UVM launches VIA
The University of Vermont unveiled the Vermont Innovation Accelerator (VIA), a new program that places students in mentored projects with local nonprofits and community partners for hands‑on experience. Student co‑founders Vikyat Mulpuri and Mollie Davis are highlighted as driving the program’s connection between campus research and on‑the‑ground advocacy. (vtcynic.com)
VIA’s public launch date is March 2026, when the program was announced as a new student-driven initiative at UVM. (vtcynic.com) The program was established through the Office of the Vice President for Research and UVM Innovations with formal support from the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships. (uvm.edu) Leahy Institute documentation lists VIA as a $250,000 project and describes the model as embedding multidisciplinary, paid UVM student teams in consulting engagements across the state. (uvm.edu) Community and innovation hub partners named on program materials include HULA, the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET), Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC), Gener8tor Rutland, Local Maverick, and NeuroCool Technologies. (uvm.edu) UVM Innovations lists specific student services VIA will deliver—branding, strategy, hospitality, technology adoption, operations, photo and video, and design—managed through structured, mentored team engagements. (uvm.edu) VIA’s co‑founders are UVM senior Vikyat Mulpuri and UVM alum and current Student Entrepreneurship Coordinator Mollie Davis; profiles link Mulpuri to The Fund at Hula and list Davis on the UVM Innovations staff roster. (vtcynic.com)
