It’s no surprise to the Venture Cafe community that Boston has spawned more world-changing ideas (at least 400, according to historian and author Bob Krim) than any other city in the US, and perhaps the world. But, when most people outside of the innovation community think of Boston, they think about the American Revolution. It’s time to give everyone the chance to experience the story of Boston’s impact on innovation first-hand. The Innovation Trail focuses primarily on what happened after America became an independent nation. That’s when our independence and access to education began to build a foundation for innovation—as did societal changes like the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, waves of immigration, and marriage equality—allowing a diverse group of people to collaborate on research and company formation. Add in a desire to make the world better, and money from investors, universities, and government agencies to set up labs and run experiments—and voila, you get a thriving innovation ecosystem that has helped shape the modern world.Join us on one of the very first guided tours of The Innovation Trail. Led by Scott Kirsner, you’ll get to experience, learn about, and be inspired by four centuries of world-changing breakthroughs from Boston.

This walking tour will depart from the lobby of One Broadway at 4 PM and should return by 5:30 PM.