Mass Technology Leadership Council and the IMFA brought together in this awesome blog!

Posted on July 15, 2011May 20, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

Yesterday was a long, productive day for me. It started at a social networking breakfast all the beautiful All Steel Showroom at State Street, Boston. I got to network with individuals from furniture salesmen to marketers to CEOs. We discussed everything from the ongoing problems in Washington to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. I was happy to alert Bill Farrick from Wentworth Institute of Technology of the program because hes a co-op adviser for the school. The MLSC program offers hundreds of MA students full-time employment year-round at any life science company or service company paid by the state. It’s what got me this gig and I’ve been nothing but smiles because of it.


Terrafugia Flying Car

The Mass Technology Leadership Council was one of the most interesting events I’ve been to yet. Not to be outdone, the event was staged at the flawless Castile Ventures building in Waltham MA (pictured below). Many executives involved in the high-tech industry were there from Microsoft to Terrafugia. I had a great conversation with Richard Gersh of Terrafugia about their project involving a flying car (pictured above). Does it get any cooler? The MTLC announced the finalists for the 2011 Awards Gala which will be on October 6th, 2011 at the Seaport Hotel in Boston MA. I hope to attend the gala in the fall so I can continue getting to know the members and feed my hunger for technology.

Winter St, Waltham MA

Advocating for CleanTech in Washington, D.C.

Posted on July 14, 2011May 20, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

Peter Rothstein, president, New England Clean Energy Council wrote a great article entitled “Why cleantech can’t afford to ignore Washington, D.C.” that appeared on the Mass High Tech website today. Peter’s article is provocative and well worth a read by anyone who works in the cleantech/greentech industry, or has a concern for the planet’s welfare and those who inhabit it.

Peter notes right from the start what a difference a year can make. In 2010 politicians were talking about “comprehensive climate and energy legislation.” But in 2011 no one thinks comprehensive energy legislation will pass this year. As a bellwether, look to the Clean Energy Standard (CES) President Obama was pushing a few months ago. What are the chances of the CES making its way into a bill? Slim to none.

So, what are we supposed to do in terms of clean energy policy, give up? Heck no. Read Peter’s article to find out why it’s more important than ever to not give up the fight. And, more importantly, make your voice heard!

ENET Boston Harbor Cruise

Posted on July 13, 2011May 20, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

Last night was the capstone event for ENET this season—the Boat Cruise around Boston. The weather couldn’t have been better. I had a great time seeing all the sights of the harbor, and even watching Old Ironsides firing a cannon shot at sundown. It was the perfect end to a great year at ENET and I can’t wait to get rolling again in the Fall. I only joined ENET for the last 1/3 of this year and I’m looking forward to the topics I missed out on such as Launching a Company, Building Teams, and Start-Ups. Tomorrow I’ll going to 2 more networking events, one called the 2011 Social Networking Breakfast held by the IFMA and CPFA in Boston, and the other called the 2011 Mass Technology leadership Council’s Award Reception which I received a scholarship to go to courtesy of StayInMa. You’ll be hearing all about it…

Mass Bay Lines MV Samuel Clemens in cool photo filter

Bayer Apologizes for Tweets

Posted on July 7, 2011May 20, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

I wrote a blog post entitled “FDA Misses Own Deadline On Social Media” in December of 2010. Well, it’s almost seven months since that post and halfway through our third calendar year, the pharma & biotech industries are still waiting for the FDA’s guidelines on social media.

Today I read a news summary from FiercePharma about Bayer apologizing for two tweets, one about the erectile dysfunction drug Levitra and the other on Sativex, a multiple sclerosis treatment. BNet Pharma includes the offending 13-word tweet in its entirety in “Bayer Apologizes for Tweeting: Pharma’s Never-Ending Social Media Nightmare“. To quote from the article:

“The tweet was an extract of a press release that had been internally “certified” by Bayer’s compliance people, but the PMCPA, which regulates drug promotion in the U.K., said that wasn’t good enough. As the tweet promoted a prescription drug to the public — which is illegal in Britain — it was in violation.”

And Bayer’s troubled tweet could land them in difficulty with the US FDA because it could be interpreted as an efficacy claim. Hold onto your hat! This story could have a very long tail.