History
The InnovateHER Challenge celebrated its inaugural year in 2015, including the Vermont competition that October. WheelPad™ L3C participated in its third Business Plan competition, and for the first time, came in second, missing the $10,000 prize by a hair. Or, did WheelPad walk away with the Grand Prize after all?
Professor David Feinauer, Engineering Professor at Norwich University, always interested in innovation, stopped in to watch the InnovateHerVT competition. Norwich University, The Military College of Vermont, is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private military college in the United States. Intrigued with the idea of WheelPad, its possibilities for Veterans, and opportunities for Engineering, Architecture, and Project Management students, Professor Feinauer suggested Norwich students might be a good fit for building the WheelPad prototype.
WheelPad L3C President Julie Lineberger contacted Edwin Schmeckpeper, Department Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Norwich University. Thus, Norwich and Wheel Pad started a beautiful alliance in constructing WheelPad’s first prototype: + Add PAD (formerly Norwich Model).
Simeon Chapin, of VSECU (Vermont State Employee Credit Union), was also attending The InnovateHER Challenge. He was smitten with the concept and worked with VSECU members and management to provide a $10,000 Grant to WheelPad to assist in the construction of + Add PAD.
Working closely with numerous students, materials were ordered, plans made, and once the trailer arrived WheelPad’s initial prototype, +Add PAD, took shape. Thanks to the enormous support of Norwich University, +Add PAD is now complete. This model will be perpetually donated to Windham County residents in need.
The following year, WheelPad L3C partnered with Norwich University again to build the first XL PAD, for a veteran in northern Vermont who wanted a 12’ wide, rather than the standard 8’6”, structure in order to fit a Queen Size Bed. Students at Norwich gained valuable experience and skills constructing the cottage-style addition, and the community rallied in support of the veteran, offering deeply discounted products and services for the build.
And, all along the way, WheelPad L3C has been recognized with numerous awards and articles.
Currently, WheelPad partners with local tiny home manufacturers to build our + Add PAD, XL PAD, Multi PAD, and Mi PAD. Ultimately, we will build our own manufacturing facility in southern Vermont to manage the entire construction process.
