BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - January 12, 2011) - Polaris Venture Partners today announced that Gus Weber (@gweber), formerly Business Development and Community Relations Manager at Microsoft's New England Research & Development Center (N.E.R.D), is the new entrepreneur in residence (EIR) in the Cambridge Dogpatch Labs. Gus, an active member of Boston's technology and startup community, will work with early stage entrepreneurs and founders as they conceive of and launch startups in the rapidly growing Boston-area ecosystem. He will also build upon the synergies between the three Dogpatch locations and the Labs' alumni network, which now includes more than 300 entrepreneurs across its NYC, Cambridge and San Francisco locations. Dogpatch Labs offers space, connectivity and "open-sourced" collaboration through industry events and open houses that encourage a constant atmosphere of breakthrough innovation.
"Gus has established himself as a leader in the Cambridge startup community, and he brings passion and a unique perspective on how to make Dogpatch Labs an even more vibrant member of the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem," said Dave Barrett, General Partner of Polaris Venture Partners. "Over the past two years, Gus has worked tirelessly to bring the Cambridge startup community together. We're proud that Dogpatch has established itself as a strong presence in the ecosystem, and we look forward to its next stage of growth as we bring one of Boston's most prolific 'connectors' to the Dogpatch family."
"I've had a tremendous opportunity through Microsoft N.E.R.D to be an ambassador to the local tech community," said Gus Weber. "My goal has always been to be an enabler of innovation, and I see this new opportunity as a logical extension of the work that I've done throughout my career. I'm excited to share my experiences with the Dogpatch community, including my time at Rochester Institute of Technology, where I helped establish an academic innovation incubator and, especially, at Microsoft, where I drove a global innovation competition for students and leveraged N.E.R.D to help build organic community in Boston."
About Polaris Venture Partners
Polaris Venture Partners is a partnership of experienced investors, operating executives and entrepreneurs. The firm's mission is to identify, invest in and partner with seed, early stage, and middle-market businesses with exceptional promise and help them grow into market-leading companies. Polaris invests in businesses across a number of markets including technology, digital media, consumer, enertech and life sciences. Polaris-backed successes in technology and consumer include: Akamai Technologies (AKAM), Allaire, Art.com, Athlete's Performance, Automattic (WordPress), e-Rewards, LogMeIn (LOGM), LegalZoom, LivingProof, MarkMonitor, Powersoft, Solidworks, TechTarget (TTGT) and Quantcast. Polaris-backed successes in life sciences include: Adimab, Adnexus (sold to BMS), Advanced Inhalation Research (sold to Alkermes), Alimera (ALIM), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), Asthmatx (sold to Boston Scientific) Glycofi (sold to Merck), Momenta Pharmaceuticals (MNTA) and Ironwood (IRWD). For more on the firm, its mission and its portfolio companies: http://www.polarisventures.com.
Contact Information:
Media Contact
Scott Bauman
Greenough Communications
617-275-6518