Greentown Labs and EnerNOC jointly hosted the first panel discussion of the Women in Technology and Entrepreneurship Speaker Series in November for an impressive attendance given the storm which enveloped Boston that evening. Women from a variety of backgrounds gathered at the EnerNOC offices in the Seaport district for the kickoff event, and the “Inspire: From Passion to Impact” topic spurred great discussion between the panelists and generated thoughtful questions from the crowd.

EnerNOC and Greentown Labs partnered to launch this powerful and engaging speaker series in an effort to inspire, connect, and empower women in the field of technology and entrepreneurship. This first panel discussion was made up of a collection of women leaders of startups and established companies who each took turns sharing the stories of how they found their passion, the role it plays in driving their success, as well as unique insights and advice.

Two of Greentown’s very own added to the myriad personalities and experience on the panel, as Sarah Haig of Silverside Detectors and Sara Beani of NBD Nanotechnologies were able to share their own personal stories and give words of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. Making up the other half of the panel were Angela Bassa of EnerNOC and Susan Hunt-Stevens, founder and CEO of WeSpire. Each of these accomplished women spoke of the challenges faced by women in corporate society today, and how one might overcome them.

Janelle Nanos, editor of BetaBoston, moderated an evocative, open and engaging conversation between the panelists and audience, also prompting intriguing questions which set the tone for the evening and for the series. We learned from and enjoyed the conversation and topics that were voiced at this event, and hope by joining forces and networks with EnerNOC that the speaker series will raise awareness about successful women in leadership and inspire more women to pursue careers in technology.

Greentown Labs and EnerNOC panelists and event organizers.

We are looking forward to the next event in the series, where Greentown Labs and EnerNOC will be extending our outreach to the next generation of technologists and entrepreneurs by hosting a panel discussion for women from local schools at the Greentown Labs facility in Somerville.