Tech Power Players 50
These leaders in software, venture capital, energy, and more have kept the tech sector vibrant in a challenging climate. Our 2022 list spotlights the most interesting and influential people in the New England technology scene, telling a story about where the local industry stands, where it's been, and where it's going.
The Tech Power Players 50 is a list of the most influential – and interesting – people in the Massachusetts technology scene, as ranked by the Globe’s business journalists and an external advisory committee.
The list is meant to convey the honorees’ impact on technology and business, with an emphasis on recent results (particularly during the pandemic), but also taking into account career achievements. It highlights leaders who are active in the Massachusetts tech community and are engaged with local issues, including efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The honorees reflect the breadth of the industry from venture capital to entrepreneurs, from startups to big companies, from universities to mentorship programs. The tech areas include software, cybersecurity, robotics, crypto, health tech, and climate tech. (Biotech was generally excluded.) In some cases, we chose to honor two people from the same company in one slot.
Ultimately, we wanted the list to tell a story about the local tech scene and where it is headed. To that end, the Tech Power Players 50 are segmented into five groups of 10 each:
The Story (1-10): The top 10 represent the biggest names and current themes in the industry.
The Influencers (11-20): A who’s who of leaders making things happen across a wide range of sectors.
The Foundation (21-30): This group represents the deep roots of the local tech scene.
The Idea Makers (31-40): New approaches, new ways of thinking, and new industries.
The Future (41-50): Highlighting the next wave of innovators and where the scene is headed.
You can also read more tech coverage here or dive into Globe contributor Scott Kirsner’s take on the past — and future — of the Massachusetts tech scene.
Methodology
For each candidate, two aspects were weighted equally: (1) their business impact in terms of value created (revenues, company valuations, number of jobs) and other economic considerations, and (2) their broader influence in the tech community in terms of ideas, reputation, mentorship, and efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The advisory committee and Globe newsroom submitted over 150 nominations. The committee scored all candidates and passed their recommendations to the Globe’s team of business and technology journalists. The top 50 slots were then ranked based on an internal process that included segmenting the list by category. (A few members of the committee were included on the list; these decisions were made by the Globe staff alone.)
Advisory Committee
The Globe convened a dozen local leaders in business and technology to serve as advisors for the list:
- Kent Bennett, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners
- Cait Brumme, CEO, MassChallenge
- Desh Deshpande, Chairman, Sparta Group; Trustee, Deshpande Foundation
- Linda Henry, CEO, Boston Globe Media Partners
- Scott Kirsner, Correspondent, The Boston Globe
- Midori Morikawa, Deputy Chief of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion, City of Boston
- Eric Paley, Managing Partner, Founder Collective
- Karyn Polito, Lieutenant Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Jody Rose, Cofounder, Hack Diversity; former President of New England Venture Capital Association
- Katie Rae, CEO, The Engine
- Tom Ryden, Executive Director, MassRobotics
- Greg Shell, Managing Director, Bain Capital