INNOVATION
For over 400 years, Massachusetts has been the birthplace of innovations that have shaped our world. Tom is proud to have contributed to this innovation engine for 25 years and is looking forward to a future of sustainable, inclusive innovation and growth.
In response to the growing global climate crisis, Tom brought community leaders together and founded the Net Zero Institute, a mission-driven non-profit business association dedicated to accelerating the corporate transition to a carbon-neutral, net zero world. With a vision for engaging the business community to be a leader for change, the organization empowers businesses to accelerate decarbonization, embracing sustainable practices, driving business success, and creating positive ripple effects on the world. For corporate leaders focused on sustainability, the Net Zero Institute is a place where they can come to future-proof and accelerate the success of their businesses. Learn more.
Net Zero Institute roundtable at Akamai in Cambridge
In Massachusetts, innovation is our natural resource and worthy of our investment. Early in his career, Tom established an awards program that spotlights the innovators who continue this legacy and seek to inspire the next generation to follow in their footsteps. For over two decades, this recognition program has become an institution, celebrating and recognizing the leaders and companies that have earned Massachusetts the honor of being consistently ranked #1 in innovation year over year. Learn more.
Tom Hopcroft & Wayfair CEO & Co-Founder Niraj Shah
Tom also brought together the MA robotics community, developing the first industry census and taxonomy, benchmarking impact, raising awareness with the press, and advocating with policy makers. This work helped demonstrate that the MA Robotics Cluster was a dynamic community operating across many industries including consumer, defense, healthcare, logistics, agriculture, manufacturing, marine, and more. In 2013, the group contemplated establishing an independent robotics innovation center and, in 2015, MassRobotics was formed. As a MassRobotics board member, Tom sees the successful expansion to 60+ robotics startup tenants as further validation of the region's robotics leadership. Learn more.
MassRobotics Co-Founder Joyce Sidopoulos, Tom Hopcroft, MassRobotics Executive Director Tom Ryden, Amazon Robotics Chief Technologist Tye Brady, US Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, Governor Charlie Baker
Boston TechJam festival on Boston City Hall Plaza
Tom's career has been focused on bringing people together to share, learn, gain visibility, and work towards common goals. When local tech executive Mark Lorion and team member Christine Nolan pitched him an idea of creating "a block party celebrating Boston’s tech industry leadership and status as a cradle of innovation," he invested the organization's time and resources into what became known at Boston TechJam, the region's signature tech industry festival. Last held in 2019 on City Hall Plaza, the event included over 100 tech company exhibitors, 7,000+ attendees, local food vendors, bands, industry swag, and more. Learn more.
In 2016, Tom connected with Wired Magazine founder John Battelle around a new idea for a distributed festival designed to inspire and cross-pollinate ideas that drive the world's most successful companies. Rather than bringing the tech community together in one place, NewCo Boston would bring the festival to as many as 100 innovative companies that would open their doors and invite the community in to hear firsthand from founders and leaders in their "native environments" how they are changing Boston and the world. NewCo Boston was another opportunity to spotlight Boston innovation as part of a global NewCo vision with festivals across the US and globally. Learn more.
NewCo Boston festival at multiple company locations
When Tom merged the organization he founded with the MA Software Council to form MassTLC in 2005, he picked up a legacy investors conference in need of a refresh. Working closely with serial entrepreneur and angel investor Bill Warner he reengineered the event's mission from helping entrepreneurs "raise money" to helping them "find helpers." Together, they created the Innovation unConference, a unique and innovative blend of mentoring at-scale combined with a dynamic real-time community-generated conference tailored to the specific interests of the attendees. Learn more.
Tom Hopcroft kicking off the Innovation unConference