Boston.com launched a website Tuesday that aims to be a one-stop destination for news, information, and resources related to Massachusetts’ innovation economy.
Called The Hive, the site covers start-ups, the venture community, and pioneers in sectors ranging from medicine to technology, through local reporting, video series, and a curated feed of news and ideas on innovation and entrepreneurship from around the Web.
“We’re building an exciting model that sorts out the signal from the noise in the innovation community around Boston,” said Michael Morisy, editor of The Hive. “It’s about start-ups, but it’s also about university research, the established tech companies, the services that work with these firms, venture capital, the events around town — the whole ecosystem. If you want to know what matters most today in this space, that’s what we’re going to provide.”
The new site can be found at www.boston.com/hive.
One important feature of The Hive is a news stream edited by Morisy that includes contributions from social media and news media sites, local entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists. The contributions range from blog posts to essays, and along with online reports from Globe staff members, the stream is intended to promote more dialogue and exchange of ideas on innovation, Morisy said.
Hive readers are encouraged to participate by commenting on stories and videos on the site through social media (Twitter handle @HiveBoston, e-mail hive@boston.com) and by submitting essays on big issues facing innovators and entrepreneurs.
Morisy has built online communities before as a technology reporter and community manager for information technology media firm TechTarget and as a cofounder of Boston public records start-up MuckRock.
Scott Kirsner, columnist and blogger for The Boston Globe and Boston.com, is also playing a part in The Hive, with his “Innovation Economy” blog and a new video series, “Entrepreneurs’ Grill,” in which start-ups get 10 minutes to pitch directly to investors in a live stream every other Tuesday at noon. “The Innovators,” another video series, will delve into Boston start-ups with profiles of local companies.
The site also lists must-attend local events related to start-ups and innovation, as well as hot jobs in fields such as technology and biotechnology.
“Innovation is one of the areas where Boston is great, so it’s imperative for us to be active in this community,” said Christopher M. Mayer, publisher of The Boston Globe. “With so much going on here, there are some great stories to tell.”
Massachusetts appears to be an ideal market for The Hive. According to the most recent Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy by the Mass Tech Collaborative Innovation Institute, more than 38 percent of the state’s total employment in 2011 was in one of the sectors that the index categorized as innovative.
These sectors include advanced materials, software and communication services, and bio-pharma and medical devices. According to the index, the density of research and development in the state makes Massachusetts one of the most intensive research and development economies in the world.
“Innovation in the city is on fire, so we know there’s an audience for The Hive,” said Lisa DeSisto, chief advertising officer and general manager of Boston.com.
The Hive, seeks to not only provide Boston.com an opportunity to provide more in-depth coverage of the innovation community, but also to attract new advertisers.
“We’re talking to the service companies that want to reach the individuals who are forming new companies,” DeSisto said. “Providers of technology infrastructure, legal, and accounting are going to want to reach Hive readers.”