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Scott Kirsner

@skirsner.bsky.social
232 followers 116 following 169 posts

InnoLead / MassLive / WBUR / The Innovation Trail. Brookline, MA.

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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Here's why you haven't been able to take a ride on that new electric ferry designed especially for the Charles River: www.masslive.com/news/2026/09... — Via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
Why Boston's Charles River ferry still hasn't launched
Wada Hoppah's electric Charles River ferry remains grounded as the DCR withholds dock approval, citing ADA compliance concerns that founder Drew Rollert argues are excessive for a small pilot program.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Anthropic just committed $11.6 billion to buy cloud computing infrastructure from Akamai; Akamai will spend about $5.5 billion building out new capacity for its big new customer: techcrunch.com/2026/09/25/a...
techcrunch.com
Anthropic to pay Akamai $11.6 billion over seven years in cloud deal | TechCrunch
Anthropic has committed $11.6 billion over seven years to Akamai's cloud infrastructure, a bet on CPUs that could grow to about $20 billion, and in an unusual arrangement, Akamai is giving Anthropic a...
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
My first question in my conversation yesterday with Gov. Maura Healey: What is making you feel optimistic about the state’s economy right now, and where are you concerned? www.masslive.com/news/2026/09... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
AI regulation, Canada relations and job growth: Healey lays out her economic vision
Gov. Healey discusses AI regulation, federal funding cuts, relations with Canada and her economic strategy ahead of her reelection bid.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The original owner of this Apple I computer declined an upgrade offer... because it would've cost him $400. www.masslive.com/news/2026/09... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
Only 75 Apple I computers survive. One of the working ones is heading to Boston
This month, get a look at one of the first computers Apple ever made — along with a letter written by Steve Jobs.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Photos and @trealavery.bsky.social coverage of yesterday's Most Influential Innovators breakfast in Cambridge, featuring conversations with Nobel laureate Phil Sharp, Anantha Chandrakasan of MIT, Jason Spoor of Aspen Aero Group, and MA econ. dev. chief Eric Paley. www.masslive.com/business/202...
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Caught up yesterday with Michael Minogue, the Republican candidate for Governor here in Massachusetts. We last spoke waaay back in 2007 when he was CEO of Abiomed, a cardiac-focused med device company that was eventually acquired by J&J. www.masslive.com/business/202... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
Why a former medical device CEO thinks AI and robots could trigger a Mass. manufacturing boom
Michael Minogue proposes leveraging AI and robotics to revive manufacturing in Massachusetts.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
New spinout from Boston Dynamics will use their tech to create robots for entertainment venues, hospitality, and theme parks. Led by former Boston Dynamics Chief Strategy Officer Marc Theermann. www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/...
bizjournals.com
Boston Dynamics spinout emerges from stealth to build robots for theme parks - Boston Business Journal
Boston Dynamics spinout Dynamic Creatures is joining the ranks of companies building robots not strictly aimed at enhancing productivity.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Any time that you assemble and publish a list — whether it is the best new foods at the Big E or the most influential innovators in Massachusetts — people are going to have thoughts. Here are some reactions to my recent @masslive.bsky.social list of 25 innovators: www.masslive.com/news/2026/09...
masslive.com
What about the innovators outside Interstate 495?
Readers responded to a Massachusetts innovators list by noting its lack of geographic diversity outside Eastern Massachusetts.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
How many of these people do you know? @masslive.bsky.social just published my list of the state's 25 most influential innovators of 2026. They're working on quantum computers, AI music, fusion reactors, life-saving medicines, and more... www.masslive.com/news/2026/09... #masslive-innovators
masslive.com
MassLive’s Most Influential Innovators of 2026
MassLive's list of Massachusetts' top innovators shows the state can claim many people and companies that lead their industries — and create new ones.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Not too long ago, Ascend Elements was one of the most promising companies in Massachusetts, banking nearly $900 million in capital. Now, a skeleton crew of employees are shutting down its Westborough HQ. What happened? www.masslive.com/news/2026/08... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
The collapse of a Mass. battery recycling company that had nearly $1B in backing
Here's how the promising Massachusetts company failed despite securing major contracts and hundreds of millions in federal support.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
You can now pitch your startup idea to an AI version of noted Boston VC (and Harvard Business School prof) Jeff Bussgang: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/22/b...
nytimes.com
Harvard’s A.I. Clones Will Hear Your Start-Up Pitch Now (Gift Article)
To create a new $699 bootcamp for entrepreneurs, Harvard Business School made A.I. versions of its faculty.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
The CEO of this Woburn EV startup says his next destination is the stock market. (Revenues in 2025? $13 million.) Via @masslive.bsky.social www.masslive.com/news/2026/08...
masslive.com
This Massachusetts EV startup doesn't make cars — and that's exactly the point
Woburn-based IndiGOTech wants to launch a line of electric vehicles for use by ride-hailing and delivery services. The company's CEO says he is talking to bankers about taking the company public.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Have you ordered from Wonder yet? They have 15 locations in MA, with another four on the way. The startup has raised $3 billion in capital, and is run by Jet.com founder Marc Lore. I tried it for a lunch and a dinner last week... www.masslive.com/news/2026/08... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
This 'virtual food hall' is spreading across Mass. — and it's not like any restaurant you know
Wonder, a well-funded "virtual food hall" chain, is expanding across Massachusetts, drawing mixed reviews and cautious attention from local restaurant owners.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Nocturnal is one of at least four local startups that have raised tens of millions of dollars to upgrade the quality of an evening’s slumber — or an afternoon snooze. I dropped by last week to try out their tech-embedded sleep mask. www.masslive.com/news/2026/08... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
These Mass. startups want to put you to sleep
Startups like Ozlo Sleep, Elemind, and Nocturnal have raised tens of millions of dollars of capital to upgrade the quality of an evening’s slumber — or an afternoon snooze.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
How to kill America's knowledge advantage in just about every industry... www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
wsj.com
Exclusive | U.S. Weighs $100,000 Fee for Foreign Students Wanting to Work After Graduation
The proposed policy would particularly affect Silicon Valley, Wall Street and universities.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Is this (finally) the summer for a ferry service on the Charles? Watertown entrepreneur Drew Rollert has been working on the project for three years now... @masslive.bsky.social story in the first comment.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Amazing stuff from Prof. Raphael Zufferey at MIT: a robot that can swim + then pop up to the surface and fly. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/14/s...
nytimes.com
New Winged Robot Can Fly and Swim Like a Puffin (Gift Article)
Inspired by the physical feats of diving birds, researchers have created a robot that can plunge into the water and flap back into the air.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Wow - launching a startup with a unicorn valuation... Walden Robotics raises $300M for humanoid robots designed for logistics and mfgring. Hiring in Cambridge + SF. Key players: MIT's Russ Tedrake, Dave Johnson + several veterans of Toyota Research Institute. www.waldenrobotics.com/news/walden-...
waldenrobotics.com
Walden Robotics | Walden Robotics Launches with $300 Million to Put General-Purpose Robots to Work Today
Seed round co-led by Toyota and Deviation Capital values the full-stack Physical AI company at $1.1 billion, with participation from NVIDIA, Boeing, AE Ventures, Samsung Ventures, and other industry l...
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
The rent on this new Boston office space is free... The only catches: your startup has to be admitted, and you have to commit to using it at least 3X/week. www.masslive.com/news/2026/07... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
Free office space for AI startups opens in Boston's Downtown Crossing
BUILD617, a podcast and community organization for tech entrepreneurs in Boston, is setting up a free shared office in Boston's Downtown Crossing district.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Whoop hires Nike veteran as CMO, focusing on international expansion, competition with Apple, Oura, and Google... and an eventual IPO. www.wsj.com/cmo-today/wh... — free link via @wsj.com
wsj.com
Exclusive | Whoop Hires Nike Marketing Veteran as Wearables Wars Heat Up
DJ van Hameren will join the screenless health-tracking brand as it works to push its appeal to a global audience as well as women.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
In Ukraine’s battle to defend itself against Russia, a Somerville startup company has been playing an unheralded role. www.masslive.com/news/2026/07... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
The Mass. startup quietly helping Ukraine fight back against Russia with 3D printers
After some high-profile failures in 3D printing, all eyes are on Formlabs, a Somerville startup that hit $250 million in revenues last year.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
As a museum nerd, it's always fun when I get the opportunity to check out a new museum that is about to open in Boston. And this one is free. Opening day is Friday, July 3rd. www.masslive.com/ne-where/202... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
Boston’s new finance museum offers a journey through America’s money history
Boston’s new finance museum, located in the Seaport, showcases rare artifacts and interactive exhibits on American financial history.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Sharp piece from the Boston Business Journal on a $100 million expansion + hiring spree at Boston Dynamics in Waltham: www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/...
bizjournals.com
Boston Dynamics plans $100 million, 1,250-job Waltham expansion - Boston Business Journal
Robot maker Boston Dynamics is planning to expand to a second property in Waltham in what would be a $100 million expansion in the city, more than doubling its headcount with 1,250 new full-time jobs.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Love to see @masslive.bsky.social stories show up on Yahoo Finance: finance.yahoo.com/technology/a...
finance.yahoo.com
A German CEO just announced over tapas why he's ditching New York for Boston
N8n, an AI automation startup headquartered in Berlin, will use a new Boston office to connect with current and prospective customers around the Northeast.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Interesting project announced this week by Toast... they want to help a restauranteur launch "a real, high-volume, full-service restaurant in Greater Boston powered by Toast technology." www.linkedin.com/posts/kellys...
linkedin.com
Today we are launching Toast Lab! For the first time in our history, Toast is combining funding and expertise to help an experienced restaurant operator build a brand-new restaurant from scratch. Our…...
Today we are launching Toast Lab! For the first time in our history, Toast is combining funding and expertise to help an experienced restaurant operator build a brand-new restaurant from scratch. Our ...
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
If you’ve been tracking last week’s initial public offering of SpaceX, and the forthcoming IPOs of OpenAI and Anthropic, it’s a little like staring into the sun: everything else looks a little washed out. What does it mean for the MA tech + biotech sectors? www.masslive.com/news/2026/06...
masslive.com
SpaceX worth $2T, OpenAI heading for $1T — Where does Mass. fit in mega-IPO era?
While SpaceX dazzles with a $2 trillion valuation, Massachusetts’ biotech sector is quietly stacking wins that save lives and build lasting value — even if the job numbers lag.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
"The people in this economy will find a reason to worry about every single signal that doesn’t move in the right direction, and they...ignore every single signal that does go in the right direction." — MA Economic Development Chief Eric Paley More of my interview: www.masslive.com/news/2026/06...
masslive.com
Massachusetts had the highest GDP growth in the country in 2025 — so why do businesspeople think the economy is struggling?
Economic development chief Eric Paley talks about some of the challenges the state faces — and why it may be time to better appreciate its strengths.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
A couple reflections on the inaugural Boston Tech Week: On @masslive.bsky.social - www.masslive.com/news/2026/06... On @wbur.org - www.wbur.org/upnext/2026/... #BOSTECHWEEK
masslive.com
Boston Tech Week is over. Now the real work begins — and the stakes couldn't be higher
What did we learn after six days and more than 660 events held in Boston and Cambridge?
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
“I check our AI bill every morning like it’s a heart monitor,“ one Boston entrepreneur wrote recently on LinkedIn, worrying about unchecked AI usage costing him $100,000 before lunchtime. Here's what's happening… www.masslive.com/news/2026/05... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
A startling 500% surge in AI costs has Boston startup leaders rethinking every token they spend
Boston-area startups are facing steep, fast-growing AI costs, forcing tighter controls to avoid runaway spending and profit challenges.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
The Dept. of Commerce announced on Thursday that it will dole out $2B in grants to nine companies in the field of quantum computing, including IBM and several startup companies. One Boston company was conspicuously missing from the list. www.masslive.com/news/2026/05... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
Why did this Mass. company say ‘no thanks’ to money from the Trump administration?
The Department of Commerce just doled out $2 billion in funding to advance the field of quantum computing in the U.S. One high-profile Boston startup, backed by Google and NVIDIA, wasn't on the list.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
⚓ Ahoy there! Two recent @masslive.bsky.social columns hit the water to focus on a rescue drone and a new AI-enabled hydrophone: www.masslive.com/news/2026/05... www.masslive.com/boston/2026/...
masslive.com
Can this Mass. startup help save lives at sea?
Gander Robotics is working to develop an autonomous
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Boston startup Path.ai, focused on "AI-powered precision pathology," will be acquired by Roche for up to $1B: www.wsj.com/business/dea...
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Robotics entrepreneur Colin Angle was in New York this week to reveal his new startup’s first product. He’s taking on one of the hardest challenges in the robotics market: creating a robot that millions of people will want to live with. www.masslive.com/news/2026/05... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Can robots — and a new approach to modular building — help Massachusetts add housing? www.masslive.com/news/2026/04... — via @masslive.bsky.social And @wbur.org Morning Edition segment in the first comment below...
masslive.com
Can robots — and a new approach to modular building — help Mass. add housing?
An Andover startup, Reframe Systems, is trying to prove that building housing in pieces in a factory can be faster and cheaper than traditional methods.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Here in MA, we don’t think we need to shape a brand and a marketing message for people considering coming here to work, staying here after graduation, or moving their business here. We just assume they all know about our merits. www.masslive.com/news/2026/04... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
Massachusetts urged to hire a chief marketing officer to stem talent loss
Experts say the $305 million Mass Wins Act doesn't mention marketing the state, even as graduates and businesses continue to leave. We just assume they all know about its merits.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Just 15 runners lined up at the starting line for the first Boston Marathon in 1897. David Grilk hopes to get nearly that many robots to participate in a race he’s planning for Sunday in Boston’s Seaport. There are two categories: humanoids and quadrupeds. www.masslive.com/news/2026/04...
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
As the Artemis II crew rockets back to earth after a record-setting journey around the moon, there’s a gray box in the capsule that contains technology made by a Boston biotech startup that has hit some important milestones of its own. www.masslive.com/news/2026/04... — via @masslive.bsky.social
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
In the @wsj.com: Cambridge venture capitalist Dave Blundin spent $5.4 million of his own money last year to buy six-unit apartment building near MIT to house some of the founders his firm, Link Ventures, has backed. (Link pays half the rent.) www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-c...
wsj.com
These AI Whiz Kids Dropped Out of College and Got Investors to Pay Their Bills
Venture capitalists are stepping in to cover expenses like rent while dropouts from Harvard to Stanford chase their startup dreams.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
The only candy factory in the state that is still mass-producing candy on a national scale is just outside Central Square in Cambridge... and it seems like change is afoot in the executive ranks of that company. www.masslive.com/boston/2026/... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
More secretive than Wonka? Mysteries abound at the biggest candy factory in Mass.
The only candy factory in the state that is still mass producing candy on a national scale is just outside of Central Square in Cambridge. And change is afoot in its executive ranks.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Whoop co-founder John Capodilupo is focused on a new challenge: tracking health indicators with a device that attaches to the rim of a toilet. He’s a co-founder of Throne, a Texas startup that describes itself as “Whoop for your poop.” www.masslive.com/news/2026/03... — via @masslive.bsky.social
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Wrote about BOS-based Merlin Labs, working on autonomous tech for aircraft, earlier this year on @masslive.bsky.social. The company just started trading on NASDAQ this week, raising $200 million in a SPAC deal: www.masslive.com/news/2026/01...
masslive.com
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
This past Saturday, when I should have been cleaning up the yard and folding some laundry, I was instead gazing into my laptop in the kitchen, finishing up a (free!) certificate program in artificial intelligence. Here's what I learned: www.masslive.com/news/2026/03...
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Reposted by Scott Kirsner
MassLive @masslive.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
The underground student group at Harvard and MIT that VCs are desperate to access
masslive.com
The underground student group at Harvard and MIT that VCs are desperate to access
College students are leading five new initiatives that have already produced successful startups, drawing no‑questions‑asked investments from venture capital firms.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Would be big, if it happens.... Y Combinator's CEO is mulling a return to Cambridge www.masslive.com/news/2026/03... — via @masslive.bsky.social
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Six international companies are relocating to Boston as part of an artificial intelligence health care accelerator, backed by Sheba Medical Center in Israel. www.masslive.com/news/2026/03... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Crazy stat: Whoop's acceptance rate for job applicants is 0.13%. Harvard, where Whoop's co-founders went to college, has a 3.6% acceptance rate. Link below is the Whoop press release today announcing 600 new jobs. www.whoop.com/us/en/press-...
whoop.com
Press Center | WHOOP
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
The more snow, the better for Teradar, a Boston startup that’s building new technology for military and civilian vehicles. www.masslive.com/news/2026/03... — via @masslive.bsky.social
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Apparently P.E.T.A. just sent a letter to President Trump asking him to replace the working dogs in the military (as well as police force K-9s) with robot dogs like Spot from Boston Dynamics.
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Official data doesn’t capture it, and it may be tough to believe as you’re digging out from this week’s blizzard, but it’s a fact: some people who leave Massachusetts eventually boomerang back. I spoke to a handful of them: www.masslive.com/news/2026/02... — via @masslive.bsky.social
masslive.com
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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Fascinating piece from Juliet Schulman-Hall at @masslive.bsky.social: This New England college campus is on the market — and the price tag is $0 www.masslive.com/education/20...
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