It is said entrepreneurs can change the way we live and work. Their innovations may improve our standard of living, and in addition to creating value and wealth with their ventures, they also create jobs and the conditions for a prosperous society.
Entrepreneurship is in essence a way of thinking; its motivation is solutions and is one reason it is a strategic theme for students here at the Grossman School of Business.
The UVM Entrepreneurship Club is a thriving hub of ideas, energy and innovation, Grossman freshman with a Marketing concentration and an Entrepreneurship Theme, Ben Collins, is President of the club and involved with several student-led start-ups.
Ben describes the club and the budding Vermont entrepreneurial ecosystem, this way; “UVM has an entrepreneurship program that distinguishes itself from other schools significantly. Each day I come out of a class with new inspiration and new tools that I can put into developing my business. Additionally, the resources on campus such as the UVM Entrepreneurship Club have been incredibly helpful each week, allowing me to gain insight and connections from Vermont entrepreneurs. Connections to off campus organizations that are dedicated to helping Vermont entrepreneurs show how Burlington is emerging as a major city for innovation and business.”
The higher education blog OneClass, recently wrote about that entrepreneurial ecosystem, and featured several school start-ups. Their article is reproduced with their permission below:
"With UVM’s Spark-VT program, LaunchVT, Vermont Works building an innovation commons, and co-working spaces opening in Vermont, it’s clearly evident that entrepreneurship in Vermont and specifically in UVM is growing and becoming more of an opportunity for residents and students alike.
As the entrepreneurship scene is growing, so is the number and the potential of student startups at the University of Vermont. Among the many students that have taken the initiative to start their own venture, there are a few from UVM that we think deserve to be in the spotlight right now.
Here are the top startups that have come from the University of Vermont.
*The following startups are not sorted in any particular order.*
Top University of Vermont Startups
1. Ascentios
Ascentios intends to impact change by developing meaningful media campaigns for companies who care about the global environment and life on earth.
Vision
“Ascentios was founded to impact change by creating and fostering visual media campaigns to accelerate brand growth of human and environmentally focused companies and organizations. Ascentios tells stories of people and brands and the products and services they provide.”
-Benjamin Collins, Founder
Founder
Benjamin Collins – Founder and Director
As the founder of Ascentios, Collins has shaped the focus and purpose of the company to produce significant results for clients through creative development, film production, photography and design. Collins has extensive experience working with some of the worlds top brands in extreme locations such as in the ocean and on snow-capped mountain tops.
2. Recovery Robe
As a novel redesign of the age-old hospital gown that has plagued patients and medical professionals for generations, Recovery Robe is the new and improved, alternative solution. The Recovery Robe is easier to put on, and unlike traditional gowns, it preserves patients’ dignity, provides accessibility for hospital staff, and reduces the risk of infection and injury.
Vision
“Our team identified the hospital gown as a pinnacle of poor design. The gown is reluctantly worn by hundreds of millions of people each year and has gone unchanged for decades. Using the Human-Centered Design process, we were able to pinpoint specific needs by interviewing doctors, nurses, and patients. Upon obtaining this key information, we knew we had the potential to create positive social change on a massive scale.”
-Recovery Robe Founders
Founders
Max Muller – Co-Founder
Max Muller studies Community Entrepreneurship and Applied Design. Max is on a mission to use the power of design thinking to develop innovative products that address important social issues.
Sevda Beridze – Co-Founder
Sevda Beridze is part of UVM’s Biomedical Engineering program, which has given her exposure to the inner-workings of hospitals and provided her with key connections in the UVM Medical Center.
Grayson Glosser – Co-Founder
Grayson Glosser is a Chemistry major and an entrepreneur with a keen eye for design. His scientific background and knowledge of complex chemical structures give him valuable insight into materials research.
Ross Elkort – Co-Founder
Ross Elkort is a Mechanical Engineering student with experience in social media marketing. Ross excels in rapid prototyping and is working on designing custom fasteners for the Recovery Robe.
3. ApprentiScope
ApprentiScope is an apprentice management platform that helps companies scale their workforce efficiently with powerful tools for managing, tracking, and reporting all aspects of registered apprenticeships.
Vision
“ApprentiScope is a Software-as-a-Service company founded in May of 2018. In collaboration with the Institute for American Apprenticeships at Vermont Hitec, expert consultants at the US Department of Labor, and the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET), the ApprentiScope team has built a platform for tracking, scaling, and managing all aspects of registered apprenticeships.”
-ApprentiScope Founders
Founders
Shawn Kotch – Co-Founder
Originating from Essex, Massachusetts, Shawn is a Senior at UVM studying Computer Science Information Systems. Shawn joined the ApprentiScope team as a developer at the conception of the project and now helps manage the day to day operations.
William Lippolis – Co-Founder
Will is a senior at the University of Vermont pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Will has been the lead developer for ApprentiScope since the company was founded in May of 2018.
Representing the University of Vermont, all of these startups have very impressively fulfilled a customer need and are providing value to their communities through their unique products and services.
Make sure you keep an eye out for these rising stars."