Champlain College and Hula Announce Formal Partnership

Champlain College and Hula have announced a formal partnership to support growing the entrepreneurial community of Vermont.

Champlain College President Alex Hernandez announced a new partnership between Champlain College and Hula at his inauguration ceremony earlier this month. The college and business incubator are committed to working together to support the growth of the entrepreneurial community and be an economic engine of opportunity for Vermont.

The partnership will begin with an “Entrepreneurship Master Class” at Hula, extending the Champlain College classroom footprint onto the Hula campus. A series of Hula members will serve as guest speakers in the course, providing students with the opportunity to learn from a variety of entrepreneurs in the start-up community. The class will be taught by Hernandez through Champlain’s Stiller School of Business, and is open to all students interested in exploring entrepreneurship and innovation.

Champlain will also embed a new Innovation Hub Project Manager at Hula to facilitate opportunity matching between Hula company needs and Champlain College student talent.

“Champlain College is constantly innovating new ways to deliver a career-focused education and prepare students to be ready for work, ready for life, and ready to make a difference,” said Hernandez. “We believe in fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and giving students transformative hands-on experiences.”

Champlain’s R/evolutionary 2030 Strategic Plan boldly charts a path for expansion into new STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Building upon its rich history of technology, design, and business, Champlain will expand its academic portfolio, including new programs in health and bio-life sciences.

Hula, a technology-driven coworking campus, business incubator, and venture capital fund, is focused on elevating Vermont-based start-ups and entrepreneurs. The fund invests in tech sectors with a particular interest in Deeptech, Greentech, Medtech, AI/ML, Electric Propulsion, Saas, and Battery Tech.

The partnership highlights a shared mission between Champlain and Hula to create economic and entrepreneurial opportunities in Vermont. “Hula is thrilled to be working with Alex and the Champlain College team to help bridge the divide between the classroom and the entrepreneurial community,” said Russ Scully,  Founder of Hula. “Hula was created with exactly this kind of collaboration in mind.”

Both institutions are excited about future opportunities to promote deeper collaboration between Champlain’s Lakeside Campus and Hula, such as education programs and upskilling, internships, faculty collaborations, student projects, and shared collaborative space.

Want to learn more about Champlain’s career-focused, entrepreneurial programs? Click here.