It’s that time of year again. The leaves have fallen, the cold air is reminding us that winter is coming and every product at Trader Joe’s is pumpkin flavored. That’s right, it’s Thanksgiving.
This is my favorite time of year for three simple reasons. Thanksgiving is about three things: food, beating my brother at the annual Telio Football game, and saying “thank you.” The Boston tech scene has had a solid year and there is much to appreciate. Here’s what I’m thankful for:
5. Podcasts. 2015 is the year of the business podcast. It has taken a while, but listening to podcasts is no longer just the domain of nerds named Allan. Thanks to the success Serial and the Startup podcasts in 2014, businesses have realized that they can attract an audience if they create compelling content. It’s benefiting everyone. Listening to good podcasts makes you smarter. It’s like reading but much easier.
Two locally produced podcasts are helping scratch the startup itch. Traction, created by Next View Ventures, discusses how early stage companies won their early customers. Tech In Boston, is all about…. well… Tech in Boston. You’ll hear from the CEOs who are building Boston’s tech scene. Both podcasts are well written, insightful, and good for a long and crowded T commute.
4. Hardware. Wait a second, are we actually building tangible products again? No longer is tech in Boston just about software. Boston is becoming a force in hardware. Bolt helped start this rebirth several years ago. This past year MassChallenge opened its maker space, Voxel8 raised a $12 million A round and FormLabs launched their newest 3-D printer, the Form 2. When I first saw the Form 2 my head exploded. Fortunately, they were able to patch me back together with replacement parts created by the printer. I am pretty sure that FormLabs is from the future.
3. DraftKings & Their Giant Piles of Cash. DraftKings is a big deal. Yes, they’re being investigated by everyone. Is it gambling? Who cares? That’s not why I’m thankful. DraftKings represents something different in Boston. It is a unicorn B2C company that is dedicated to staying in Boston. As Jason Robins, the company’s CEO, said [his] “most important driver is to build something great in Boston.” We have many great companies in Boston, but they are loudest. The cash they have raised and spent on marketing has helped make them a household name and helped raise the profile of our community. This is good for everyone.
2. Companies That Make Life Easier. Any time a company makes my life easier, I want to walk up to them and give them a big kiss on the lips. There are several Boston companies that have been doing that for me and they deserve to be thanked. Drizly, ezCater and Scratch allow me to get booze, order lunch for all of the students at Startup Institute and have someone shop for a new pair of chaps, without leaving my couch. You guys are the best.
1. The Helpers. Boston’s tech community is known for its “pay it forward” attitude. It’s filled with successful entrepreneurs like David Chang and Bill Warner who actively help grow the next generation of leaders. It has thought leaders like Giles Philips, John Carmichael and Tom Hughes who volunteer their time to teach at Startup Institute and nurture Boston’s talent. We have tireless promoters of our region like Mohamed Ali from Carbonite, who is the chairman of MassTLC, and Mark Lorion from Apperian, who started Boston Tech Jam. We have people like Lillian Mitchell of Roomzilla, who ends every meeting by asking how she can help. Our willingness to help and Boston’s desire to see all of our companies succeed is what sets us apart from other tech communities.
So, thank you for being awesome. It’s time for me to go eat pumpkin cheesecake I bought from Trader Joe’s.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Allan Telio is the Vice President and Director of Startup Institute Boston. He can be followed on twitter @gallonofallan. Startup Institute is currently accepting applications for its spring program; the round one deadline is December 21, 2015.
Images courtesy of Allan Telio and Formlabs.
