Scaling Montana works to accelerate Montana’s technology innovation community, and we are joined in this episode by Jenni Graff, the executive director, and Philip Brittan, who chairs the board. They discuss Montana’s emerging tech and entrepreneurial landscape and the upcoming Scaling Montana summit, which will be held on October 23rd and 24th in Bozeman. The conversation touches on the unique challenges of scaling businesses in Montana’s rural setting, the rise of various tech clusters across the state, and the value of networking and knowledge sharing in fostering innovation.

Learn more about Scaling Montana here: https://scalingmt.org/

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mP_HSz-gQHJFzJT1IE3W98le4dRB-w86AcGh6hiUagA/edit?usp=sharing

Mark Kreider is a recent Ph.D. graduate in forestry from the University of Montana whose research focuses on wildfire suppression and its unintended consequences on forest ecosystems. In this episode, he explains the concept of “suppression bias,” where the easier-to-control fires are successfully suppressed, leaving the more severe and dangerous wildfires to dominate. Mark discusses how this bias, along with climate change and fuel accumulation, contributes to the growing severity of wildfires in the western U.S. In addition to his academic work, Mark is a talented science communicator who uses music, film, and photography to engage broader audiences, and he shares insights into how art and science can intersect to inspire deeper conversations about environmental issues.

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vqrYQycF1QrE3nbc94kJk8C6Jf_a2yX1RcPVWriuN3s/edit?usp=sharing

Zach Green is the president of BeAlive Studios in Bozeman, Montana, and the co-founder of Rivers are Life. He began his career on CBS’s Survivor and oversaw production of the hugely successful survival series Alone. In this episode, Zach shares his experiences navigating the entertainment industry, emphasizing the importance of persistence, risk-taking, and passion-driven work. He also discusses the importance of storytelling in conservation and how multimedia can inspire outdoor adventure and environmental stewardship, highlighting his projects’ focus on brand-funded content and partnerships with organizations to protect and preserve global river systems.

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QhJODqZD4Kb3pOYnY53ML8rAhn28KzcidY66dMzpJV0/edit?usp=sharing