Through my role at Microsoft, I get to be a part of the amazing innovation ecosystem we have here in Boston. And Boston is not just a great place to innovate because I say so; 1776 recently ranked Boston #1 in their Innovation that Matters Report based on six key themes: talent, capital, industry specialization, density, connectivity and culture. Every day, I have a change to meet a new startup, attend an event to learn about an amazing new innovation or spend time with a founder to think about who can help grow their business. Partners like MassChallenge, Venture Café, Smarter in the City, Epicenter Community and more are just some of the organizations that make our ecosystem in Boston unique.
Last year, I brought my husband to the MassChallenge Awards Ceremony. My son Alex joined me for the Generation Citizen Civics Day in December. We frequently take my family and friends to Lawn on D, the Greenway, the Boston Public Market and other spaces and places with innovative design. But I often wonder how I can share the uniqueness and unique experience that is the innovation ecosystem in Boston with my family, especially my kids.
One organization that is working to prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs is Youth CITIES. As a member of the board, I have judged the finals and semi-finals of the Youth CITIES March to May Bootcamp and each year the students blow me away with the comprehensive business ideas and plans they develop through this program.
On June 2, the board will host the First Annual Retrospective for Youth CITIES. Please join me at this event to meet some of the students, hear their ideas and learn more about how you can support this terrific organization.
Youth CITIES – First Annual Retrospective
June 2, 2016 | 6 – 9PM
Light dinner sponsored by Fuji
Davenport building, 25 First Street, Cambridge (Atrium of Accomplice building)
Join Youth CITIES to both help us celebrate our last 7 years and help forge our way forward. Meet and mingle with the new wave of young entrepreneurial thought-leaders. Get a glimpse of what will be in store for the future, the one they will be building in ways we aren’t even aware of yet.
Meet our alumni students and learn how an entrepreneurial mindset has opened new possibilities and transformed their way of thinking, and find out what big plans they have for the future.
With Special Guests:
- Toni Oloko, Youth CITIES alum
- Rayza Carrasco, Youth CITIES alum
- Jeff Fagnan, Founder and General Partner, Accomplice
- Tito Jackson, Boston City Councillor
Hosted by: Youth CITIES Board of Directors
- Vicky Wu Davis, Founder
- Dan Ross, Chair
- Aimee Sprung
- Alex Finkelstein
- Andy Miller
- Chris Wolfel
- David Birnbach
- Dougan Sherwood
- Kathy Huber
- Leland Cheung
- Steve Willis
- Tito Jackson
- Tom O’Donnell
- Toni Oloko
- Vivjan Myrto
Youth CITIES is a nonprofit organization preparing the next generation to become entrepreneurial leaders in their area of passion, permeating all areas whether startups, corporations, philanthropy, or government. We are changing the way young people look and think about problems, limitations, and obstacles…associating them as just design constraints within endless opportunities for change.
