Zoot hosts summer Alliance reception in Bozeman
Zoot Enterprises hosted 100 business leaders on July 17 for a CEO Roundtable discussion and member reception. Attendees enjoyed beer, wine, and hors d'oeuvres in Zoot's two-level foyer, which featured photographs by a Montana artist.
Zoot Enterprises is a global finance tech company providing origination, acquisition, and decision management solutions to the nation’s top financial institutions. Zoot’s clients include four of the world’s 10 largest banks. Today, more than 250 people work at the sprawling campus in Bozeman, with more employees in Billings. Zoot was named a Top Tech Employer in 2018.
Photos by Jessie Moore Photography.
CONNECT: Tech and manufacturing leaders connect with bioscience, nonprofit, government reps, and more
Alliance members mingled with attendees from bioscience, photonics, AdTech, FinTech, and software companies, investors, and representatives from area nonprofits and national government entities at July's meeting. Folks traveled from cities across the state, including Billings, Helena, Lewistown, Missoula, Kalispell, and Rocky Boy.
PROMOTE: TechLink and MyVillage give lightning talks about their growing companies
TechLink Executive Director Brett Cusker describes TechLink's growth and opportunities for private companies to license technology from partners such as the Department of Defense. With the Montana tech boom, Cusker said TechLink has grown from 14 employees and a budget of $2 million to 42 employees and a budget of $9 million in the last three years and added the Department of Veteran Affairs as a new partner.
He anticipates the Bozeman-based firm will soon add the Departments of Energy and Homeland Security as future partners. Cusker, an MSU alum and retired Air Force officer, has worked with TechLink since 2016.Erica Mackey, founder and CEO of MyVillage, tells her story about building a better childcare solution after experiencing the issues of finding care for her firstborn.
Founded in 2017, MyVillage is a platform designed to empower educators to create and run childcare services from the comfort of their own homes, helping them navigate operational issues like setting up a website or filing for insurance. In April, the Bozeman company closed a $5.95 million seed round, the largest ever closed by a Montana company.
ACCELERATE: Execs discuss business solutions to Montana's childcare shortage
Deborah Neuman, Director of Funders for Montana's Children, speaks about Montana's need for better childcare policies and options at the CEO Roundtable discussion. The conversation featured testimonials from Suzie Lalich, Director of Employee Success at PFL, and Rebekah Nelson, Director of Employee Benefits at Zoot, and Chris Nelson, Founder of Zoot.
Rob Grunewald, Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, also spoke about his organization's research into the need for early education, and Erica Mackey, cofounder and CEO of MyVillage described how her tech startup is tackling the need for more childcare options in Montana and Colorado. Watch for an upcoming article about the conversation.
