A new opportunity for UVM students will allow them to work on mentored projects with Vermont organizations through the Vermont Innovation Accelerator program, launched in March 2026.
VIA was co-founded by UVM senior Vikyat Mulpuri and alum Mollie Davis ‘13. The duo established the program through UVM Innovations and the Office of the Vice President for Research, leveraging support from the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, according to the program’s webpage.
The program offers paid learning opportunities with a diverse range of Vermont innovators, like the Black River Innovation Campus and Gener8tor. These two coworking hubs include multiple companies that students can work with.
Several Burlington coworking hubs, including Hula Lakeside and the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, also partner with the program.
“It is more affordable for the companies, provides real learning and opportunities for the students and it even leads to a pipeline of talent for the companies to hire after they graduate,” said Mulpuri.
In conversations with President Marlene Tromp and Kirk Dombrowski, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Mulpuri and Davis envisioned VIA as a program that provides more experiential learning opportunities for students, while involving them in the Vermont business ecosystem.
The program is open to all undergraduate UVM students regardless of their major. Students can apply through the VIA webpage. After students are matched with an available position, they will be invited for an interview with VIA, Mulpuri said.
The program first identifies a student’s specific interests and the professional skills they hope to develop.
“We figure out what kind of skills students want to offer to a company, what they’re most interested in learning and where they want to work. We pair those skills up with a company’s needs. That’s really where the match comes to life,” Mulpuri said.
Project lengths and types vary by company, spanning everything from a three-week website build and social media support to a year-long institutional strategy. This model allows students to take on responsibilities that match their available time and professional goals.
The VIA aims to keep business and talent in Vermont rather than losing graduates to other states. The program addresses three specific pillars within the state: economic development, job creation and talent retention, Mulpuri said.
“We wanted to continue to develop the office of Vice President for Research strategic plan at UVM with Tromp’s land grant mission and so expanding those partnerships, not only in the university, but broader across the hill and into the Vermont State,” Mulpuri said.
