For the second year in a row GCAi organized a special tour of the Cambridge/Boston Innovation Economy on behalf of Valley Venture Mentors (VVM). The trip featured multiple panel discussions and tours of the Harvard Innovation Lab, the Cambridge Innovation Center, District Hall and MassChallenge. Photos by Quinn Fiona Garvey

1. For the second year in a row GCAi organized a special tour of the Cambridge/Boston
Innovation Economy on behalf of Valley Venture Mentors (VVM). The trip featured
multiple panel discussions and tours of the Harvard Innovation Lab, the Cambridge
Innovation Center, District Hall and MassChallenge.
Photos by Quinn Fiona Garvey

2. Valley Venture Mentors emeritus board member Steve Willis (left) introduces Tuan Ho, cofounder of philo.com at the Harvard i-Lab

3. Neal Doyle (left), Assistant Director of the Harvard i-Lab speaks as Steve Willis, Tuan Ho and
VVM look on

4. Tuan Ho leads VVM on a tour of the Harvard i-Lab

5. VVM takes notes on a tour of the Cambridge Innovation Center

6. Community, innovation and collaboration meet with money, ideas and talent and The Venture
Café

7. The District Hall panel included (from left) Nicole Fichera, General Manager of District Hall, Sam Dunn, co-founder of One
Might Roar, Landon Dickey, advisor to Mayor Walsh, and David Brown, Executive Director of TUGG.org

8. Nicole Fichera speaks to VVM

9. Landon Dickey (left), listens as David Brown answers a questions during the panel discussion at
District Hall

10. The panel at District Hall fields VVM questions

11. The panel described their impact on the innovation ecosystem and recommended ways for
Western Mass to improve ours

12. VVM listens as the panel members at District Hall answer questions and share insights

13. Ryan Walsh (left), Operations Manager & Robby Bitting, Director of Marketing, speak to
VVM at MassChallenge

14. The large group of guests split into two groups for a tour of MassChallenge

15. Lauren Landry, Associate Editor at BostInno, describes media’s role in the entrepreneurial
ecosystem

16. The MassChallenge panel included (from left) Matt Murphy Mentorship Manager at MassChallenge, Alain Ferry, founder of
RaceMenu, Sarah Biller, president of Capital Market Exchange, and Brendan English, CEO and president of Railpod