro Bono Innovation Fund grants.
- Bozeman-based Beartooth Radio, Inc. designing cellphone add-on to help skiers, first responders talk despite poor reception
"Bozeman is the type of environment they're going to be using it in. By being here we're going to really understand how the product's being used."
- Bozeman, Montana's West Paw Design Leads the Pet Industry Sustainability Coalition to grow to 95 member companies
Spencer Williams, President of West Paw Design said that West Paw scored just two points below global brand Patagonia® in the environmental portion of the B Impact Assessment.
- Engineering firm Anvil Corp. rides Bakken wave to downtown Billings expansion
"Right now, everything is happening so fast," said Dan Oakes, Anvil's Billings branch manager.
- Bozeman-based Vision Aerial drone manufacturer pushing dream forward despite regulatory uncertainty
The Montana native placed his products in the middle of the drone market, giving it some professional-type capability for a price lower than the high-end drones, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Startup Weekend in Montana Communities
- Montana Gov. Steve Bullock leads eight-day trade mission to China
Participating businesses include United Grain Corp., Headframe Spirits, Big Sky Resort, One Montana and Montana Precision Products.
- Building Montana Economy Around Coal Exports Not a Productive Strategy
Coal demand, like all economic demand, is not a fixed immutable number
- Montana trade mission group lands in Beijing - greeted by Ambassador Baucus
Baucus said while greeting the group, "Welcome to Montana, go Montana, go Big Sky; we're going to take this country by storm."
- European airplane company seeking location the in the US for airplane factory
Project is a start-up from Europe that is seeking to build their first US factory. Currently, there is an attempt to also locate a factory in Spain, but both projects are expected to run independently.
Careers
- Startup Weekend Billings, 10/10-12, Billings, Montana
Ever wonder if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? To be your own boss? To start your own business? One great way to find out is to participate in Startup Weekend Billings.
- Prominent venture capitalist and philanthropist Michael Goguen inspires prospective entrepreneurs at Glacier Startup Weekend
Goguen inspired those in attendance to strive like he has to be a "dentmaker," whether it's by starting a new business or making a difference in the community.
Next Generation Broadband in Missoula
- Strategies: 11 tips for freelance success
1. Change your mindset. Consider yourself "in business" rather than just looking for gigs or working from one job to another.
- Top 10 jobs facing threats from technology
Many of those in the endangered professions love what they do.
- Out in the Open: Exercism.io - The Site That Teaches You to Code Well Enough to Get a Job
It's a simple idea. But it could help the legions of people out there trying to learn to code well enough to land a job in this fast-growing field.
- Some meditation sparks better brain performance
"This would provide an effective and practical method for non- practitioners to quickly increase brain performance in times of need."
Government
- If the internet in Missoula is not broken, why fix it?
"I think we can do better and we have to do better if we want to stop the brain drain." Missoula City Councilwoman Caitlin Copple.
Idaho Business
- Governor Bullock: Montana can cut carbon emissions, protect jobs
The Bullock administration today unveiled five options for how Montana can meet controversial proposed federal rules to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, to combat climate change.
Regional Business
- Idaho ranks last in median income for women, individuals
Idaho men fared a little better with a median income of $33,623, or 48th in the nation. Idaho men's mediani income increased 3.8 percent from 2012.
- In the diver's seat: Boise firm's remote-control device installed at Boise aquarium
A Boise firm's new technology allows people to take a 'virtual field trip' to an aquarium tank
- Idaho's minimum wage only half of livable wage
Idaho Community Action Network director Terri Sterling said almost 70 percent of Idaho jobs don't pay a living wage, according to a Job Gap study.
Regional Economic Development
- Bill Aims to Boost Innovation in U.S. Manufacturing
Supporters say a bill aimed at creating institutes across the country that push innovation in U.S. manufacturing could create a manufacturing renaissance.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Why innovation and start-ups are thriving in 'flyover country'
We can't rely on just a few region -- we need all 50 states to support start-ups, so we will have a broadly dispersed innovation economy.
Community
- X Prize Pledges $15M for Software That Lets Children Teach Themselves
It wants to bootstrap technology that will let the world's children teach themselves to read and write.
Funding and Building your Business
- TWELVE New grant announcements
- Building a beautiful, durable and sustainable streetscape is a team effort
Most of us take streets for granted, unaware of the many streetscape design issues and elements.
- The Quiet Path toward Sustainability
Out here, in the heart of the rural Midwest, our community is on a journey. We are making our own way toward sustainability.
- If Cities Want to Succeed, They Need to Focus on What Makes Them Distinct
Have you ever noticed that while every company tries its hardest to convince you it's different and better than its competition, every city tries its hardest to convince you it's exactly like the coolest cities?
Energy and Climate Change
- 10 Entrepreneur Beliefs That Defy The Stereotype
Most of these are predictable, like think big and create new markets, but I found a few, like the ten here, that will likely raise the hackles of many people outside this lifestyle, and many "wannabe" entrepreneurs.
- Startups Need To Build Solutions, Not Technology
Smart entrepreneurs build market-driven solutions, per the following principles:
- Q&A: Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix, on better online ads
Peter Daboll believes video is the future of online advertising. He just wants to make those ads better.
- Competition Is for Losers - What valuable company is nobody building?
All happy companies are different: Each one earns a monopoly by solving a unique problem. All failed companies are the same: They failed to escape competition.
Connectivity & Communications
- Scientists Report Global Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
"You can no longer have some countries go first and others come in later, because there is no more time. It needs to be all hands on deck now."
- New polymer makes solar cells more efficient
Solar cells made from polymers have the potential to be cheap and lightweight, but scientists are struggling to make them generate electricity efficiently.
- Fifty foundations pledge to divest from fossil fuels
"There's a new urgency imposed by the science. We have to orchestrate the end of the fossil fuel era in a very short time frame."
Non-Profit News
- Gartner Says a Typical Family Home Could Contain More Than 500 Smart Devices by 2022
"Devices in the smart home will demand connectivity; some will demand high reliability as they'll be performing vital functions such as health monitoring, so homes will require reliable high-speed Internet connections."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Carrying on family legacy: Whitney Williams (daughter of Pat and Carol) goes global
Butte is definitely the place we all love the most. It is one of the most magical places on earth. As I spend time in other parts of the world, it always feels like home. I am totally blessed, that's for sure - between these parents and this family that I got and then all these opportunities. It's amazing.
Transportation
- Ray Ozzie aims to change the way we talk with Talko
Stop texting. Stop talking. Stop e-mailing. Because Ray Ozzie thinks he's found a better way for you to stay in touch using your mobile device.
- Detroit fears of losing carmaking to Silicon Valley
This serves as a warning against complacency, a reminder that every city, state and nation in the world is courting companies that make high-value-added products and create the well-paying jobs that come with them.
- Toyota's fuel-cell sedan offers alternative to big batteries
"It's one thing to bring a new technology to market. It's another to bring it to the mass market."
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