MATR Newsletter – June 17, 2024
The state with the best education wins!

Montana Home For Sale – Fixer Upper – 2 Bed, 1 Bath, 880 Sq Ft Built in 1968 – $15,000,000…

It’s a a quaint and comfortable 2-bedroom cabin nestled in the trees overlooking the lake which was constructed in 1968.

Today’s MATR Newsletter is sponsored by:

Montana Dept. of Commerce grants $2.6M to film creation projects
Grants were made available from Feature Film and TV; Feature Film and TV – Resident Only; Short-Form Content; and Short-Form Content – Resident Only categories.
MT Department of Commerce awards grant funding to 44 Montana destination events
The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that over $750,000 of grant funding will be shared by 44 destination events to help grow Montana’s economy through tourism. The grant funding is provided through Commerce’s Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Program.

Tango Missoula Beginning Class – 6/20-8/15 – Come Join the Fun.
Even if you’ve never thought of learning to dance (I never did) you will find something that you didn’t realize you really needed. Come join the fun at Tango Missoula

Remote Career Opportunity – President & CEO – SSTI
SSTI, a national nonprofit organization focused on strengthening initiatives to create a better future through science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, seeks a President & CEO, who will work with the SSTI Board of Trustees and staff to set the vision and direction for the organization. The President & CEO serves as both the voice for and to the technology-based economic development (TBED) field, advocating for the field, and encouraging effective action by TBED organizations and personnel. SSTI Weekly Digest

MMEC Case Study – How to prepare Montana’s PDM to be attractive to potential buyers and most ready for a change of control.
Groff was starting
to think about the “third act” of his life and
career, including how to transition out of a
full-time role at PDM, as well as ownership. He
and MMEC began to have conversations about
how to prepare the company to be attractive to
potential buyers, and most ready for a change
of control.
How Getting Ready to Sell Your Company Can Ease The Pain and Prepare You For Success
MMEC can help you prepare.

The Secret to Living Past 120 Years Old? Nanobots – Immortality is Nearer That You Thought
In The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge With AI, the spiritual sequel to his (in)famous 2005 book, Ray Kurzweil doubles down on the promise of immortality.
Captain Kirk didn’t have this – Video: Chefee may be that futuristic “home robot chef” we were all promised
Users start by utilizing an accompanying app to make up a weekly meal plan. There are currently over 5,000 recipes to choose from, plus we’re told that users can program in recipes of their own.

Crippled Jackson Hole, Wyoming commute cultivates community
Residents rally to help each other following the unexpected closure of Teton Pass.

UM Bio Station Awarded $9.5 Million for Ocean Climate Change Science
Led by Matthew Church, a FLBS aquatic microbial ecology professor, the SUBSEA research team will receive $9.5 million over the next five years to help refine details of ocean carbon cycling and ecosystem resilience. FLBS stream ecology Professor Bob Hall also will assist with the project.

North Dakota voters just passed age limits for Congress. Will it hold up?
Voters in North Dakota decided that octogenarians plus one year are not eligible to become candidates in the U.S. House and Senate. But is that legal?

Amazon-Powered AI Cameras Used to Detect Emotions of Unwitting UK Train Passengers – Have you read George Orwell’s ‘1984’?
“The Party, which is the totalitarian government of Oceania, uses telescreens to establish surveillance and control the populace. These telescreens, like the Big Brother posters, are ubiquitous. The Party uses telescreens both to communicate with citizens and to gather information about them.”

Microsoft and Google to offer cybersecurity services to rural hospitals
CEO of the Montana Hospital Association Bob Olson says it’s hard for small hospitals to keep up.

Hellgate Venture Network with Montana Sauna Co. – 6/20 – Missoula
Montana Sauna Co. is bringing a new sauna Culture to Montana. Our community sauna is an accessible community gathering space based around mental, physical and spiritual healing.

Tell Us Something presents live storytelling on the theme “Never Again” – 9/18 – Missoula
Eight storytellers will share their true personal stories without notes on the theme:
“Never Again”.

Report debunks 33 false claims about renewable energy
Misinformation and coordinated disinformation about renewable energy is widespread and threatens to undermine the transition.
Clean Energy Spending Will Surpass $2 Trillion This Year
Investments in carbon-free energy will be twice as large as fossil fuel spending in 2024, the International Energy Agency predicts
California Public Utilities Commission Crushes Community Solar With Latest Monopolistic Play
The utilities have been on a mission to squeeze out the little guys (distributed solar energy) for years, and after achieving quite a success on the residential side with Net Metering 3.0, they have moved on to limiting growth of community solar — via their essentially captured regulatory commission, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Google Just Launched AI-Assisted Search. Will Finding Businesses Online Ever Be the Same?
Artificial intelligence could uproot a lot of what makes the modern web tick, from SEO to ad revenue. This has some digital brands anxious for the future.