{"id":405267,"date":"2026-01-13T21:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T21:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/405267\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T21:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T21:10:10","slug":"whoop-draftkings-and-others-form-massachusetts-ai-coalition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/405267\/","title":{"rendered":"Whoop, DraftKings, and others form Massachusetts AI Coalition"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe best way to accelerate meaningful progress in AI is to bring people together in person,\u201d Ryan Durkin, a vice president at Whoop who works on AI efforts, said in an email. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of great work already happening, and real enthusiasm for connecting the dots and scaling impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, the coalition will hold five types of in-person events: learning workshops led by people who have already produced AI apps; hands-on programming and hack day events; networking meetings for founders and other business people; product launch showcases; and community events with a focus on accessible and fun AI app building.<\/p>\n

Governor Healey\u2019s secretary of economic development, Eric Paley, said he has seen in his career as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist how such in-person events can help build a new industry. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese types of community efforts can be the things that convince young entrepreneurs or young talent to stay in Massachusetts,\u201d Paley said in an interview. \u201cIt can be the types of things that spur large-scale companies to accelerate their use of AI in ways that might define their future. … There\u2019s a huge opportunity here to come together around this topic, AI is going to change the way we do everything just about.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Boston tech scene has a long history of stimulating activity with community events arising out of local universities, VC firms, and existing tech companies. The Techstars Boston accelerator got its start<\/a> in 2009 in a Microsoft building in Kendall Square. And Y Combinator, another famed startup launching pad, began in the area<\/a> before moving to California.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese efforts fall into a long history here in Boston and elsewhere, of convening minds around entrepreneurship and different industry verticals,\u201d said Andrew Zacharakis, a professor at Babson College who studies entrepreneurship. \u201cThe power of [face-to-face] connection is immense.\u201d <\/p>\n

The new coalition is not focused on lobbying or trying to influence legislation, Durkin said. The state legislature has considered proposals to restrict AI<\/a>, but has not adopted a comprehensive bill similar to California\u2019s AI safety law<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The group will concentrate on \u201cconvening, learning, and collaboration,\u201d he said. \u201cWe encourage broad participation from anyone aligned with that mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udeaa Tech research firm IDC starts new chapter in downtown Boston under Genevieve Juillard. Read more from business reporter Jon Chesto.<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udda5\ufe0f Paying more for a computer? Blame it on AI. Read more from tech columnist Hiawatha Bray.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2753 How AI-generated images complicated the Brown shooting investigation. Read more from Rhode Island reporter Alexa Gagosz.<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb0 Michelle Wu\u2019s inauguration fund pulled in nearly $1.2 million from top business, sports leaders. Read more from City Hall reporter Niki Griswold.<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddf3\ufe0f Former tech council leader Tom Hopcroft is running for state Senate. Read more from business reporter Jon Chesto.<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd79\ufe0f GameStop store closures hit Massachusetts. Read more from business reporter Dana Gerber.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udcb5 Tech-oriented private equity firm BV Investment Partners<\/a> in Boston raised almost $2.5 billion<\/a> for its 12th investment fund.<\/p>\n

\u2601\ufe0f Cloud storage company Wasabi Technologies<\/a> in Boston raised $70 million<\/a> in a deal led by L2 Point Management and including Pure Storage and Fidelity Management & Research. The deal valued Wasabi at $1.8 billion.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf8 Motion capture startup Kinotek<\/a> in Portland, Maine, raised $2 million<\/a> in a deal led by the Maine Venture Fund.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd1d Cybersecurity firm OneSpan<\/a> in Boston is acquiring<\/a> mobile app security firm Build38. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\ude7a Health care tech company Zelis<\/a> in Boston acquired<\/a> Rivet, which offers revenue analytics software. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.<\/p>\n

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\ud83e\udd88 Consumer tech company SharkNinja in Needham added Jason Wortendyke<\/a>, managing director and head of Midwest investment banking at Cantor Fitzgerald, to its board of directors. <\/p>\n

\u26a1 Energy tech company Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Devens added Moderna chief executive St\u00e9phane Bancel<\/a> to its board of directors.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcb8 Payments tech company WEX in Portland, Maine, said Shikhar Ghosh and Jack VanWoerkom<\/a> will retire from the company\u2019s board of directors. The board will be reduced from 12 members to 10, the company said.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd22 AI software firm OutSystems in Boston hired Fay Sien Goon<\/a> as chief financial officer. Goon previously was CFO at AppFolio.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc4b Defense tech company MACOM Technology Solutions in Lowell added former Broadcom executive Bryan Ingram<\/a> to its board of directors.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd12 Cybersecurity company N-able in Burlington added Patrick Pulvermueller<\/a>, founder and managing director of Redsalt GmbH, to its board of directors.<\/p>\n

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\u2702\ufe0f Software firm Pegasystems in Waltham said it was cutting about 100 jobs, including less than 10 in the Boston area<\/a>, and primarily from its consulting business. The company also said that the Supreme Court of Virginia unanimously affirmed an earlier appeals court ruling throwing out a $2 billion trade secrets verdict<\/a> against Pega.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc40 Meta Platforms. is cutting more than 1,000 jobs<\/a> from its Reality Labs division, as the company pivots away from the metaverse and spends more on developing AI products.<\/p>\n

Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai are cowards<\/a> (The Verge)<\/p>\n

The Chevrolet Bolt is back\u2026 but for how long?<\/a> (ArsTechnica)<\/p>\n

Pebble founder says his new company is \u2018not a startup\u2019<\/a> (TechCrunch)<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc4b Thanks for reading. We\u2019ll be will be back next Tuesday. <\/p>\n

\u2753 Have a tip? Email Aaron at aaron.pressman@globe.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u270d\ud83c\udffc If someone sent you this newsletter, you can sign up for your own copy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Aaron Pressman can be reached at aaron.pressman@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @ampressman<\/a>.<\/p>\n