Founders of Skida and Filabot Dig Deep into their Startup Experience in #StartHere Interviews
Burlington, VT (April 9, 2018) – Securing a place on the prestigious Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list is no simple feat. The selection of youthful visionaries is carefully performed by a combination of seasoned reporters, A-list expert judges and an online community, and the end result is an annual collection of creative young stars disrupting their respective industries. This year, two Vermonters rose to the top and are featured among the leaders in Manufacturing: Corinne Prevot of Skida; and Tyler McNaney of Filabot. VCET recently sat down with the two young leaders for its #StartHere podcast, and the interviews are now available.
“Being interviewed on Start Here was a 'full-circle' moment, bringing me back to Skida's early stages while I attended Middlebury College,” said Prevot. “VCET is one of many great resources and has always been a staple in Vermont's entrepreneurial ecosystem. The community here is very receptive to a locally-made product and I feel lucky to have so much support along this journey!”
VCET, which is home to active, aspiring, and accidental entrepreneurs, chatted with the acclaimed founders about their inspiration, successes, and the forbidden “f” word: failures. The interviews are featured on VCET’s #StartHere podcast, which has listeners worldwide and is available for streaming via iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, and most recently, Spotify.
“It was such a thrill to speak to Corinne and Tyler about their recent brush of fame with the Forbes listing, and the different ways each of them scratched the proverbial entrepreneurial itch,” said David Bradbury, President of VCET. “The stories they share in the podcast are so interesting, inspiring and valuable to everyone. Whether it’s hearing about Corinne’s campfire analogy to starting a business, or Tyler’s first venture turning acorns into pencil caps in elementary school, these interviews will entertain and make you proud of what we are doing here in Vermont.” McNaney commented, “Vermont is a phenomenal place to have a business. Amazing support systems, nature at your door, and independence that inspires.”
Innovation and entrepreneurialism go hand-in-hand with higher learning, and when united, that trifecta can produce leaders who have the potential to revolutionize an industry and help generate jobs in Vermont. VCET brings together higher education, economic development and entrepreneurs through programs like Middlebury College’s ‘Midd Entrepreneurs’, which Prevot attended while in school, and the organization hosts over 190 coworking and startup members across three facilities, and has advised more than 1,600 businesses and entrepreneurs across Vermont.
About VCET
Advancing innovation and entrepreneurship, the non-profit Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET) provides expert business mentoring, technology professional networking, three coworking and accelerator facilities in Middlebury and Burlington, innovation programs, and early-stage venture capital. VCET manages the Vermont Seed Capital Fund, LP, a revolving $5 million venture capital investment fund. In 2013, VCET was named #11 globally and #5 in the U.S. by the UBI Index. Visit www.vcet.co,
follow @VCET and listen to #StartHere podcast.
