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Newton Makes Top 10 Metro Regions in the U.S. with Most Tech Startups
… high-tech startups are being founded across the country, fueling local and national economic growth. While well-known high tech hubs like San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Seattle, Boston, and Austin still are important sources of technology entrepreneurship, we find that hightech startups are a pervasive force in communities throughout the country.

Kauffman Foundation Research Series: Firm Formation and Economic Growth Tech Starts: High-Technology Business Formation and Job Creation in the United States

Entrepreneur Magazine just listed the Top 10 Metro Regions in the U.S. with the Most Tech Startups, landing at #4 in the metro region that includes Cambridge and Framingham.

Here is a rundown of the U.S. metro regions with the highest ratio of tech startups compared to the national average:
1. Boulder, Colo.
2. Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo.
3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.
4. Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, Mass.
5. Seattle
The report is from technology policy coalition Engine and entrepreneurship research association the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation here which tracked high tech density:

First, each of the high-density metros has one of three characteristics, and some have a combination: they are well-known tech hubs or regions with highly skilled workforces; they have a strong defense or aerospace presence; they are smaller university cities.

The rest of the list included:

6. Denver
7. San Francisco
8. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.
9. Colorado Springs, Colo.
10. Cheyenne, Wyo.
11. Salt Lake City
12. Corvallis, Ore.
13. Raleigh-Cary, N.C.
14. Huntsville, Ala.
15. Provo-Orem, Utah
16. Bend, Ore.
17. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
18. Missoula, Mont.
19. Grand Junction, Colo.
20. Sioux Falls, S.D.
21. Bethesda-Frederick-Rockville, Md.
22. Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.
23. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, Ore.-Wash.
24. Wilmington, Del.
25. Ames, Iowa

Kauffman Foundation, Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, 1996–2012, the states that posted the highest rates of entrepreneurial activity in 2012.

More details in Newton Patch.

Image from Commerce.gov
August 16, 2013
Boston Children’s Museum Event: Play With Your Food

WHAT:

Ninety percent of kids don’t eat the recommended amount of veggies each day and summer is an ideal time to try a new approach.

On Saturday, August 17, Boston families can visit the Play with Your Birds Eye Veggies outdoor event at the Boston Children’s Museum, a fun-filled day created to help inspire families to make dinnertime fun for kids and help them eat healthier.

Parents and kids can pit carrot against broccoli in a wacky, action-packed stationary bike race, create their own silly veggie self-portrait on a plate, and take home a free gift bag with kid-friendly veggie meal ideas. Families will also have the opportunity to meet and take photos with Nickelodeon characters SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. T

his event is part of Birds Eye’s national program led by Jennette McCurdy, star of Nickelodeon’s hit show, Sam and Cat, to Rewrite the Dinnertime Rules. Attendees will also have the chance to enter onsite to win a trip to Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play in NYC this fall.

All families can participate online at BirdsEye.com by submitting photos of how they make veggies fun for a chance to win as well.

Stop & Shop customers who provide proof of purchase of any one Birds Eye product by showing their Stop & Shop receipt will provide receive 25 percent off museum admission for their entire family. The discount is only valid on the date of the Birds Eye event, 8/17.

WHEN:

Saturday, August 17, 2013, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Boston Children’s Museum

308 Congress Street

Boston, MA 02210

August 14, 2013
New Art Center Fundraiser Ball

Party Packs & Tickets are selling quickly. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate art, support the New Art Center and party like it’s 1985!!

What: New Art Center Arts Ball Remixed

When: October 17th, Saturday 7:30-11:30 pm

Wear: Music inspired by the rhythm of the 1980s. Dancing shoes and clothing from the 80s highly recommended!

Who: Bring your party to the party! Buy a discounted pack of ten tickets for $1,000. Each party pack includes gifts to get the party going. Party Pack deadline is September 15th. (Individual Tickets – $125)

Click here for Event Information and Registration.

August 9, 2013
Newton Free Library Craft for Kids

Newton Free Library is hosting a Lantern Making Craft for Kids.

Where: Newton Free Library

What: Lantern Making: Glow in the Dark and Tissue Paper Lanterns

When: Wednesday, August 7, 3:30 pm

Who: Teens Grades 6-12

August 6, 2013
Birthday Wishes Volunteer Opportunities
Please Help Stock our Shelves
To accommodate our growing number of birthday children, particularly our teens, we ask for you continuing generosity. Here is what we need most:
- $25 and $35 gift cards to Target, Wal-Mart, TJ Maxx, Marshalls or Dunkin’ Donuts
- Teen gifts, books, games, nail art, water bottles, girly accessories, movie passes
- Sports equipment including basketballs, footballs, whiffle balls and bats, Red Sox gear
- Toys for children 3 and under such as board books, musical toys, building blocks
Please keep in mind that all donations must be new and in original packaging.

All of our Birthday Wishes offices are in need. Donations may be dropped off at our Newton Centre office (11 Homer Street, 2nd floor of the Trinity Episcopal Church) during office hours (Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9-3, Tuesday and Thursday 9-5).

Donations will also be gladly accepted at each of our regional offices during scheduled office hours. Click here to find the regional office closest to you.
August 6, 2013
No More Weeds in the Charles River Newton Area!

My thanks to Kay Khan who has managed to get funds to get rid of invasive aquatic weeds:

“I am pleased to announce that $200,000 will be dedicated to the removal of invasive aquatic weeds in the Charles River Lakes District.

$125,000 of that is from the $350,000 I was able to secure in the final FY14 Budget and $75,000 is from the DCR public private partnership program which agreed to match $25,000 raised by Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and Citizens Alliance for NOxious weed Eradication (CANOE), with $50,000 of partnership funds bringing the total funding to $200,000.

This will help ensure that the removal of the weeds begin as soon as possible, while recreation and navigation in this historic section can soon be restored, as well as preventing the loss of fish and other aquatic life.” Kay Kahn

August 1, 2013
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon at Wheelock Family Theater

How exciting! I just found out via the Paper Tigers Blog that Grace Lin’s book is a play here in Boston!

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon at Wheelock Family Theater

Tickets on sale now!

Wheelock Family Theater will be presenting Where the Mountain Meets the Moon in the spring! It will be the New England premiere! The schedule has been set and you can now buy tickets.

If you are a teacher, consider bringing your students for a field trip! They even have special 10am school matinees!

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON

April 11 – May 11, 2014

Wheelock Family Theatre
200 The Riverway, Boston, MA, USA

Friday nights at 7:30; Saturday & Sunday matinees at 3:00
School vacation week matinees (Tue 4/22 – Fri 4/25) at 1:00
10am school matinees Wed 4/16, Thu 5/1, Tue 5/6, and Thu 5/8

Performances will be interpreted in American Sign Language on Thu 5/8 at 10 am, Fri 5/9 at 7:30, & Sun 5/11 at 3:00.

Performances will be audio-described for folks with visual impairments on Thu 5/8 at 10 am, Fri 5/9 at 7:30, & Sun 5/11 at 3:00.

A “Relaxed” performance for people with sensory sensitivities will be on Saturday May 3 at 10 am

Tickets are $35 – $20 based on seating. Groups of 15 or more can take $5 off the regular ticket prices. Tickets can be purchased online at www.WheelockFamilyTheatre.org or over the telephone: 617-879-2300 (Tue – Fri; 10am to 6pm)

For additional information or for specific seating needs, please contact Charles Baldwin at 617-879-2300 or cbaldwin(at)wheelock(dot)edu.

July 31, 2013
FC Barcelona Soccer Camp

Last week, my daughter and two other kids that we car pooled with from Newton attended the FC Barcelona Soccer Camp. I usually drove the return leg so I was able to hear about how the camp went.

It was an unseasonably hot week, with the heat index climbing to nearly 100 degrees by the last day on Friday. Though the camp tried to keep the kids cool, they ran up and down the soccer field for most the day, although they had a one hour hot lunch in an air-conditioned cafeteria at Middlesex Academy. They also two 15 minute breaks and many, many water breaks.

My daughter, age 11-years-old, said that she did drills that she had never done at any other camp or practice before. The drills were not meant to be fun and games but are actual drills the Junior Academy team does in Barcelona. She, like the other 150-160 kids, treated the Barcelona coaches with reverence and appreciated their feedback, even when cryptic due to limited English-speaking ability.

The coaches in yellow are from FC Barcelona. The coaches in red ran the camp groups and were local hire. It was a great partnership!

“Use inside foot. More reliable.” was her first piece of advice from the Barςa coach.

“Touch. Outside foot. Good.” was a high compliment on her last day.

The traffic to Concord at 8:30 in the morning was, frankly, brutal. With construction on Route 2 and on the street that led to Middlesex Academy, the morning commute took about an hour. The return commute was much better at around 45 minutes. With no traffic, it would take about 30 minutes.

The last day was scrimmages. The coaches (mostly local) played goalie! One group’s local coach could not make the last day so the Barςa coach filled in!

After the first day though, I realized that my commute was short. Some of the kids had come from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Another boy came all the way from Columbia (not South Carolina, South America!). Still, another came from Europe. Some families were camping out — literally — at campsites for the week! It felt like an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime!

There are, you see, a few spots to play with the junior Barcelona team and many families saw this as a scouting opportunity to get in front of the coaches that make that decision. Not a bad strategy either! The coaches from Barcelona were engaged and actively helping the kids all throughout the camp. Each group had one Barςa coach assigned to it.

Nearly 150 kids ages 8 to 16 participated at the FC Barcelona Soccer Camp in Concord, MA despite the searing heat. Each child received a certificate from the Barςa coaches.

My car pool kids who were older said that they would sign up again. They loved that this camp was all about soccer. Even at other soccer camps, they said, you didn’t play soccer the entire time. Sometimes you spent time in the pool or talking. They loved it. There was talk about even going to Barcelona for the camp since it is not returning to Boston next year.

I hope they come back soon! We’d definitely go back!

Images from Summerfuel.

July 26, 2013
Lookout Farm Open Daily Starting Aug 5th

Lookout Farm expands open hours; open daily August 5^th, 2013

The orchards are ripe with delicious peaches and even some early apples. Beginning August 5^th, the farm will be open daily from 10AM until 5PM.

Additionally, the farm offers a huge children’s play area which includes a large playground, a burlap maze, caterpillar rides, a hay pyramid, a moon bounce, the busy bee learning center and adorable farm animals. Weekends also include face painting and live children’s entertainment.

          What:                A day of family fun awaits at Belkin Family Lookout Farm!

When:               August 5^th, 2013 through the end of October, 2013, 10AM to 5PM daily

Where:              Belkin Family Lookout Farm, 89 Pleasant Street South, South Natick, MA 01760

U-Pick Hotline:   508.653.0653

Fresh peaches and Pristine apples available for picking now!

July 25, 2013
$1000 Referral Fee for Jobs in Tokyo

Regional Director for Aquent, world’s leading talent agency for marketing and design (Tokyo, Japan)

For 25 years Aquent has been the worldwide leader for matching creative freelancers to work opportunities. We’ve been in Japan for 14 years, and our clients here range from the country’s largest companies to its hottest startups. Aquent has offices in 40 cities across 7 countries, including 4 in Japan. Our Tokyo office is one of Aquent’s largest and most successful markets.

We are looking for the right leader to take this business to the next level.

As Tokyo Regional Director what will you do?

You will have full P&L responsibility. You will hire great people, set clear goals, provide exceptional coaching, deliver fanatical customer service, hit operating and financial targets. This is a hands-on role. You’ll work side-by-side with your teams to connect directly with clients and talent, to network and represent Aquent in the creative community. Under your leadership the business will grow, and our culture of learning and experimentation will continue to blossom.

This is a general management role cutting across multiple disciplines and presenting a range of learning opportunities. You will manage and develop people, create and implement client and account strategies, collaborate with cross-functional teams to launch new divisions, work with senior management on strategies for new businesses, and localize training and technology innovations from outside of Japan.

You will grow to be a beacon of knowledge and expertise in the creative and digital community—clients will want to hear your opinions and will turn to you for advice.

What will work be like?

Aquent’s mission is to be the champion of modern work for creatives. We take that seriously and work hard to make a difference in the world. At the same time we remember that our company was founded by three college roommates who hired their friends and siblings as the first employees. That notion of work as a vehicle for friends to do something fun together still exists. We relish in each others’ successes and practice work/life balance.

You’ll join during a growth and investment phase. We’ve doubled the size of our Tokyo office in the past 8 months, our marketing budget has more than doubled, staff receive companypaid training and professional development, we send new employees to global headquarters in Boston for training, and all leaders worldwide come together in person on a regular basis to share and exchange learning.

The Tokyo office itself is located minutes from Aoyama-itchome station, with lots of natural sunlight and incredible panoramic views of Shinjuku, Meiji Jingu stadium, and Roppongi. In our office we have our own soft cream machine, regular pizza lunches, and our dress code is cool biz all year round. Our desk layout is so intriguing clients come to our office and take notes.

Three fun facts about Aquent:

1. We’re the only company to stand behind our fanatical customer service with a 110% money-back guarantee

2. We’ve been nominated for a British Academy Award

3. We own a beach house in Hawaii free for employees to use

Are you right for this role?

Fundamentally we’re looking for someone who is curious, relentless, quick, creative, and wicked smart. The ideal candidate will have staffing or recruiting experience, sales at some point in their career (and ideally sales management), team leadership, and some experience working in or selling to advertising, marketing, creative, or communications. You will need to be comfortable with technology, especially web and mobile. The role requires fluency in spoken and written Japanese, plus at least business-level English.

Is this you? Contact Steve Kapner, co-founder and Japan managing director, at skapner@aquent.com, 080-3367-6350, or facebook.com/skapner.

If we hire your referral, you’ll get $1000! If you refer someone but we don’t hire them, we’ll give you a pair of movie tickets as a way of saying thank you!

July 24, 2013