Twenty years is a long time to plan for. But as Bostonians (OK, Cantabrigians too), we like to think long-term around here. So now is a good time to discuss what the future of the high-tech and life sciences cluster in New England will look like in the year 2035.
Looking out more than a decade beyond any Boston Olympics, will the Boston/Cambridge nexus still be at the center of the biotech and healthcare world? Will the region raise its profile as a technology hub for both consumer- and enterprise-focused businesses, or will it become an also-ran? What are the biggest challenges facing local entrepreneurs when it comes to education, talent, and the globalization of markets and capital? And how are venture capitalists and company leaders preparing for what’s coming down the pike?
Xconomy is very pleased to announce Boston 2035, a day-long conference whose aim is to address those big questions—and many more.
It’s all happening on June 17 at Babson College, where we are convening an all-star cast of innovators, educators, entrepreneurs, executives, and investors—bringing you the latest in robotics, big data, healthcare and life sciences, marketing, venture capital, and other fields essential to the region’s long-term success. The event is part of our Xponential Cities series, and we will be gathering insights from around the country on what it will take to build the innovation hubs of the future—thinking a couple decades down the road.
You can learn more and register for the Boston conference here—the space will be filling up fast. We have special rates for students, startups, and non-profits.
We are currently working on the agenda for the day, and will have more participants joining the program soon. But the A-list speakers are piling up. In terms of companies represented, we’ve got Google, Facebook, Techstars, Jibo, Moderna, Zipcar, and more. Our speakers so far include:
Desh Deshpande from the Deshpande Foundation and Sparta Group
David Cohen, founder and managing partner of Techstars
Robin Chase, founder of Zipcar
Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna Therapeutics
Steve Chambers, CEO of Jibo
William Sahlman from Harvard Business School
Michael Greeley, general partner at Foundation Medical Partners
Fernanda Viégas and Martin Wattenberg from Google Research
Ryan Mack, Facebook Boston Site Lead
Andy Palmer, CEO and co-founder of Tamr
Bruce Booth, partner at Atlas Venture
Bob Hower, co-founder of G20 Ventures
Jodi Goldstein, incoming managing director of the Harvard i-lab
Ric Fulop, general partner at North Bridge Venture Partners
Doug Cole, managing partner at Flagship Ventures
A few of the themes they will tackle, with help from you, the audience:
—bringing innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities to all, not just the privileged (and not just Boston/Cambridge)
—key challenges in technology and business education, training, and policy
—core sectors to bet on, such as robotics, infrastructure, and biotech therapeutics
—what the region can do to better attract and retain top talent and leadership
—how the venture investing landscape will shake out
So get ready to take a unique look at the future on June 17. We look forward to seeing you there.
