Here's the rundown on the final CityStart Boston Pitch Night at the Fairmount Innovation Lab! Who would you pick?
1. BloxYard is looking to optimize Boston’s innovation scene and create a discovery hub for Boston Innovation through the reuse of shipping containers. The Blox will include a coffee shop, showcase and demonstration space and a number of popup shops showcasing local products.
2. Ecovenue is focusing its efforts on Zero Waste events. The average person generates over four pounds of waste per day. Ecovenue will provide a list of responsible caterers, who use compostable utensils, plates, etc. and help event organizers hold responsible events. For example, providing comport bins and signs directing guests to utilize the appropriate bins.
3. Find Local – helps you find local Hidden Gems with an eye toward decreasing the instance of vacant storefronts through retail and small business failure. The marketplace app that features only crowdsourced local businesses from multiple categories. The review and search style of Yelp feaure the most searched trades of craigslist and the swipe of Tinder.
4. Fishtank Eco Lab: Vision – To curate, incubate and accelerate a collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystem. Establish a physical presence with impactful access in underserved communities. The Fishtank will offer memberships for a shared workspace with direct access to professionals, experts and technical support.
5. Lusterity – Brings creative products & services (local and sustainable products) to event hosts. Lusterity offers:
• Curated Party products
• Work/shop and class space
• Creative marketplace
6. MyBlock – is a platform displaying vacant store fronts and mixed use properties and connecting storefront owners to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs can use data (from voting on the website) to make informed decisions about where and what business to open in a particular neighborhood.
7. Global Leaders of Boston – Understands to that to get a tech job you usually need IT certification, a four year degree and experience. Global Leaders is working on partnerships with Cisco – networking academy, Boston Center for Youth and families, Community Colleges, four year degree colleges. Engage the youth and teach them about IoT, Internet, etc.
8. Neighborhub – addresses the issue of empty and abandoned buildings. Landlords wait for the moment to be optimal to turn them into luxury condos. Instead, Neighborhub wants to turn the buildings into mixed use space including, maker space, event space, retail. They will crowdfund the ownership and eventually return the profit to the community.
9. TechforUs – addresses high youth unemployment and the problem of local businesses having limited access to technology to use for their business – social media and website. Think Geek Squad meets Americorps. The organization will pair youth with mentors for a 9 month full-time program for 18-24 young adults to learn social media, IT, website and then rent them out to local businesses.