Tech Roundup, Roadshow hit Malta

Roadshow

The Innovate Malta: Small Business Roadshow was held at the Scout Energy Partners building last Thursday night.

Appetizers were served along with sample brew provided by Triple Dog Brewing Co. with over 45 people in attendance and the event was sponsored by Montana Governor's Office of Economic Development, PhillCo Economic Growth Council, Malta Area Chamber of Commerce and Triangle Communications.

The evening started with tours of the Scout Energy building (former Malta Auto building) and the company has been there since February of 2016.

The guest speakers were Michael and Erin Garrity of Triple Dog Brewing Co. in Havre and Valerie Veis with MontanaBaskets.com from Fairfield. Both speakers told their stories on how they got started, the unique obstacles they faced along the way, plans for growth in the future and how they find such deep reward in the business they have created.

"We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to host an Innovate Montana Roadshow event here in Phillips County," said PhillCo Executive Director Ashley Stuart. "We hope this event, along with the HiLine Technology Roundup, inspired our community and all communities across the Hi-Line to take that next step and anything is possible."

Roundup

On Friday in Malta, over 130 people showed up for the Hiline Technology Roundup and participated in tradeshow booths, panel discussions and break-out sessions covering a wide variety of tech topics from small business and entrepreneurship to agriculture, healthcare and education.

Ranchlogs, a Montana based tech-company, provided the keynote address to a standing-room only audience who heard about their software which manages various aspects of a ranch including custom mapping, production statistics, and grazing rotations. That session, as well as the Ag panel and tradeshow booths, complete with in-cab demonstrations, showed the value that technology brings to Montana ranches.

Roundup

A full-size patient simulator on a gurney in the tradeshow area caught attendee's attention. It was one of several examples of high-tech tools that are changing the healthcare industry. Montana Telehealth Association and Montana Area Health Education Center discussed the move toward telehealth and consumer directed healthcare. Providers are becoming equipped with tools such as Bluetooth stethoscopes, smartphone EKG monitors and remote providers who consult via video call. This technology gives rural patients the same standard of care received in urban settings.

Malta Chamber of Commerce's Dina Meneely thanked the top tier sponsors that helped make the event possible including Montana High Tech Business Alliance, Triangle Communications, Farm Equipment Sales in Glasgow, Phillips County Hospital, Choose Montana/Montana Governor's Office of Economic Development, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program, Big Sky Code Academy, PhillCo Economic Growth Council and the Malta Area Chamber of Commerce.