“The best way to accelerate meaningful progress in AI is to bring people together in person,” Ryan Durkin, a vice president at Whoop who works on AI efforts, said in an email. “There is already a lot of great work underway and real enthusiasm to connect the dots and scale the impact. »
This year, the coalition will host five types of in-person events: learning workshops led by people who have already produced AI applications; hands-on programming and hack day events; networking meetings for founders and other business people; product launch showcases; and community events focused on creating accessible and fun AI applications.
Governor Healey Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley said he has seen during his career as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist how such in-person events can help build a new industry.
“These types of community efforts can convince young entrepreneurs or young talent to stay in Massachusetts,” Paley said in an interview. “This may be the kind of thing that inspires large companies to accelerate their use of AI in a way that could define their future. … There’s a huge opportunity here to come together around this topic, AI is going to change the way we do everything.”
Boston’s tech scene has a long history of stimulating activity with community events hosted by local universities, venture capital firms, and existing tech companies. THE The Techstars Boston accelerator has started in 2009 at a Microsoft building in Kendall Square. And Y Combinator, another famous startup launch pad, started in the region before moving to California.
“These efforts are part of a long history here in Boston and elsewhere of bringing minds together around entrepreneurship and different verticals,” said Andrew Zacharakis, a professor at Babson College who studies entrepreneurship. “The power of (face-to-face) connection is immense. »
The new coalition is not focused on lobbying or trying to influence legislation, Durkin said. The state legislature has examined proposals to restrict AIbut did not pass a comprehensive bill similar to California’s AI safety law.
The group will focus on “meeting, learning and collaborating,” he said. “We encourage broad participation from anyone aligned with this mission. »
🚪 Technology research firm IDC opens a new chapter in downtown Boston under the leadership of Geneviève Juillard. Learn more about business reporter Jon Chesto.
🖥️ Paying more for a computer? Blame it on the AI. Read more from tech columnist Hiawatha Bray.
❓ How AI-generated images complicated the investigation into the Brown shooting. Learn more about Rhode Island journalist Alexa Gagosz.
💰 Michelle Wu’s inaugural fund has raised nearly $1.2 million from top business and sports leaders. Read more from City Hall Reporter Niki Griswold.
🗳️ Former Tech Board chief Tom Hopcroft is running for state Senate. Learn more about business reporter Jon Chesto.
🕹️ GameStop store closures have hit Massachusetts. Learn more about business reporter Dana Gerber.
💵 Technology-oriented private equity firm BV Investment Partners in Boston raised almost $2.5 billion for its 12th investment fund.
☁️ Cloud storage company Wasabi Technologies in Boston high $70 million as part of an agreement led by L2 Point Management and including Pure Storage and Fidelity Management & Research. The deal valued Wasabi at $1.8 billion.
📸 Starting motion capture Cinematheque in Portland, Maine, grew up 2 million dollars under an agreement led by the Maine Venture Fund.
🤝 Cybersecurity firm A span in Boston is in the process of acquiring mobile application security company Build38. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
🩺 Health technology company Zélis in Boston acquired Rivet, which offers revenue analysis software. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
🦈 Added consumer technology company SharkNinja to Needham Jason Wortendykemanaging director and head of Midwest investment banking at Cantor Fitzgerald, to its board of directors.
⚡ Energy technology company Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Devens has named Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel to its board of directors.
💸 Payment technology company WEX in Portland, Maine, said Shikhar Ghosh and Jack Van Woerkom will retire from the company’s board of directors. The board of directors will be reduced from 12 members to 10, the company said.
🔢 Hiring Boston-based AI software company OutSystems Fay Sien Goon as financial director. Goon was previously CFO at AppFolio.
👋 Defense technology company MACOM Technology Solutions in Lowell has added a former Broadcom executive Bryan Ingram to its board of directors.
🔒 Added cybersecurity company N-able in Burlington Patrick Pulvermuellerfounder and managing director of Redsalt GmbH, to its board of directors.
✂️ Waltham software company Pegasystems said it was elimination of around a hundred jobs, including less than 10 in the Boston areaand mainly from its consulting activity. The company also said the Virginia Supreme Court unanimously upheld an earlier appeals court ruling. $2 billion trade secrets verdict thrown out against Pega.
👀 Metaplatforms. East elimination of more than 1,000 jobs of its Reality Labs division, as the company moves away from the metaverse and spends more on AI product development.
Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are cowards (The edge)
The Chevrolet Bolt is back… but for how long? (ArsTechnica)
Pebble founder says his new company is ‘not a startup’ (TechCrunch)
👋 Thanks for reading. We will come back next Tuesday.
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Aaron Pressman can be contacted at aaron.pressman@globe.com. Follow him @ampressman.