Invest: Boston 2024-2025 Launch Conference covers critical insights into region’s innovation ecosystem, development challenges, and tech-driven future
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November 2024 — Leaders from across Greater Boston’s economic, academic, and business communities convened at the Invest: Boston 2024-2025 Launch Conference, held at the UMass Club. More than 200 professionals, including top executives, government officials, and rising industry talent, attended the Friday event for in-depth discussions, key networking opportunities, and insights into Boston’s evolving economic landscape.
In her welcome remarks, Capital Analytics President & CEO Abby Lindenberg expressed enthusiasm for the second edition of the report and the unique economic position of Boston. “We are proud to deliver the second edition of Invest: Boston, bringing you analysis and insight,” said Lindenberg. “With still considerable economic uncertainty, here in Boston we see optimism, a result of successful economic diversity and positive developments.”
The first panel, “Integral players: How life sciences and higher ed are shaping Boston’s future, and what challenges must be overcome,” moderated by Lindenberg, explored the roles of life sciences and higher education in Boston’s innovation ecosystem. Panelist Sohail Masood, founder, chairman and CEO of KabaFusion, emphasized the importance of advancing automation in the industry and highlighted efforts to address the high costs of care. “We’re working with manufacturers and nonprofits to make essential treatments more affordable for patients,” he said.
Chancellor Julie Chen of UMass Lowell highlighted the critical role of Boston’s higher education community in talent development, stating, “Our institutions produce skilled graduates, and our goal is to keep more of that talent here to drive Boston’s future growth.”
The second panel, “Development reimagined: The evolution of space in a changing city, and what Boston’s forward-thinking leaders are creating in the process,” examined the challenges and opportunities in Boston’s evolving urban landscape and was moderated by Will Andronico of Baker Tilly. Panelist Chanda Smart, CEO of OnyxGroup, highlighted the importance of adaptive reuse and transit-oriented development, noting, “Preserving historic buildings through retrofitting can be costly, but public-private partnerships make it feasible and impactful.”
Reetika Vijay, managing principal at IA Interior Architects, highlighted the value of walkable, live-work-play neighborhoods in transforming areas like the Seaport and Fenway. “Walkable communities with accessible transit are vital, but we need reliable public transportation to fully support these neighborhoods,” she said, while Mark Alaimo, managing shareholder at LCW CPAs, discussed the complexities of adaptive reuse, especially for affordable housing. “It’s about balancing historic preservation with affordability and sustainability, often requiring creative financing and zoning approaches,” he noted.
For our final panel, “Tech influence: How technology is changing lending decisions, and how that will reshape the business landscape,” moderated by Chris MacKenzie of LGA LLP, and focused on the transformative impact of technology on the lending landscape. Kristin VanBeek, president and CEO of Rockland Federal Credit Union, noted Boston’s fintech ecosystem as a critical advantage: “Boston’s fintech hub allows us to partner with cutting-edge technology that enhances the financial services market.”
Joseph Campanelli, CEO of Needham Bank, highlighted the defensive role of AI in finance, stating, “We’re exploring ways AI can handle routine tasks, freeing us to focus on more complex challenges.”
Daniel Griggs, president of the Greater Boston Region at OceanFirst Bank, pointed to the bank’s investment-grade rating as a testament to its tech-driven approach: “Our focus on tech and innovation allows us to protect and expand our credit commitments without relying on traditional branch networks.”
To read the brand-new Invest: Boston 2024-2025 report, click here. (Subscription required.)
To watch the Invest: Boston 2024-2025 Launch Conference panel discussions, please subscribe and stay tuned to our YouTube Channel as those videos are released in the coming week.
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About Capital Analytics & Invest: Boston 2024-2025
Capital Analytics is an integrated media platform that produces in-depth business intelligence through its annual print and digital economic reviews, high-impact conferences and events and top-level interviews via its video platform, Invest:Insights.
The Invest: Boston 2024-2025 report provides an in-depth look at what makes the region’s economy tick and the challenges that remain from the perspective of over 200 local leaders and elected officials.
For more information, contact:
Ryan Gandolfo
Senior Editor
786-843-8500
To download images from the event, click here.
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