Business and Economy

• This small Montana town is the gateway to Yellowstone. Trump’s budget cuts could decimate it

  “Gardiner is a company town and Yellowstone is the mill. If somebody starts screwing with the mill, we have no choice but to be concerned.”

• This New Treatment Can Adjust to Parkinson’s Symptoms in Real Time

  FDA approves algorithm developed by UCSF researcher that provides calibrated electrical pulses to fend off stiffness and involuntary movements before they arise.

• Preserve Historic Missoula seeks nominations to recognize endangered properties

  The goal is to create public awareness in the community and highlight the importance of the historic landscape and threats they face. Threats include deterioration, neglect, encroachment, development, possible demolition or a combination of those factors.

•  Join us for the first Cooperative Academy May 12-14th, 2025 in Great Falls

  Co-Op Employees and Boards- We Want You to Join Us! This is more than just a training—it’s an opportunity to grow the cooperative movement from the inside out. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this exciting initiative!

• University of Montana Supports Entrepreneurial Students Through Startup Studio

  Each Tuesday afternoon this spring semester students meet in UM’s Startup Studio, a room on the third floor of the University Center where students of all majors explore their business ideas and receive feedback from one another.

• 20 of our future leaders at Hellgate High School need your help to compete at the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Nationals in Orlando, Florida

  This letter is being presented to you as a means of asking for a tax-deductible, financial sponsorship. Your consideration will be appreciated, and any amount of sponsorship will be greatly welcomed.

• Please Help Stacey Recover From Devastating Car Accident – Go Fund Me

  A week ago, Stacey had a devastating car accident returning from an excursion around Freezeout Lake. An adventurer at heart, she had taken to the road in her trusty Subaru, and in a stroke of terrible luck, met another car on the road head-on. Her injuries are severe, and we hope with each passing day that she will live to see the next.

• Hellgate Venture Network – April 17th Meet-up at Main St. Realty with Sean Puckett of Ranchland Capital

  Come join the conversation.

  Meet New People

  Let people know about what you’re doing.

  Drink some beer.

  Repeat.

• Experiential Learning and Career Success is at the University of Montana

  We engage with local employers and to help them connect with UM students, primarily via events, including career fairs. We are expanding our relationships by working more directly with individual employers to learn what they are searching for and essentially bridge that gap between student and employer needs/expectations.

• Want to stay healthier and fulfilled later in life? Try volunteering

  Children and teens who volunteer tend to have better health and lower levels of anxiety and fewer behavioral problems than those who don’t volunteer.

• Montana Nonprofit Career Opportunities – Executive Director, Marketing & External Communications Manager, Chief Operating Officer

  “The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it,” – John Ruskin, encapsulates the value of working for a nonprofit, emphasizing the personal growth and impact of serving others.

• The Next Tell Us Something Event Is THIS FRIDAY (4/4)! That’s right, y’a’ll! And we’re going to be in Butte, America!

  Don’t miss our upcoming live storytelling event in Butte! We’re diving into the theme “Be Careful What You Wish For,” and we can’t wait to hear the incredible stories that unfold. This is your chance to witness the magic of live storytelling in person.

• The Silicon Forest’s Rising Star: Why Businesses Are Flocking to Vancouver, Washington

  With no income tax, strong infrastructure investments, and a surging job market, Vancouver and its surroundings are poised to rival Portland’s economic clout.

• Idaho governor signs bill criminalizing ‘truck nuts’

  “They’re gross, they’re offensive, and kids on the road see them. So why wouldn’t the police get a call and say, ‘That offends me, pull it off the truck?’” Wintrow said. “Because now this bill will allow it. And I talked to police and they said, ‘Indeed it would.’

• Drug may boost motivation for people with depression

  Researchers found that a common blood test measuring C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood biomarker of inflammation produced by the liver, could help determine which patients are most likely to respond to repeated doses of levodopa.

• What Can IT Executives Do to Improve Mental Health for Themselves and Their Teams?

  IT execs — CIOs, CISOs, and CTOs — are experiencing unprecedented mental health strain. So are their teams. What can they do to address the problem?

• TEFAP Cuts Impact Food Supply at Missoula Food Bank & Community Center 

  In 2024, MFB&CC distributed 2.81 million pounds of food to local families, including 228,290 pounds from TEFAP. Losing nearly 40% of our TEFAP funding —equivalent to $180,000 in inventory (91,000 pounds)—will mean MFB&CC will need to purchase more food than last year. In addition, with rising grocery prices and increasing financial strain on households, we are seeing a higher need than ever before and only expect demand to continue to rise.

• Gallatin College MSU enters sub-contract to expand photonics and laser technology program 

  The sub-contract will also support Gallatin College MSU’s collaboration with the Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance, which grows organizations creating economic opportunity in Montana, and the Montana Headwaters Tech Hub, a Montana consortium developing smart photonic sensor systems.

• Check Out the Better Off in Billings Event and Discover the Greatness of Billings! – 4/17

  Come to the 2025 Annual Better Off in Billings Event on Thursday, April 17 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Craft Local, 2507 Montana Avenue in Billings for inspiring conversations, new ideas, and local inspiration. Connect with others who care about the community, enjoy drinks, and learn from important speakers shaping Billings’ future.

• Research Project Creates a State-Wide Map of Local News for Montana

  A better understanding of the state’s news landscape helps focus efforts on supporting some of the last remaining outlets bringing local news to rural communities.

• How the arts can create healthier communities – Arts For EveryBody – CBS Sunday Morning

  According to thousands of studies, researchers have determined that involvement in the arts can improve public health and promote healing from illness, as well as protect against such problems as cognitive decline, heart disease, anxiety and depression. CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook talks with Broadway director Lear deBessonet, the force behind Arts For EveryBody, a national public health movement whose mission is to connect more people to the arts and create healthier communities.

• How DOGE Is Changing the Process for SBA Loans

  Elon Musk’s DOGE recently announced that the SBA will be placing new age requirements on business loans amid sweeping staffing cuts.

Energy and Transportation

• Waymo And Uber Team Up To Launch Robotaxis In Austin

  The Alphabet unit starts commercial operations in its fourth city, where rides can only be booked with Uber’s app. The ridehail company is also providing charging and vehicle maintenance services.

• Trump Wants to Convince the World That Climate Change Is a Good Thing

  The president, who regularly attacks renewable energy, is apparently ready to argue that climate change would benefit humans

• Interest In Community Solar Power Projects Grows In Wyoming And Montana

  As legislators in Wyoming and Montana debate solar power in their states, more homeowners are installing panels. They’re also considering community solar projects where people can subscribe to get power, like they would for Netflix or other services.

• InductEV Answers Your Wireless EV Charging Questions

  “By charging frequently and in smaller bursts on-route, vehicles can utilize smaller batteries, which translates directly into lower upfront costs and lighter vehicles.

Education

• 2025 App Challenge – l Code Girls United 4/26

  The girls are tasked with choosing a community problem to solve with an app. They write a business plan that includes marketing research and a competitive analysis, create requirements documents, design a product logo, create the app design, code the app, and present their project in what we formally called “minnow tank – the kinder gentler shark tank” format. The project itself is a real-world simulation of a software company’s conception, development, and sales cycle.

• The 36th John Ruffatto Startup Challenge – 4/4 – University of Montana

  The John Ruffatto Startup Challenge is a statewide, experiential learning event hosted annually by the University of Montana College of Business since 1989. The Startup Challenge is Montana’s premiere opportunity for students attending select colleges or universities across Montana to present exciting new businesses and/or social entrepreneurship venture ideas for adjudication. The Startup Challenge is run by the UM College of Business.   Admission is free and the live finals are open to the public. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and light appetizers and drinks will be provided. The program will run from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in University Campus Theater…

The Future

• Are We Taking A.I. Seriously Enough?

  There’s no longer any scenario in which A.I. fades into irrelevance. We urgently need voices from outside the industry to help shape its future.

MATR SUPPORTERS

• Welcome to the March Edition of Biowire – Montana Bioscience Alliance

  Montana is home to more than 290 active clinical trials, offering patients access to cutting-edge therapies and life-saving medications. These trials not only represent hope for those in need, but also fuel innovation and investment across our state’s growing bioscience sector.

  But a flawed policy is putting that progress at risk.

MATR Newsletter Supporters: