STEM

Boston Tech Company to Host ‘Shark Tank’ STEM Competition

• By Sri Ravipati
• 12/07/16

A Boston-based tech company specializing in content management plans to host a STEM education program at a nearby K–8 school, in an effort to create a strong pipeline of STEM workers from local, underserved schools.

This Friday, more than 20 middle school students from Oliver Hazard Perry School will participate in a day of hands-on STEM learning with Salsify. The students will work with Salsify’s engineering, sales and marketing teams “to design, build and present prototypes of their own problem-solving software,” according to a news release. The event will conclude with a competition modeled after the TV show “Shark Tank,” where students can present their prototypes to a panel of judges, including the startup manager for the City of Boston, Rory Cuddyer, and several others.

The event isn’t the first time that Salsify has worked with Boston Public School District students. During Boston STEM Week, which took place over the summer, the company ran a similar STEM pilot program for 40 middle school girls, as part of its ongoing mission to reach minority and underserved students throughout the city.

"It’s undeniable that STEM skills are critical in today’s workplace, and are required for many positions in startups and tech companies,” commented Devers Talmage, an engineer at Salsify, in a blog post. “However, many communities and people are still being left behind when it comes to STEM education. Expanding our efforts to make STEM fields more inclusive is paramount — increasing access to education and pathways to technical careers is required if Boston is to stay at the forefront of the tech world.”

Salsify plans to introduce similar program to other BPSD schools and involve employees from other local companies “who are also passionate about coaching, mentoring and nurturing a more inclusive Boston tech community,” according to the news release.

To learn more, visit the Salsify site.