Greenhorn Connect helps build connections within the Boston entrepreneur ecosystem especially for new and young entrepreneurs. The GreenhornConnect.com web portal connects Boston startups and enthusiasts with the many resources and events in the region as well as educational and informational content. The Greenhorn team is passionate about the Boston startup scene and is committed to helping build a more vibrant and integrated startup ecosystem. GreenhornConnect.com is your destination for discovering Boston’s innovation community.

Why we built this:

Greenhorn Connect (@GreenhornBoston) is the product of the challenges faced by young entrepreneurs trying to learn from and connect with the resources, organizations and events available in the city of Boston. What you see now is the beginning of our vision for a dynamic site for not just events and organizations in Boston, but additional resources and opportunities tailored for the needs of entrepreneurs everywhere.

We consider this launch “Beta 2.0,” so stay tuned for more additions and changes to the site as we progress and better understand You, our viewer. If you would like to know more or are interested in receiving updates of our progress, please subscribe here.

Community:

This is a community site. Anyone can join and contribute. Please explore the site and consider commenting on an organization you’ve worked with or if you know of something we haven’t listed yet for one of our categories, please add it (we’ve made it quick and easy!). If you have any ideas or feedback for improving the site, please let us know by submitting your thoughts. Thanks!

What is a Greenhorn?

When searching for a name, we wanted to capture the essence of being a young entrepreneur. We heard some call the inexperienced in the community “greenhorns” and were intrigued. When we looked at the definition, it made perfect sense:

A newcomer, especially one who is unfamiliar with the ways of a place or group.

Our mission is to deliver relevant content to entrepreneurs and help channel the energy and enthusiasm of greenhorns, so that they can more quickly and efficiently pursue their entrepreneurial goals.

Developed by young entrepreneurs, this site has resources and content for all entrepreneurs, but is focused on our fellow greenhorns.

The Founders:

Ashkan Afkhami has been working within the technology and finance industry for the past five years; graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and Finance with a minor in Technological Entrepreneurship from Northeastern University. He is now enrolled in the Masters of Technological Entrepreneurship program at Northeastern and is employed at Hercules Technology Growth Capital. Additionally, Ashkan is the CEO and Founder of Inter-Disciplinary Entrepreneurship Accelerator which is a student-run organization that provides business development services and funding for Entrepreneurs, designed to accelerate the progression of their ideas and ventures.

Jason Evanish (@Evanish) is a technological entrepreneur, with experience at multiple electrical engineering firms and local start-ups. Jason graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Technological Entrepreneurship. He returned to Northeastern for his Master's in Technological Entrepreneurship, graduating in August of 2009. Jason is an active member of the entrepreneurial community, regularly attending many events including DartBoston’s.

Special Thanks:

We would like to thank those that helped us get to where we are now with this project:

• Thanks to Scott Kirsner and Tim Rowe for holding the “Turbocharging” session at the MassTLC unConference and pushing to have the information available and editable immediately. Tim also was key in helping find out about many events when he provided the simple, but powerful advice, “follow me on Twitter.”
• Thanks to Don Dodge and TEDx for putting a list up on their sites that we were able to cross reference with the other lists and material available to us.
• Thanks to the many other entrepreneurs in the community that have graciously responded to our inquiries regarding their organizations, so that we may properly list them at this site.