Yes/Boston
Accelerating innovation and collaboration to strengthen food systems and health.
Overview
Yes/Boston, led by MassChallenge in collaboration with AWS, Citi and Deloitte, is a local initiative of Yes/Cities, a global program of the World Economic Forum.
In Boston, local leaders chose to point the power of the innovation economy toward a question that Boston, and all major cities, face: How do we ensure all our neighbors receive the food they need to be healthy?
Yes/Boston advances this global ambition at the local level by mobilizing a public-private coalition to align private sector capabilities with public sector plans for inclusive economic development. Health access, sustainable food systems, and resilience serve as entry points to rally partners around shared priorities and translate Boston’s innovation assets into scalable, community-centered solutions.
Boston: a city made for breakthroughs
Yes/Boston’s food-as-health focus recognizes Boston’s healthcare excellence, position as a national leader in the growing food tech field, and strong policy support for health and food access, while also recognizing the growing food security and chronic disease burdens that our region faces.
Yes/Boston draws on Boston’s strong innovation economy and is led locally by MassChallenge, ranked the #2 startup accelerator in the U.S. by TIME and Statista.
Boston is the third flagship city in the World Economic Forum's global Yes/Cities initiative, joining a growing effort to harness local innovation for meaningful impact around the world.
Discover how cities like San Francisco and Bengaluru are turning their unique strengths into opportunities for innovation and impact.
How we drive impact
Yes/Boston accelerates startup growth in Boston by activating an ecosystem of leaders committed to creating a healthier city with equitable access to nutritious food.
Accessing Boston's ecosystem
Scale solutions that advance inclusive growth, improve health access, strengthen resilience and expand economic opportunity.
Connecting priorities to solutions
Match partners with innovators addressing Boston’s economic development, health, food and resilience goals.
Aligning the coalition
Collaborate with city leaders, companies, investors, innovators and civic actors around shared public-private priorities.
Creating adoption pathways
Work with innovators through mentorship, technical assistance, networks and deployment opportunities.