City Hall Plaza to Host Largest Festival of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Boston Tech Culture

BOSTON, April 14, 2015 — (PRNewswire) — On June 11, 2015 the third annual Boston TechJam will return to Boston's City Hall Plaza to gather a diverse group of Boston-area entrepreneurs, startups, established tech and tech-enabled companies, venture capitalists, non-profit groups, students and artists in celebration of the region's technology ecosystem and culture. The event uniquely combines a tech block party, innovation showcase and live music to connect the tech community's contributors with peers in a fun and non-traditional way.

"Boston is a national leader as a creative, technology-driven incubator for innovators," said Mayor Walsh. "New ideas gain traction here, because we're both open and engaged in solving real problems with creative ideas. Boston TechJam allows local talent to come together, learn and share technology, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to fostering and strengthening a culture of creators and trailblazers."

Boston TechJam is the largest innovation event in the region and continues to grow. 2014's event sold out days in advance, brought in more than 3,000 attendees and contributed over $18,000 – 100 percent of the admission revenue – to the MassTLC Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on supporting computing education in Massachusetts.

A showcase and accelerator for new ideas and world-class innovations coming out of the region, the 2015 event will introduce exciting, entertaining and educational new components. In between networking with thousands of other tech industry workers, attendees will enjoy performances from live bands, appearances from industry and entrepreneurial tech luminaries, craft beer from Harpoon Brewing, "street festival"-type games and innovation exhibitions hosted by more than 75 area tech companies from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. ET.

Also taking place is the first-ever Boston Startup Pitch Tournament, where some of the area's leading startup incubators and accelerators will present their best teams to pitch in front of the crowd and a panel of leading local venture capitalists. Attendees will hear from Boston startups representing Bolt, Boston New Tech, Cambridge Innovation Center, Constant Contact's Small Business Innovation Program, Impact Hub Boston, LearnLaunch Accelerator for edtech startups, MassChallenge and others.

"I'm amazed at how quickly Boston TechJam has grown into the region's flagship technology and innovation event. With more than 3,000 people attending last year and greater capacity planned for this year, the event is a celebration and catalyst for creating connections with every corner of our tech scene," said Mark Lorion, co-founder of TechJam and chief marketing officer at Apperian. "The Boston tech ecosystem is one of the most robust and supportive in the world, and this event is a remarkable showing of the collaborative culture, entrepreneurial spirit and technology innovation that defines this region."

"We've seen a technology renaissance over the past several years, not just in Boston and Cambridge, but across the Commonwealth, and the world is taking notice," said Tom Hopcroft, president and CEO of the Mass Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC), the lead organizer of the event. "Boston TechJam celebrates the people and organizations that are shaping our future and we invite bold thinkers, designers and creators from around the globe to join this vibrant community."

The event is being led by co-founder Mark Lorion of Apperian and co-founder Christine Nolan along with founding team members Clare Madden from MassTLC, Dave Polcaro from East Coast Catalyst, Ben Maitland-Lewis from Pretty Instant, Dave Cutler from Influence Central, and Joel Richman from SHIFT Communications. Other leading collaborators include MITX, MassChallenge and New England Venture Capital Association.

The event would not be possible without the thought leadership and financial support of our underwriting sponsors Acquia, Autodesk, CenturyLink, Constant Contact, HP, Kronos Incorporated, LogMeIn, Rocket Software and Slalom as well as BetaBoston, the official media sponsor. Additional sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities are available.

How to Get Involved (You must be 21+ to attend)

• To register to attend and get the most up-to-date information on the schedule of events, visit www.bostontechjam.org and follow @bostontechjam (#btj2015). 100 percent of the admission will go to support computing education in Massachusetts through the MassTLC Education Foundation.
• To exhibit or sponsor, contact Email Contact.
• To attend as a member of the press, contact Email Contact.

About Boston TechJam
Boston TechJam is a showcase and accelerator for new ideas and world-class innovations coming out of the Boston region. The event brings together early stage companies, entrepreneurs, students, established enterprises, venture capitalists and artists to celebrate the region's technology, entrepreneurship and culture. Equal parts idea exchange and celebration, Boston TechJam is an unconventional meeting ground for local innovators, visionaries and up-and-comers. The 21+ event will take place June 11, 2015 in Boston City Hall Plaza.

Boston TechJam is supported by Acquia, Autodesk, CenturyLink, Constant Contact, HP, Kronos Incorporated, LogMeIn, Rocket Software and Slalom and collaborators include Apperian, MassTLC, East Coast Catalyst, Presskit.to, Influence Central, SHIFT Communications, MassChallenge, MITX and New England Venture Capital Association.

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SOURCE Boston TechJam

Contact:

Boston TechJam MassTLC Education Foundation Mass Technology Leadership Council Media: Sarah Borup, 617-779-1803, SHIFT Communications Email Contact Web: http://www.bostontechjam.org