Boston New Technology

Last week, in the days following the beautiful chaos and energy of Techstars Startup Weekend Boston 2026, Shweta took part in her first Boston New Technology outreach and service activity post-weekend — serving as a judge for Technovation Massachusetts at Progress.

She came away from it energized, grateful, and deeply hopeful.

There is something profoundly moving about watching young builders stand before a room and share what they’ve made — ideas still fragile, ambitions still forming, courage appearing in real time. It is easy to talk about “innovation ecosystems” in the abstract. It is much harder, and much more meaningful, to actually show up for the next generation of founders, technologists, and creators.

Events like this remind us that Boston’s strength has never simply been its institutions or companies. It has always been its people: mentors who volunteer their time, communities that open doors, and builders who choose encouragement over cynicism.

Immense gratitude to the Technovation Massachusetts organizers, to Progress for hosting, and to every student, mentor, volunteer, and judge who helped create such a welcoming and inspiring environment.

In a first for Boston New Technology, we had the massive privilege and best of times collaborating with the Boston Chapter of Code and Coffee. The purpose? To stage another Startup Weekend Simulation. So much fun and so grateful for our allies and friends in the community. Special thanks to Shweta, Karl Meissner, and all who made this possible!

Rutendo Darangwa is the kind of person you hope will join your team —- extremely intelligent, adaptable, curious, and deeply committed to the role. Serving at BNT and Techstars Startup Weekend Boston, you’ll find Rutendo where you need her most — manning the registration desk, crunching the numbers, making sure things get done.