MATR Newsletter – October 19, 2020
The state with the best education wins!

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” Marcel Proust

Corona Virus Information

• Helena Public Schools adopt data-based model for changing phases of operations

  “What the board really approved on Tuesday was a commitment that we would use data – and particularly local data – as an indicator in informing decisions that we need to make,” he said.

Great Falls Development Authority

• Great Falls Economic Development Top 10 for 10-18-20

  We are HUNGRY to Grow the Great Falls regional economy, create higher wage jobs, build our tax base, improve our market competitiveness, and enhance the quality of life and economic opportunity for residents of Great Falls, Cascade County, and the entire 13-county Great Falls trade area.

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Passenger rail advocates say Amtrak’s plan to reduce the Empire Builder to three days a week will cost the state more than $38 million.

  For some Montana communities, the passenger train is a lifeline, one of the few public transportation options in places like Browning, Shelby and Glasgow. But for Whitefish, the busiest stop along the route between the Twin Cities and Seattle, the train is a conveyor for tourists.

• Cities and Startups Are Poised for a ‘Great Reboot’

  The goal of his new book is to show business owners how to make the most of the opportunities ahead.

• The Agriculture Industry Didn’t Have a Data Platform–So Sara Menker Created One

  Gro Intelligence’s software helps power the multitrillion-dollar agriculture industry.

The Telecommuting and Gig Workforce in Montana

• ‘Zoom towns’ are exploding in the West and many cities aren’t ready for the onslaught.

  GNAR is in the process of launching an online toolkit, which will provide basic urban planning information these communities need, like case studies and model ordinances.

Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana

• VCs Consider This Trait Most Important When Choosing Entrepreneurs to Invest In

  The eight stages of the entrepreneurial journey – and why VCs care.

Funding and Building your Business

• The United States Of Venture Capital: The Most Active VC In Each State

  Despite recent challenges, venture capital firms are still seeking out investment opportunities across the country. Since our last analysis of most active VCs in June 2020, we’ve seen shake-ups across 6 states.

• 5 Generators Of Customer Pain Conducive To Startups

  One of my favorite sayings is “Real change doesn’t happen until the pain level gets high enough.”

• 8 tactics that will boost your chances of getting a green light on your next big idea

  Spoiler alert: Charts and graphs are a good start, but they get you only so far.

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

• A little rainy day inspiration from Kurt Vonnegut.

  “Seriously! I mean starting right now, do art and do it for the rest of your lives.”

Universities and Economic Development

• State-backed seed capital fund hits the ground running

  A new capital fund seeded with state money got off to a quick start and has made investments in a half dozen young technology companies since launching two months ago.

2020 Montana Politics

• Celebrities and Citizens Finish the Sentence: If I Were President…

  Everybody has an opinion about what should be job No. 1 for the next president. We asked citizens and celebrities across the country for their suggestions.

Government News & Events

• How Should States, Local Areas Prepare for Drone Deliveries?

  States and local areas should resist the inclination to only respond after things start happening outside of their control.

• Montana DEQ Alternative Energy Revolving Loan Program – Sustainable Missoula: Solar is key to a cleaner, brighter future

  Since its inception, the program has provided financing for more than $10.3 million in alternative energy systems and energy saving measures installed in Montana homes and businesses.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

• 25 Best Engineering Jokes That Will Make Your Day Better

  Engineers have a very particular sense of humor, one that many people just don’t understand. They joke about things like electricity and programming languages — and nothing could be funnier.

Transportation

• You May Not Have Heard, But The Autonomous Vehicle Has Now Arrived

  We’ve had a huge amount of news and announcements over the last few years, but few in the media have realized the importance of this moment.

Cool Stuff That’s Coming

• Tasso’s simple plastic device is enabling everything from drug trials to disease monitoring, at the push of a button. Could Reimagine Telemedicine

  Think of Tasso as the “Netflix of blood collection.”

Energy and Climate Change

• Solar-plus-storage replaces coal plant in New Mexico, makes carbon-capture retrofit moot

  The utility is planning on replacing the San Juan coal-fired station’s 847 MW of capacity with 650 MW of solar generation and 300 MW/1,200 MWh of accompanying energy storage. The new plan all but kills a proposal from San Juan’s owner and the City of Farmington to add a carbon-capture retrofit to the station.

• From Pilot to Permanent: Green Mountain Power’s Home Battery Network Is Here to Stay

  The Vermont utility now controls several thousand Tesla Powerwall batteries sited in customers’ homes. The results have been promising.

• Bird deaths down 70 percent after painting wind turbine blades

  Something as simple as black paint could be the key to reducing the number of birds that are killed each year by wind turbines.

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