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Scott Kirsner

@skirsner.bsky.social

170 followers 110 following 88 posts

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

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Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 10h

The Sec. of Energy came to MA to visit to a fusion reactor startup with @massgovernor.bsky.social. And then his Department cut $466 million of grants in the state. What gives? I spoke with Emily Reichert of the Mass. Clean Energy Center:

www.masslive.com/news/2025/10... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Say goodbye to the Mass. clean energy boom. But a comeback may be in the offing

Massachusetts' clean energy sector faces a turbulent week as feds pull $466M in grants. Emily Reichert, chief executive of the Mass. Clean Energy Center explains what happens next.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 4d

You probably can’t say you’ve experienced the strangeness of the job market in 2025 until you have submitted to an interview with an AI human resources “agent."

www.masslive.com/news/2025/10... — via @masslive.bsky.social

AI isn’t killing jobs yet, but it’s making the job hunt weird

Unemployment is trending up in Massachusetts. Is AI the cause? Here are what job candidates and tech experts say is happening.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 5d

Great piece on @washingtonpost.com:

The Post "examined the history of six important drugs invented over the past few decades. In each case, crucial steps in the development of the medication came from taxpayer-funded research at universities now at risk of losing federal support."

wapo.st/4q1M3ly

Trump slashed funding for universities that helped create these vital drugs

Medications that prevent HIV, shrink tumors and treat seizures were invented with government funding. At research universities, that money is now canceled or in jeopardy.

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 14d

On a rainy morning in Roxbury this week, the annual economic outlook breakfast organized by Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) did not serve up an especially sunny forecast for the future.

5 insights from the event:

www.masslive.com/news/2025/09... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Are there reasons to be optimistic about the Mass. economy? Yes and no

While recent surveys find that business leaders in the Bay State are pessimistic, and are having trouble getting access to capital, some see reasons for optimism.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 18d

What’s behind a surge in funding recently for startups in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that want to design and build ships?

Two words: uncrewed vessels.

www.masslive.com/news/2025/09... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Why these tech founders are building ghost ships that could transform naval warfare

Startups in Massachusetts and Rhode Island are developing a new class of uncrewed ships — and raising millions from investors. Could one of them become the Waymo of the waves?

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · 25d

NVIDIA just placed a bet on this Boston startup building quantum computers.

www.masslive.com/news/2025/09... — via @masslive.bsky.social

The race to quantum computing supremacy runs through Boston

Local startup QuEra attracts major investment from NVIDIA, highlighting the city's growing influence in the global competition to build computers that could crack current encryption systems.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Sep 10

With Hasbro moving in soon, I thought it was time to ask: maybe we should stop dissing the Seaport?

www.masslive.com/boston/2025/... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Why Boston's most hated neighborhood is actually its most misunderstood success story

With Hasbro's arrival marking another milestone, Boston's most criticized neighborhood continues to prove its critics wrong by building a diverse, dynamic community.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Sep 8

From Sputnik to 2025: this country became a scientific superpower over seven decades. How quickly will we destroy that?

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o... — via @nytimes.com

Opinion | We Are Watching a Scientific Superpower Destroy Itself

www.nytimes.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Sep 2

A lot of things started to change at HubSpot in 2023.

In January, the company opened up an SF office. Then, it announced that an SF-based executive would be taking over as CEO. This week, the annual Inbound conference happens... in SF.

www.masslive.com/news/2025/09... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Is this major Mass. tech company quietly shifting to San Francisco?

With its annual conference held in San Francisco and a CEO based in that city, what does it mean to be headquartered in Mass. these days?

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 30

Georgia Tech Is Teaching Other Universities a Fundraising Lesson — via @wsj.com + @nidhisubs.bsky.social

www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 26

A new report from MassBio finds shrinking employment in both manufacturing and research and development jobs — and that data doesn’t yet include 2025 layoffs in the biotech biz. Here's what industry veterans say about what's happening...

www.masslive.com/news/2025/08... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Biotech slump: US risks losing its industry crown to China, Mass. leaders say

MassBio report shows venture capital investment declining to 2017 levels as industry leaders compare the situation to America's loss of semiconductor manufacturing.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 19

More than 500 young life sciences entrepreneurs arrived on one of the Boston Harbor islands this week. While they were there for the annual Nucleate Alumni Summit, the vibe was a cross between a summer camp for geniuses and an episode of the reality show “Survivor.”

www.masslive.com/news/2025/08...

Live, from Boston Harbor, it’s ‘Survivor: Life Sciences Edition’

As China rises and other global cities aggressively court biotech talent, Massachusetts faces a "contracting moment" that has executives concerned about the future of innovation.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 12

Looking forward to moderating this conversation tonight (Aug 12th) at the Harvard Book Store, with the author of "Boston and the Making of a Global City."

www.harvard.com/event/james-...

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 12

Checking out a new solar-powered boat that can cruise along at 6 mph on only the sun's rays. The creator is an MIT alum who helped start the solar car racing team at the university.

www.masslive.com/news/2025/08... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Meet the Massachusetts-made boat that never needs gassing up

James Worden, who built solar-powered race cars at MIT, now aims to revolutionize maritime transportation with his innovative TruSolar boat, while continuing his late wife's legacy.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 8

And here's the @wbur.org segment about this story, which aired today (8/8): www.wbur.org/news/2025/08...

A Boston tech company says its wristbands can estimate blood pressure. The FDA’s not so sure

Scott Kirsner, a columnist from our editorial partner MassLive, joins WBUR's Morning Edition to discuss the feud.

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 7

Groundbreaking Harvard study — funded by the NIH — finds that lithium reverses brain aging.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/06/m...

Key paragraph at the end of this @bostonglobe.com piece by Kay Lazar:

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 5

The Boston wearables startup Whoop got a warning letter from the FDA about its latest device. Its CEO was in DC earlier this year meeting with Trump cabinet member Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who oversees the FDA.

How will this play out?

www.masslive.com/news/2025/08... — on @masslive.bsky.social

Can Boston startup Whoop win its face-off with the FDA?

Whoop is betting on political connections and wellness claims to keep its blood pressure monitoring feature, despite FDA warnings of potential fines and product seizures.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Aug 1

This is a good effort by Mass. Gov. Maura Healey... *IF* it gets funding. Trying to use $400 million of state money to preserve R&D jobs and early science, and counter severe federal cuts in the billions.

www.mass.gov/news/governo...

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Jul 29

Does a Cambridge startup have a pill that can treat sleep apnea?

Last week, Apnimed, a little-known pharma startup founded in 2017, announced encouraging results from its clinical trial of a new drug. Six things you should know about it, via @masslive.bsky.social:

www.masslive.com/news/2025/07...

Cambridge startup’s sleep apnea pill shows promising results

Apnimed's experimental drug reduced breathing interruptions by nearly 46.8% in clinical trials, offering a potential alternative to CPAP machines for millions of people.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Jul 22

Innovation will likely not stop at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, one program designed to foster it was shut down last week after 12 years in existence.

www.masslive.com/news/2025/07... — scoop on @masslive.bsky.social

MIT Innovation HQ shuts down after 12 years due to budget cuts

Federal research funding reductions led to the closure of the engineering school program, which had fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration since 2013.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Jul 15

Johannes Fruehauf on @statnews.com: "Unfortunately, it seems that we in the U.S. are questioning our desire to lead a sector that we have traditionally led since the ’70s and ’80s, and Boston took a big role in that..." #biotech #lifesciences

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/15/b...

A well-placed biotech investor says US policies are straining life sciences startups - The Boston Globe

Johannes Fruehauf left Germany for the United States more than 20 years ago to propel his scientific career. But amid the Trump administration’s blows to science, he’s sensing more opportunity in his ...

www.bostonglobe.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Jul 11

The new @cnbc.com rankings of the best states for business are out, and...

www.masslive.com/news/2025/07... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Here’s one way that Massachusetts is better than Hawaii

Massachusetts edges out Hawaii in a key way, but it may be a somewhat dubious honor.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Jul 8

My latest column for @masslive.bsky.social — and a few bonus pics.

The robots have taken over this store at a Cambridge mall

www.masslive.com/news/2025/07... #retail #robotics #cambma

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Jul 1

Summer is the season of training camps and outdoor workouts — and also a new cohort of fitness and sports startups in MA.

I’ve been tracking three startups worth knowing about: HYBRD, Ray, and one so new it doesn't yet have a name.

www.masslive.com/news/2025/07... — via @masslive.bsky.social

Can A.I. help whip you into shape?

These are three new fitness startups worth knowing about, founded by veterans of Android, Whoop, and Runkeeper.

www.masslive.com

Scott Kirsner @skirsner.bsky.social · Jun 26

My interview with Eric Paley of @foundercollective.bsky.social ... just named the new Secretary of Economic Development for Massachusetts.

www.masslive.com/news/2025/06... — via @masslive.bsky.social

‘Regardless of what’s happening in Washington’: New Mass. economic development chief seeks to grow economy

The newly appointed economic development chief faces rising unemployment, manufacturing challenges, and AI disruption as he prepares to implement the Mass. Leads Act of 2024

www.masslive.com