Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance

• Montana State’s QCORE advancing quantum particle research across the state

  The QCORE center now has two quantum computers, the first of their kind in the United States.

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Trouble in paradise? Seasonal hiring rollercoaster at Yellowstone National Park worries local businesses

  “People see the parks as something that might be unstable or that they might not have the resources to operate correctly. They might not come,” said Gillis.

Big Sky Economic Development

• Big Sky Economic Development Welcomes New Executive Director, Paul Green

  “We had an impressive group of candidates from across the country, but Paul’s leadership experience, economic development expertise, and deep roots in our region made him the right choice,” said Stefani Hicswa. “His understanding of rural and urban economic dynamics and his commitment to community impact align strongly with our mission.”

City of Bozeman Economic Development

• Breaking down barriers: Bozeman schools adapt to influx of English learners amid resource strains

  Many families, primarily from Venezuela and Honduras, are seeking jobs and stability after leaving behind crime, poverty and political upheaval in their home countries, according to Vanessa Zamora, executive director of Bienvenidos a Gallatin Valley.

Montana Ambassadors

• Montana Ambassadors Seattle Speaker Series: commonFont -Building a Montana Technology Services Company – 5/22

  As opposed to simply measuring and responding to customers who provide direct feedback, customer-centric organizations now can personalize the experience, make it better in real-time, and drive business outcomes and ROI by utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence to take intelligent action based on analyzing the breadth of data their customers generate. Abby and her team are driving these outcomes from Bozeman!

• You’re Invited – Montana Ambassadors Trailblazer Speaker Series in Denver – 4/17

  This special evening will feature a fireside chat with Jason Yager, Executive Director of the Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance. Jason brings deep experience across industry, academia, and the nonprofit sector, and currently leads efforts to grow Montana’s quantum and photonics ecosystem.

Montana Business

• Community for Profit – A series investigating Missoula’s private equity-funded hospital.

  Over the course of months, Cast spoke to more than 20 current and former Community Medical Center employees who detailed concerns with the way the administration and Lifepoint ran the hospital. Their accounts reflect growing concern at the national level — including in the U.S. Senate — over private equity’s effects on the U.S. healthcare system.

• Missoula downtown business slow early into 2025

  Numerous Canadian paddling teams canceled reservations for this summer, she said, adding some Canadians are uneasy about traveling to the state, citing economic instability and safety.

Funding and Building your Business

• This Tech Incubator Is Harder To Get Into Than Harvard – Neo

  Founded by early Facebook investor Ali Partovi, Neo has made big bets on founders of hotshot AI startups Pika and Anysphere, the company behind coding tool Cursor. With $320 million in new funding, it’s aiming to cement its status as the Ivy League of startup boot camps.

• The surprising habits of original thinkers

  “The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most, because they’re the ones who try the most,” Grant says. “You need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones.”

YOUR CAREER

• Augmented Carpentry – AR carpentry system eliminates the need for pencils and tape measures

  Factory wood-cutting robots may be capable of fast and intricate carpentry tasks, but they’re expensive – plus they put actual carpenters out of work. A new augmented reality system splits the difference, by precisely guiding the hands of human carpenters.

Energy and Transportation

• Here comes the sun: Montana Legislature approves community solar legislation

  Shared solar projects are gaining momentum across the country with more than 44 states offering similar programs, according to Sen. Chris Pope, and in Montana through nine of the state’s rural electric cooperatives.

• Young woman struck walking through roundabout raises pedestrian safety questions in Bozeman

  Video from a nearby security camera shows 19-year-old Ava Rask being struck by a vehicle as she was in the crosswalk at a Bozeman roundabout.

21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• SpectrUM loses major funding source

  SpectrUM, the University of Montana-affiliated nonprofit science center located inside the Missoula Public Library, lost two federal grants totaling $500,000 as part of sweeping cuts to the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, according to SpectrUM Discovery Area director Alex Sobin.

2025 Legislature and Politics

• Manufacturing jobs are never coming back to the US

  What’s happening is a transition from manufacturing to services that occurs in all countries as they get richer.

• College Presidents Share Their Fears and Frustrations

  …under 47, the landscape has changed. The repression is smarter, more procedural, more permanent. Now, dissent isn’t just punished in the moment—it’s weaponized retroactively …

Government News & Events

• The Colorado model: Leveraging research and data to guide investments and drive outcomes

  With robust research in hand, state leaders can make data-driven decisions backed by rigorous, causal studies that confirm whether an initiative is achieving its intended aims and, just as importantly, identify when an effort is not working.

Social Media, Connectivity & Communications

• Bloomberg News Announces the Launch of “Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media,” a Documentary Exposing Extreme Harms to Young Users Linked to Social Media

  Caution – I attempted to view this but, after going through the registration process, I was greeted with a $15 or more charge on Jolt.   Very disappointing.   While I understand the need to pay for productions, a mandatory $15 or more charge for a rental is too high.  I’ll wait for it to be available for a lower or no cost.

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