Category: News

Burlington is a powerhouse for innovation, creativity, and art. The Generator community is composed of people from all demographics, backgrounds, interests, and goals. These articles highlight different members stories and how Generator is part of a bigger creative community.

Generator Success Stories: Aaron Wisniewski

Meet Aaron Wisniewski

Aaron Wisniewski and Sam Wisniewski are co-founders of Alice and the Magician, a flourishing business distributing edible scents for optimal cocktail experiences. This unique business started as a single product out of Aaron’s apartment- a space which he quickly out grew. Through word of mouth, Aaron got a studio at Generator and was quickly plugged into the Generator network. Generator helped him develop a business plan and become a finalist for the December 2014 Pitch it Fab it. He received $1500 worth of time and materials from IMF. In May of 2015 Aaron was a finalist for Launch VT for the business mentorship. Hard work and perseverance results in rapid momentum! By July of 2015, Aaron had physically outgrown the Generator studio space and was transplanted into 266 Pine St, Burlington VT. Alice and the Magician products are currently being nationally distributed and it is predicted that they will be international by the end of the summer 2016.

Aaron Wisniewski is one of Generator’s first “graduate” success stories. Generator is a tool to be utilized to help good ideas transition into great business.

Learn more at https://www.aliceandthemagician.com

June 6, 2016
Meet Christine and Robots For Kids Too

Meet Christine! She is a Generator Studio Member running Robots For Kids Too program out of Generator. Have any youngins that are eager to learn? Check out her classes!

Christine Braun

Christine Braun has a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts and is comfortable working in any medium. Before co-founding R4-K2 she taught children’s classes in ceramics, basic wood working, martial arts, and robotics.

January 28, 2016
Meet some of Generator’s characters!

Just another day at Generator with people working on their projects. Some of the characters hard at work are Erik Cooper, Rob Rock and Max Keeling.

Erik of M//E is putting some finishing touches on some of his well crafted stools!
https://www.mattanderikdesign.com

Meet Max, our Machine Shop Head!

He is working on making tools for the shop to make making easier.

Want to get certified in the Machine Shop?

Follow this link.. https://generatorvt.com/classes/…

In the winter when you can’t farm, you can make tools for farming. Rob Rock is using the small CNC router to prototype tool ideas!

Check out https://pitchforkfarmvt.com/

January 7, 2016
Quadruped Robopoem@s Exhibit

Quadruped Robopoem@s
Work by Alm@ Pérez (Tina Escaja)

Exhibit will be on display November 2015 – January 2016

Quadruped Robopoem@s are five insect-like robots whose legs and bodies are engraved with seven parts of a poem written from the robot’s point of view. Voice activation and response to sensors allow them to interact with humans and with each other, emphasizing the existential issues addressed in the poem. These creatures, purposely chosen from open-source models resembling insects and spiders, question binary notions such as creator/creature, thus emphasizing anxiety and removal from humans while inhabiting the already problematic relation between humans and technology. Technology and humanity are reframed by these wandering Robopoem@s, which ultimately recount existential assumptions through poetry and robotics.

In September of 2015 Tina Escaja was awarded a 2 month residency at Generator. Generator’s “makers in residence” program is a competitive, community-supported effort to brighten the light on unique creativity and incentivize members and non-members to advance their work in an important way.

While visiting the exhibit, you can experience the robots in an augmented reality on your smartphone or tablet! Before visiting, download the free Aurasma app. Search for AlmaPerez. “Follow” AlmaPerez Public Auras.

November 17, 2015
Put Your Hands Together for Tech Jam Ambassador Award Winner, Michael Metz

If you haven’t met 2 of our founding board members, Michael Metz and Denise Shekerjian, they are part of the heart of Generator. Let’s celebrate their superstar-ness and congratulate them on their hard work!

Tech Jam Award Winners Announced

BY CATHY RESMER / OCTOBER 26TH, 2015, 02:55 PM

On Friday, October 23, the Vermont Technology Alliance recognized the winners of the 2015 Tech Jam Awards, sponsored by Merchants Bank. Patricia Moulton, Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, presented the awards at the exhibitor mixer at the end of the first day of the 9th Vermont Tech Jam.

There are two awards: The Innovation Award is presented to the individual or business with the most innovative new product, application of technology, or way of doing business. The Ambassador Award is presented to an individual or business whose leadership and actions positively represent Vermont as a home for technology business, and whose efforts help put Vermont “on the map” as a place for technology businesses to start, succeed and grow.

A distinguished panel of judges evaluated the entries: Patricia Moulton, Secretary of Commerce & Community Development; Dr. John Cohn, IBM Fellow; Justin Cutroni, Google Analytics Evangelist; and Seven DaysPublisher/Co-Editor Paula Routly. The group reviewed the entries and determined the top three finalists in each category.

Logic Supply, of South Burlington, won the Innovation Award. Michael Metz, of Burlington’s Generator, was the recipient of this year’s ambassador award. Accepting on his behalf was his wife, Denise Shekerjian.

Michael Metz was the impetus behind the creation of Generator, Burlington’s not-for-profit, member-driven maker space. In just its second year, Generator is already playing a key role in the region’s “entrepreneurial ecosystem.” It helps both new and existing startups, many of them tech-based businesses, and has 180 members. Other Vermont communities creating their own maker spaces see Generator as a model. Metz played a vital role in gathering expertise and raising the money to get the venture off the ground. Generator Inc. and its contributions to business development and job creation in the region would not exist without his vision.

October 28, 2015
Find Pete and Ben at Tech Jam

Fame keeps growing for Pete and Ben with their cardboard pinball games!

Join us for Vermont’s 9th annual job and tech expo.

Friday, October 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center

FREE Admission!

Play some games.

Friday, October 23

10 A.M. – 5 P.M.

Exhibitor floor open

Tech Jam exhibitors include recruiters from some of Vermont’s fastest-growing and most innovative companies, admissions staff from local colleges, representatives from training programs and governmental agencies. IEEE sponsors offer technology demos.

Visit the GameLab, where the staff of Burlington-based GameTheory offers hands-on activities that illustrate the principles behind video game design. Or, try your hand at the Pinbox 3000, Vermont’s acclaimed cardboard tabletop pinball system.

October 22, 2015
November 19, 3rd Thursday’s Theme: Waste

Generator’s 3rd Thursday Mixer

250 Main St

November 19th, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

WASTE

Turning waste into gold!

Please join us for an evening full of opportunities to expand your network, business experience, or engineering and prototyping problem solving. It cost nothing to get involved in the Generator community and learn good ways to turn waste into gold. The event and food is FREE. Bring cash for drinks 😉

Nicholas Mendizabal- Director of Business Development for Filabot.com

food+drinks+discussion

October 22, 2015
October 15th, 3rd Thursday’s Theme: Sound

Generator’s 3rd Thursday Mixer

250 Main St

October 15, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

SOUND

How we hear the world around us

Please join us for an evening full of opportunities to expand your network, business experience, or engineering and prototyping problem solving. It cost nothing to get involved in the Generator community. The event and food is FREE. Bring cash for drinks 😉

Sean Clute- composer, musician, professor of music at Johnson State

Devin Wilder- artist creating analog visual representation of sound

Brian Merrill- non-traditional techniques for building traditional Native American Flutes

Leif Hunneman- sound engineer, video artist

food+drinks+discussion

October 9, 2015
Big Maker Guest Speaker: Natalie Jeremijenko at Burlington City Hall, October 8th

BIG MAKER: conversation on art, design and technology in community

Where: Burlington City Hall

When: October 8th 7:00pm-9:00pm

We invite you to join us in talking with Natalie Jeremijenko, techno-artist, engineer, environmental activist, and all-purpose innovative “thingker” Natalie Jeremijenko has been called “one of the three or four most dynamic people on the face of the earth” by Wired and one of the “Most Influential Women in Technology” by Fast Company. Her TED talk on the “Art of the Eco-Mindshift” has been viewed by nearly 400,000 people, and her art has been exhibited around the world, from MOMA and the Guggenheim in New York City to Documenta in Kassel, Germany. She has directed the Yale University Engineering Design Lab, and currently directs the Environmental Health Clinic at New York University, where she is also an Associate Professor of Visual Arts. Her work blends art, engineering, biochemistry, physics, neuroscience, environmental advocacy, and trans-species collaboration. Find out more!

BigMaker Flyer

September 10, 2015
9/17/15 Thursday’s theme: Costume

Join us at Generator on September 17th

5:30pm – 7:30pm

What better way to gear up for comic con than to learn about the masterminds behind costume making. Join us for a jolly drink and casual conversation with Lyn Feinson, costume designer for the Lyric Theatre production. Come with good questions, open ears or a thirst; we welcome all to participate.

Here is more information about Lyn Feinson’s work https://poppygall.com/blog/2010/02/25/my-costume-making-101-course-%E2%80%93-la-cage-aux-folles/

We will see you there!

September 3, 2015