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

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

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

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

VVM takes notes on a tour of the Cambridge Innovation Center

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

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

Nicole Fichera speaks to VVM

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

The panel at District Hall fields VVM questions

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

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

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

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

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

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