Living Entrepreneurship Blog / Babson Entrepreneurs

Talk Tech with John Landry, Babson Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Newly appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence John Landry ’69, MP’08 is no stranger to technology or startups. From his time at Shawmut Bank in the 1970s running the bank’s automated system, to founding Lead Dog Ventures, which invests in early-stage tech companies, John has navigated the web of Boston’s tech scene. And now we’re bringing the Spiderman (of tech) to you!

We’re pleased to share that this semester at the Blank Center, John will be hosting a speaker series to talk all things tech: his personal journey as a tech entrepreneur and how to innovate and build new tech-centric products and services, find product-market fit, leverage new technologies, and finance your tech business.

See you at the Blank Center!

Thursday, February 28
Tech Thursdays Lunch and Learn: How 2 Make a Killing in Software
12:30pm
Blank Center Televideo Room

How did a Babson kid with an accounting degree become the Chief Technology Executive at a dozen top tech companies? Join us for How 2 Make a Killing in Software to find out! John will share the history of the software industry, lessons learned, mistakes made, and successes enjoyed, all while working with some of the most interesting, most innovative, and most fun people on the planet and laughing all the way to the bank!

Thursday, March 28
Tech Thursdays Lunch and Learn: Understanding Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
12:30pm
Blank Center Televideo Room

AI and Machine Learn is the Biggest Tech Change since… well… EVER. See how it will impact YOUR business!

Join John and the Blank Center as we take a dive into the shallow end of the pool to get a grounding in this must-have technology, exploring its basic foundations, current applications (you’re likely using it every day without knowing it!), and the exciting, controversial, and downright scary future that lies ahead.

Thursday, April 4
Tech Thursdays Lunch and Learn: Innovating and Productizing in your Tech-Centric Business
12:30pm
Blank Center Televideo Room

Real innovation doesn’t start with the customer – it starts with you!

Join John and the Blank Center as we explore all the above and the techniques of trendspotting, detecting investment flows, future-proofing the organization, and positioning for financing/exits with the aim of picking the right product for the right market at the right time.

Thursday, April 18
Tech Thursdays Lunch and Learn: Show Me the Money!
12:30pm
Blank Center Televideo Room

High Anxiety:  The Ying and the Yang of Entrepreneurial Finance

When people talk about funding a tech business, venture capital is the first thing to come to mind. But are there other ways? Is the idea of building a tech-centric ‘life style business’ to be considered? Can you build a ‘bootstrapped’ business of the chute and avoid the anxieties of using OPM (Other People’s Money)? The answer is a resounding YES and we’ll explore this wild world of entrepreneurial finance with gusto.