Boston’s Seaport is enjoying a boost in popularity as Mayor Menino announces a plan to attract start-ups and venture capitalists to the area he has dubbed the “Innovation District”. The goal is to encourage collaboration between entrepreneurs, who have ideas, and investors, who have the capital and ability to bring those ideas to life. The Seaport is an area “that offers opportunity for all sized companies and I am proud to say that in the past year, we have added over 1,900 jobs in the South Boston Waterfront alone” said Mayor Menino. Several companies have already jumped onboard and are moving to the area:
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals was one of the first to announce their intent to relocate to the Fan Pier complex, owned by developer Joseph F. Fallon. Mayor Menino called it “a jumpstart for the entire South Boston waterfront.”
- Heartland Robotics Inc. nearly tripled their office space when the moved to a loft in a former factory back in January. CEO Scott Eckert said they chose the area because “the workforce that we have and that we’re trying to attract is an engineering- and tech-oriented and sophisticated sort of person that wants to be in and work in a dynamic part of the city.”
- Allen & Garritsen, an ad firm in the Boston market, recently announced their move. They expect to benefit from new neighbors such as Vertex Pharmaceuticals, AisleBuyer, and Babson College. CEO Andrew Graff says “the Innovation District will be the perfect home”. The company was also announced as the top place to work among advertising agencies by Advertising Agency magazine.
- Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc. will be moving after securing $27 million in Series B funding. They will be leasing space in the Seaport Center, a 450,000 square-foot building owned by The Beal Cos. The new headquarters will include offices and labs, most notably two biosafety labs to be completed this summer.
- Brightcove, a purveyor of digital media products, is moving to the Atlantic Wharf complex next April. They are the latest to join the collection of technology companies in the area.
- It is believed that the Boston Herald will also be moving to the Seaport district. They would be sharing a building with Acetylon Pharmaceuticals and several other companies.
The evidence is pointing to the Seaport as the new hotspot for companies and entrepreneurs to collaborate and thrive. It’s an exciting time for Boston!
For more information, you can visit http://www.innovationdistrict.org/
Comments