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About Springfield

Recently listed by PC Mag as a 2021 top-ten “Work From Home Town,” Springfield features Vermont Telephone Company’s gigabit fiber connectivity and the picturesque hydroelectric production of the Black River. As one of Vermont’s 23 designated downtowns, Springfield sports a boutique cinema, a craft brewery, a micro coffee roaster and café, and fantastic farm-to-table dining — all within 30 minutes of prime skiing and mountain biking locations.

Community partner: Black River Innovation Campus

Operating in the historic Park Street School building, the Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC) combines scalable growth opportunities for tech startups and digitally-enabled companies with digital upskilling and workforce development initiatives, all within a high-bandwidth and tech-enabled campus.

Actuator, BRIC’s keystone tech entrepreneurship program, is proof positive that a diverse digital ecosystem can thrive in Springfield and the southern Vermont region. The program’s cohort companies feature a wide variety of early and seed-stage tech, from quantum computing to app development. Actuator startups receive expert mentorship, investor connections, and valuable resources to scale their businesses.

What RIN means to BRIC

“The Rural Innovation Network is an incredible resource. Communicating with like-minded ecosystem builders has enabled BRIC to grow as a community leader and agent of change. Our Springfield community also has the distinct pleasure of being a regional neighbor to CORI. It has been a delight getting to know the hardworking behind-the-scenes team responsible for orchestrating the Rural Innovation Network's many successes."

Chris Maggiolo, BRIC

Explore our Network

Today, these local leaders are focused on educating and training local residents in digital skills (especially those traditionally excluded from the tech industry), employing them in new economy jobs, and empowering them to launch startups that will drive a prosperous 21st-century economy. Diverse in geography, economic origin, and demographics, these communities represent the full spectrum of rural America.