BostInno is excited to announce that Jim Koch, founder and chairman of The Boston Beer Company, will deliver the closing keynote address at State of Innovation on June 7 in a fireside chat with David Fialkow. No stranger to the innovation economy himself, Fialkow is the co-founder and managing director of General Catalyst and is set to join the $Sam board later this spring.
A pioneer of the craft beer movement, Koch released Boston Lager in 1985, helping to spark the proliferation of American craft breweries that today is seeing unprecedented growth. With Koch at the helm, Boston Beer has has grown steadily over the years-it was the second largest American craft brewery last year-and now offers an array of beverage products.
Building one of the world's most recognizable beer brands hasn't come without its challenges. Boston Beer is seeing more and more competition in the craft space. One major challenge they face today: appealing to a younger demographic that's eschewing brand loyalty and buying more craft beer than ever.
What does this mean for the future of Sam Adams, a brand synonymous with Boston, and for Jim Koch, its leader? Koch will deliver his signature candid commentary about the sate of the industry and his company's place within it. His conversation with Fialkow will revisit the earlier discussion about how to remain innovative while scaling and incorporating perspectives from all three of the tracks at State of Innovation-Product, Marketing and Founders.
This is the inside access to Boston's leaders you won't get anywhere else, so join us June 7 to catch this, and other dynamic conversations, at State of Innovation.
