On May 18th, I had the pleasure of attending WalkaboutNYC – a day when the doors open to several start-up companies for outsiders to visit with employees and learn about the companies. The first company that I visited was Knewton, an education innovation company that uses data and sophisticated algorithms to individualize education for students. We had a tour, presentation about the company, and Q&A session. The next company was Warby Parker who makes inexpensive prescription eyewear. The third was SecondMarket, a “marketplace for alternative investments” where private companies can find investors. As a former small business owner and one who likes researching companies, I was impressed and excited about the company. We had a presentation by one of the earliest employees and a tour through the facility. The fourth was Betterment – also one of interest to me – as it has setup a system to make investment easy for the masses. This company also had a fun game to play that helped all of us interact with employees easier, and we got Blue Marble ice cream! The last on my tour was SumAll – another of particular interest to a former e-commerce business owner. We had a demonstration of the product, and oh, I wish I could have had it when I had my businesses! It was a really fun afternoon, and I hope I get to attend the next one!
