Vermont
Vermont ‘Tech Hub’ competing for major federal funding boost
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The state of Vermont is making a multi-million dollar pitch to become a leader in cutting-edge technology that has the potential to reshape electronics. The state is hoping to convince the federal government to invest big bucks to expand the state’s newly designated “Tech Hub,” reaping benefits for the entire region.
In the assembly room at OnLogic, custom computers are churned out every day.
The South Burlington-based tech company prides itself on machines that are able to withstand environmental stressors that your laptop wouldn’t. “OnLogic is all about innovation, ” said the company’s Mike Kleiner.
That prompted them to step up to join Vermont’s burgeoning Tech Hub. The state got the designation last fall by the federal government as part of the CHIPS Act. The tech hub’s main focus is developing more efficient semiconductors from a compound called Gallium Nitride. GaN has the potential to take semiconductors — which are at the brains of most of our technology — to the next level.
“We’re definitely interested in GaN technology — we’re exploring it,” Kleiner said. But he says it’s not practical for them to use yet because there are challenges with options, compatibility, and pricing. “It’s just not that established yet like it is for other technologies like silicon-based, for example.”
It’s in their interest for GaN technology to improve because it might allow their computers to become smaller and more efficient. So OnLogic has stepped up to host a testing lab for GaN devices in their building. “Obviously, there’s a lot of back-and-forth when you do the testing, and you want to do that close by, where you actually have the production of the devices, so you have a very quick feedback,” Kleiner said.
OnLogic’s new 150,000 square-foot tech park in South Burlington includes space where the “characterization lab” will eventually go, but they first need funding from the feds to make it happen. “We needed more space. Especially when after COVID, everyone came back into the office — it was just not big enough. So, we needed a lot more space and we are really excited to be in this new building which gives us that space that we need, and we’ll also be good in size for a number of years,” Kleiner said.
“The proposals we submitted are ready to go,” said Doug Merrill, the regional innovation officer at the University of Vermont. He says Vermont made a Phase Two pitch to the feds for $36 million to fund six projects, including a design center for GaN projects at the University of Vermont and a prototyping center at GlobalFoundries in Essex Junction. He says the testing lab at OnLogic would test how those prototypes work. “This isn’t just going to provide economic activity in our region, it’s going to fundamentally accelerate the rate of technological innovation in a critical technology.”
Other Tech Hubs are fighting for those dollars though. Merrill says he thinks Vermont is up against about 20 or so pitches and only five to 10 might get funding. Where he thinks Vermont has an advantage — a quick turnaround on the investment. “Everything we’re doing now we believe is going to be up and running next January/February time frame,” he said.
That would be welcome news for Tech Hub member Resonant Link. The wireless charger company is just steps away from OnLogic and is already incorporating GaN into some of its devices. “GaN allows us to miniaturize a lot of stuff,” said company co-founder Phyo Aung. He says because their medical devices like pacemakers and neurostimulators need to be small — and charge without creating a lot of heat — GaN’s ability to convert power efficiently is key. “In a lot of the applications we use, especially in the medical applications, GaN is the only technology we can use and it’s the only technology that can deliver the performance that we need.”
Resonant Link also thinks GaN technology can improve all sorts of new technologies, including wireless drone charging. But while prototyping and testing new applications on their own is too expensive, the Tech Hub would make it possible.
Merrill says one of Resonant Link’s projects is part of Vermont’s pitch and real-world proof of what more federal investment could do here. “It ties together all of these elements and shows why this tech hub is so important to this region,” he said. Other elements in Vermont’s pitch include workforce development and administration to manage GaN projects.
Officials will find out later this summer if they get all or partial funding. If the feds say no, GaN initiatives won’t necessarily end here, but they would be scaled back and there won’t be a guarantee that the tech development — or job growth — happens in Vermont. And if they do get funding, the money might not end there. There will be a Phase 3 that Merrill says they already have ideas lined up for.
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Nature-centric lodging company Outbound Hotels has unveiled its latest addition in the picturesque landscape of Stowe, Vermont.
Following the success of its predecessors in Jackson Hole and Mammoth Lakes, the 73-key Outbound Stowe is situated on an expansive property that comprises the region’s largest outdoor pool. Accommodations range from suites and cabins to an eight-person cottage and a loft suite that transforms into an event barn.
Outbound Stowe celebrates New England design
Designed by One Union Studio, the hotel draws from New England design heritage, featuring a minimal exterior ornamentation and simple, utilitarian lines, complemented by Vermont woodworking traditions.
Evoking a wholesome, playful ambiance, interiors boast a vibrant-yet-balanced color palette, with primary colors like red, blue, and yellow paired with secondary greens and oranges.
Spaces also showcase the work of local artisans, with pieces rooted in the region’s heritage that lean into a cheerful, unexpected palette.
The hotel’s signature restaurant Eastside
Outbound Stowe also features Eastside, a bar and kitchen concept developed in partnership with Folkart Management. With its soft opening planned for late August, Eastside blends New York’s culinary scene with a laid-back mountain atmosphere.
“The expansion of Outbound Hotels into Stowe signifies the next phase in our mission to redefine alternative lodging, granting access to extraordinary outdoor destinations without compromising comfort or design,” says Matthew Mering, executive vice president, hospitality at Waterton, Outbound Hotels’ ownership group.
The soft opening of Outbound Stowe is scheduled for early July.
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A Vermont university has bestowed the honorary degree of “doctor of litter-ature” on Max the cat, a beloved member of its community, ahead of students’ graduation on Saturday.
Vermont State University’s Castleton campus is honouring the feline not for his mousing or napping, but for his friendliness.
“Max the Cat has been an affectionate member of the Castleton family for years,” the school said in a Facebook post.
The popular tabby lives in a house with his human family on the street that leads to the main entrance to campus.
“So he decided that he would go up on campus, and he just started hanging out with the college students, and they love him,” owner Ashley Dow said on Thursday.
He’s been socialising on campus for about four years, and students get excited when they see him.
They pick him up and take selfies with him, and he even likes to go on tours with prospective students that meet at a building across from the family’s house, she said.
“I don’t even know how he knows to go, but he does,” Ms Dow said.
“And then he’ll follow them on their tour.”
The students refer to Ms Dow as Max’s mum, and graduates who return to town sometimes ask her how Max is doing.
Max won’t be participating in the graduation, though.
His degree will be delivered to Dow later.
He is not the first cat to receive human credentials.
In 2020, an eight-year-old therapy dog named Moose received an honorary doctorate in veterinary medicine at Virginia Tech University after he helped thousands of students.
In 2016, a 19-year-old thoroughbred horse called Dr Teddy received a honorary doctorate form University of California Davis for being a Master Equine Educator.
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The 41st running of the Vermont Corporate Cup and State Agency Race had 1,952 participants, including both runners and walkers, and continues to be one of the largest races in Vermont. After seeing more than 4,000 participants in the 2019 event, races were canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 outbreak, explained race director Leslie Davis. Participation in 2023 was very similar to this year with 1,853 runners and walkers.
“We’re hoping to build the participation back up,” Davis said, noting that the increased incidence of remote working in both state and corporate offices likely has diminished both the energy and opportunities for recruiting teams among co-workers.
Davis also pointed out that individuals can sign up and run in the event without being on a team. The event, which began in 1980 as a state employee event with 23 participants, has been an annual project of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports since the 1990s. For 2024, Union Mutual was the presenting sponsor.
The fastest individual walker, and by a considerable margin, was Andrea Vogl, 48, a Burlington resident who finished in 34:09. Second overall, and also from Burlington, was Steve Dargy, 30, who finished the walk in 37:38.
Although many of the people in the walking event simply walk, race walking competitively involves a very specific technique, and the race organizers station judges along the course to be certain competitive walkers are using the proper form, which is to say, not jogging. The Corporate Cup website provides a video showing the proper technique.
Teams
Most of the participants, both runners and walkers, participated as three-person teams in one of several divisions: Corporate, State, Nonprofit, or Open. The overall winning team was in the Open division, male with a time of 52:58. The Dealer.com team 1 included Brent Towne (17:24), Silas Talbot (17:45), and Chris Coffey (17:49), all representing Cox Automotive. All three of them finished in the top 10 of the male runners.The complete results, and those of earlier years of the event, can be found at iResultsLIVE!
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