Photo: Members of the Black River Innovation Campus team include, from left: Vin Fusca, executive director; Chris Maggiolo, deputy director, Ben McVety, STEAM and design coordinator; and Caitlin Christiana, director of community and culture. Photo: Baldwin Photography.
BRIC renovates Park Street schoolhouse, trains entrepreneurs and expands summer camp
by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine
What does it take to build a business ecosystem in Springfield? Officials at the nonprofit Black River Innovation Campus believe it requires surrounding entrepreneurs with a supportive network of training, community and — if all goes as planned — housing.
BRIC, as the organization is known, is in the middle of a $7.2 million renovation at its headquarters, Springfield’s historic Park Street schoolhouse. Built in 1895 and expanded in 1929, the school retains much of its original architecture and woodwork, including a double central staircase.
BRIC trains entrepreneurs to develop technology-driven businesses. It also provides co-working and incubation space for new businesses and STEAM programs for grades pre-K-12.
Executive Director Vin Fusca said the renovation will transform the school into “a blank canvas“ for new businesses and housing development. Updates will include asbestos remediation, new electrical wiring, a new fire suppression system, ADA-compliant entrance points, and other code requirements. Additionally, the building’s gymnasium and 500-seat theater will be put back into use.
“The (theater) acoustics are phenomenal,“ Fusca said. “You can stand on the stage, and if you can project your voice, you can be heard up on the balcony.“
Plans also call for a developer to transform the renovated space into 23 market-rate apartments for entrepreneurs.
“One thing that is readily apparent is that if you try to grow a business here, finding housing for folks is difficult,“ Fusca said.
Funding for the apartments and naming a contractor are still in the works.
One challenge Fusca noted was that the project is too small to be financially viable for most developers. He added that creating housing in Vermont can cost more than what a developer would earn in rent or by selling off units.
Creating Tech Businesses and Workforce Development
Fusca has enjoyed witnessing BRIC’s program participants move through the Actuator curriculum, an eight-week program designed to equip budding entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to successfully launch a new business concept. According to Fusca, these concepts include software development, games development and food manufacturing. Participants from the past three cohorts have come from as far away as Boston and New York City.
Fusca emphasized that Vermont’s size is one of its key strengths. The state’s small business community fosters supportive networks, and people are generous with their time and knowledge. This has attracted interest not only from within Vermont and New Hampshire, but also from those outside the state who are exploring potential opportunities.
Fusca also noted that Vermont’s values around community care are a draw for BRIC’s programs. He highlighted that most entrepreneurs in the Actuator incorporate social impact into their business models. While they aim to generate profit, their focus is less on building and quickly selling multiple multimillion-dollar businesses.
BRIC has partnered with Google to offer their certificate program, providing workers an opportunity to enhance their resumes with digital skills. Adults can enroll in programs across six tech areas, including e-marketing, data analytics, business data analytics, UI/UX design and cybersecurity. The program takes approximately a year to complete.
Additionally, the Center on Rural Innovation has received a grant for a pilot training program on Cisco products, which will be available in several communities, including Springfield.
“I truly believe in the collaborative nature of people here,“ Fusca said. “And to that extent, we’re working with The Hub CoWorks in Rutland, Do North Coworking in the Northeast Kingdom, Hula and the University of Vermont to start forming some information about the accelerator and incubator ecosystem here in Vermont and how we can collaborate better.“
Preparing Youth for Future STEAM Jobs
Last summer, BRIC launched a series of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math and manufacturing) programs for local youth. These programs include after-school and co-curriculum activities, professional development for educators, and summer camps. Funding for STEAM has been provided by Springfield High School alumni and private donors, and BRIC has hired Ben McVety as program director. Thanks to local philanthropy, BRIC has also purchased Lego Robotics kits for local pre-K, elementary, and middle school students.
“Thanks to the generosity of local philanthropies, we’ve been able to buy those kits, and Ben has been able to go out and train the trainer, so to speak, the teachers on how to set it up and run it,“ Fusca said.
Additionally, last summer, BRIC piloted a five-week summer camp program for 60 kids, which sold out within three days. Due to this success, the organization will expand its offerings to 10 camps this year, catering to students from first through 12th grades. New this summer, campers will have the opportunity to explore game coding.
Cultivator Is Giving Entrepreneurs an Opportunity
BRIC has expanded its programming to the Randolph area. Cultivator, BRIC’s sister organization, will offer entrepreneurship training and co-working space to support both individual entrepreneurs and remote workers. The Cultivator program is funded by BRIC and Green Mountain Economic Development Corp. through a three-year Built to Scale Venture Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Program Manager Abbey Salomon, who has a background in commercial banking and business technical assistance, is hosting workshops and co-working sessions throughout the area. Currently, the program operates without a dedicated office; Salomon is holding workshops at various organizations around town. Vermont Technical College is providing Salomon with office space as part of in-kind support under the grant.
“This is a chance for Randolph innovators and entrepreneurs to be part of an amazing program that will help build their ideas into a business or bring their business to the next level,“ Salomon said in a release. “We are excited to see how innovative Randolph participants will flourish with the guidance of Actuator.
Photo: BRIC Actuator Capstone Presentation. Courtesy photo.
Cultivator will also offer BRIC’s eight-week Actuator curriculum.
Fusca said, “We’ve averaged six to eight people per cohort. It’s been, I think, life-changing for a number of folks, in terms that they’ve been able to make decisions whether this is for me or not, and if it is, yeah, this is what I want to do.“
The overall hope for Cultivator is that it will build an “entrepreneurial ecosystem“ that supports business owners and builds the local economy.
“If there’s one message I’d highlight, people should check out Vermont,“ Fusca said. “We’re small but mighty and, despite what people think, very collaborative and business-friendly.“
Photo: BRIC Actuators. Courtesy photo.
Olga Peters is a freelance writer from southern Vermont.
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