e-Coast Birthday Weirdness

OK, so a wicked head/sinus cold kept me from attending the 13th eBrew Birthday Bash. 

My dutiful and beautiful wife brought me some (Lemon Zinger) tea with (local) honey. 

The mug she chose for the job, totally at random mind you, was this one.

You can't make this stuff up!

Happy 13th Birthday e-Coast!  You're a teenager now.  Ugh!

Cruisin'... on a summer day...

Summer in Portsmouth means a lot of things, from the ceremonial opening of the decks (Poco's grande margaritas are the best on the planet) to tall ship visits (although this past one was a dud by all reports I've heard) to cruising on the MV Thomas Laighton for a variety of themed "booze cruises."  Pull up the Isle of Shoals Steamship Company schedule here and you'll see that there are plenty of opportunities for boozin' and cruisin' -- we call it the "Tipsy Thomas" for a couple reasons.  ;-) 

We've already done cruise so far this year: A fun night was had by all with Granite State sensation The Super Secret Project last month.

The next one is later this month: The NH Tweet-Up's CruiseUp.  This will be the 2nd annual.  I missed last year's as I was on the Cape that weekend, but I heard it was a great time and a great networking opportunity.   

Then in July will be the much-anticipated return of the eCruise.  They took a year off last summer to concentrate on TechWorld conference and trade show, but now eCruise is back! 

The eCoast board committee, on which I serve in an advisory ex-officio type manner, released the notice to the press yesterday, which our local daily dutifully reprinted. More details on the EventBrite page (link below). 


Here's my recap of the last eCruise in July 2009.  (Scandalous pictures from the infamous after-party have been omitted to protect the innocent.)  

So mark your calendars and reserve your spot on the boat! 

• Thursday, June 23: Get your tix for the NH Tweet-Up on EventBrite.  (In a tweet, I dubbed the CruiseUp 2 the "pre-Cruise."  Because it comes before the e-Cruise.  Heh-heh.)  
• Thursday, July 14: Get your tix for eCoast Mobile Tech Summit & eCruise on EventBrite. 

eCoast is on the Map - Literally!

Check out this great illustration in yesterday's Sunday's Boston Globe!

It appeared on the front page of the Business section... sorry Money & Careers section... along with this great article by the legendary Scott Kirsner. (Thanks Scott!) Big props to illustrator Leo Acadia... It's a fabulous illustration! 

I tweeted it back to the columnist (this is reverse chronological, of course):

buzzonabudget Buzz on a Budget

@ScottKirsner that's ok... As long as Seacoast firms know eCoast tech vendors exist & UNH grads know high-tech jobs are here, we're cool.

»

ScottKirsner Scott Kirsner

@buzzonabudget I think eCoast has been doing pretty well in NH, and maybe MA. But has yet to achieve wider recognition...

»

buzzonabudget Buzz on a Budget

@ScottKirsner Regional tech monikers have gotta be organically grown like @eCoastTech Nice piece SK! And fab illus! yfrog.com/h7arjrnj

It's an interesting exchange, IMO, because SK assumes the goal is to establish a nationally recognized brand. While that would surely be nice, my goal for eCoast all along has been to simply make sure we have local and regional mindshare.  If a local firm is hiring out for a new web site, I sure as hell hope they know there is plenty of talent right here in their backyards; there is simply no need to go to Boston, New York, or San Francisco to get top quality results. And in tandem with that, if UNH grads are looking for jobs in high-tech, I sure hope they know they can stay here to get them; they shouldn've have to commute an hour every day, which adds to fossil fuel dependence, pollution, tax income lost to Massachusetts, and all the negative effects of "brain-drain."

Ineterestingly, the article doesn't mention Portsmouth or eCoast by name anywhere.  So if you have a Google News Alert or news clipping service searching for key words, like I do, you wouldn't have seen this. So yes, there's still something to be said for picking up and perusing the ol' dead tree and getting your fingers a little dirty with good ol' fashioned ink.

Men's Journal Tells Readers What We Already Know

Just picked up a copy of the dead-tree edition of the Men's Journal. I had seen a link on Facebook a few days ago, and Rachel Forrest covered it in the Herald, but sometimes you've just gotta have the real thing, and this is one of those times. Especially when the publication doesn't put current content on the web; luckily for you, I scanned it as you can see here. Portsmouth is now routinely named one of the best places in the country to live for a variety of reasons, but typically a national publication will have trouble with the details.  Here, though, MJ does a pretty good job. More than this though, I was most flabbergasted pleased to see eCoast and eBrew get mentions! This is now, in year 12 of the brand's existence, one of the biggest press hits we've gotten yet! They say we exist to link start-ups to angel investors, and sure, that's one goal of many... I think the editors probably got faked out by the eCoast Angels investor group and thought there was a direct correlation.  Certainly by focusing on the beer, they nailed us dead to rights.  :-)

Happy 12th Birthday eBrew

Thanks to Chuck McMahon at the Portsmouth Herald for an excellent job pulling together this story on the eCoast and the eBrew ahead of our special event. No doubt it contributed to the outstanding turnout we got... I estimated way over 100 (more like 150) of the local technorati were at the Press Room last night to celebrate 12 years of eBrews.  The article is a great overview of who we are and why we get together every month.  Give it a read and then join us next month!  It's always the 1st Thursday, upstairs at the Press Room.  Your bartender's name is Sam... She's the best and will take good care of you.

BTW, there are a few pics on the eCoast Facebook page.  Here's one of me and my pal Isaac Brake.  I'm wearing the wi-fi detecto t-shirt Melanie got me for Christmas, courtesy of ThinkGeek.  It was a big hit and a great conversation starter.  Plus, I know at least one person bought the same shirt after seeing mine (right Mark?!)... I think I should get a commission. 

And yes, I got full bars.  SSID=PressRoomRocks.  ;-)

eCoast Enjoys Strong Showing at MITX Awards... Again

Portsmouth has long been an enclave of talented web development shops, but the secret leaks out a little more every year at the MITX Interactive Awards.  Once again this year, Portsmouth shops took home the hardware:

2010 Environmental Consciousness
Project: Bill Nye's Climate Lab
Agency/Creator: Proximity Lab for Chabot Space & Science Center

Congratulations to old friends Evan Karatzas, Mark Samber, Jody LaRue, and everybody else involved in that very cool project. 

2010 Professional Services
Project: New Hampshire Distributors Website
Agency/Creator: Lightfin Studios

Congrats to my pal DJ Haskins for this feather in the cap.

I also note that, while not a Portsmouth firm per se, Timberland Corporation of Hampton is certainly an eCoast firm, and they took home: 

2010 Interactive Marketer of the Year
Project: Timberland
Agency/Creator: Timberland

Portsmouth shops PixelMEDIA and Mad*Pow were also nominated, no small feat in and of itself.  Pixel was nominated for the new Samuel Adams web site.  Mad*Pow teamed with The Atom Group, as they are wont to do, for a project for ESPN Deportes.

And perhaps the most telling validation of Portsmouth's web dev chops, The Atom Group designed the MITX awards site itself!  

Of course, the MITX Awards (or MIMC Awards as I still call them) are the preeminent web development awards in New England, and they have been for 15 years now.  Once again, we have demonstrated that if you're a technology professional, you need not deal with the commute to Boston to find rewarding, gainful employment at a prestigious web shop.

NH Tech Economy Recovering Faster, Leading New England

Good interview here by Fred Kocher, New Hampshire's Business on WMUR-TV.  (Click the link to play; can't find any embedding code.) 

Quotable quote:  Jason Alexander of Alexander Technology Group.  No, a different Jason Alexander, not this Jason Alexander!  Anyway, he's the founder of the eponymously named IT staffing company and he had this to say about the hiring climate in NH these days:

"There's a lot of momentum coming out of this recession.  We're seeing a faster turnaround coming out of this recession as opposed to the previous turnaround from the dot-com bust." 

This quote seemed to flummox Mr. Kocher, who apparently isn't used to hearing such upbeat prognosi.

This was an interview I almost got roped into giving myself, but these guys did a great job in my stead -- and it was a lot shorter drive for them, so... good on them.    

Nice shout-outs for eCoast and TechWorld here, including on-screen graphics.  (Oooooh, fancy!)

Speaking of TechWorld, you get your tickets yet?  Go here and get 'em while the gettin's good.  

New Hampshire hosts thriving tech hub - Mass High Tech Business News

I bylined an article for Mass High Tech about Portsmouth's tech scene and next month's TechWorld 2010 conference. I name-dropped several hot local companies (maybe yours!) and made the case for NH as a high-tech haven. Check it out and LMK how you think we come across.  

New Hampshire hosts thriving tech hub - Mass High Tech Business News

BTW, dig the head shot? Yah, that's me using the self-timer on my camera. Best I can say about it is I got my mug in the frame!  Somebody needs to take a nice, professional shot of my face someday.  Preferably somebody good with Photoshop.  ;-)   

Spotlight to Shine on NH High-Tech Firms at TechWorld 2010

Buy Your Tickets Today!

As you may recall, I was interviewed by Michael McCord for the Portsmouth Herald a few weeks ago regarding the eCoast's upcoming TechWorld conference at Pease.  Here's an op-ed piece I've written to help publicize the event; this one's the blogified version, complete with links!

BTW, in preparing this piece, I did some poking around the interwebs and found the Tenants at Pease (TAP) web site; check out all the technology companies on Pease!

I hope they all participate in some way shape or form.  As we tech geeks say, "Be square and be there!"  (Actually I just made that up!  What do you think?  It could catch on, eh?!) 

Spotlight to Shine on NH High-Tech Firms at TechWorld 2010

Gov. John Lynch to Present NH High Tech Council's InfoXchange Awards

By D. Scott Campbell

PORTSMOUTH, NH – Back in the day in Y2K, the eCoast – a special committee of the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce – hosted TechWorld 2000, an expo of New Hampshire Seacoast technology businesses. Now, exactly 10 years later, TechWorld 2010 will return on October 14 and 15. Simply put, if you're in the area and you're in high-tech, this conference will be the place to be.

TechWorld 2010 marks a time for looking forward to the technologies of tomorrow, and for looking back on the successes of NH-based high-tech businesses. At TechWorld 2000 a decade ago, the Internet was a wild frontier and the emphasis was on start-ups. Now that the dust has settled, Portsmouth-based companies like PixelMedia, Bottomline Technologies, BayRing Communications, and Newmarket International have proven themselves leaders in their fields and leaders in the community.

In fact, there are scores of as-yet-untold high-tech business success stories all throughout the state. It may come as a surprise to those who think of ski trips, leaf-peeping, and presidential primaries when they think of NH, but fully one-third of the gross state product is high-tech. Large firms like Liberty Mutual, FairPoint Communications, and PCConnection remain among NH's top high-tech employers, but the state's many small and mid-size technology firms represent the state's future of job creation and innovation. TechWorld 2010 is the chance for technology-focused companies of all sizes to promote, recruit, demonstrate, network, and celebrate their successes.

What's else is different 10 years later? TechWorld 2010 marks the first collaboration between eCoast and the New Hampshire High Tech Council (NHHTC). In what is sure to be the highlight of the proceedings, NH Governor John Lynch himself will present the NHHTC's annual InfoXchange Awards. By bridging the Nashua-Manchester tech corridor with Portsmouth's eCoast, expo organizers hope more cooperation and "cross-pollination" will occur across the state. Even better, unlike TechWorld 2000, this conference will span two days, allowing out-of-towners the chance to experience the fine dining and lodging that Portsmouth has to offer.

There will be three separate tracks for conference participants to follow: Technology, Business, and Career Growth. TechWorld 2010 will feature a NH TweetUp, free wi-fi, an after-party reception, and lots of opportunities to see and be seen, so don't wait another 10 years! The call for sponsors and speakers is happening now so reserve your place in the spotlight!

The Details

What: TechWorld 2010
When: October 14 and 15
Where: Celestica Building, 72 Pease Boulevard, Pease International
Tradeport, Portsmouth.  (That's 43.088934, -70.810382 fohttp://techworld2010.eventbrite.com/r you GPS'ers)
Who: Speakers include Gov. John Lynch and DRED Director George Bald.
Tickets: Start at $25. Click here to buy yours now!
Exhibitors: $400 per booth
Sponsorships: From $750.
Deadlines: Early bird prices expire 8/31.
More info: ecoast.org, Facebook.com/TechWorld2010, @ecoasttech
Contact: Salina McIntire at ecoast@portsmouthchamber.org or 610-5514.

eBrew Garners Proclamation

Special thanks to NH Speaker of the House Terie Norelli, who took me up on my invitation to attend our 11th anniversary eBrew earlier this month.  Even better, she saw fit to honor us with an official proclamation!

eBrew - Special 11th Anniversary Edition!

In January 1999, a handful of local tech businesspeople had lunch at the Portsmouth Brewery. There we hatched the idea for a loose organization that would promote technology business development in the Seacoast area. And I thought it would be neat if we could all get together for a beer after work, say once a month, and chat about the rapidly-changing industry that we were helping to shape (i.e., namely, the Internet). Thus, we dubbed the Seacoast the "e-Coast" and our monthly get-together the "e-Brew."

As our 11th anniversary of this occasion occurs tomorrow, it strikes me just how long ago that really was. I always say the Internet moves not in years but in quarters, so like one calendar year equals 7 dog years, one calendar year equals 4 Internet years. So that's 44 years ago! Still not convinced? Then consider the following. At the time of the first eBrew....

• Bill Clinton was president.
• Monica Lewinsky, Paula Jones, and Kenneth Starr were household names.
  
• Jeanne Shaheen was governor.
  
• We used Yahoo! to search for stuff on the web. Or Alta-Vista. Or Lycos. Or even AOL.
• I was still happily (or so I thought) married. My daughter was 2. My future fiance was 19.
• Windows 98 sucked.
• iMacs came in pretty colors. I was still using my Mac Quadra 650; I would buy my graphite special edition iMac that December.
• I had started at this little company called Visualink Technologies; we made CD-ROMs and web sites.
  
• We were scared of Y2K.
  
• We were excited about Star Wars Episode 1: the Phantom Menace.
  
• My ISP was Ultranet.
• Modems were loud.
  
• Mark McGwire had broken the single-season home-run record and was still a hero.
  
• The Dow broke 10,000. And then 11,000. And NASDAQ was starting to go crazy. Everybody was buying stocks!
  
• We didn't have to take our shoes off to get onto a plane.
  
• The Twin Towers still stood.

Yep, it was a long, long time ago, wasn't it? What do you remember from January 1999? Where were you?

See you upstairs at the Press Room!

eCoast companies named finalists for MITX Awards

Always love to see NH-based companies competing successfully with Boston-based companies. Got my e-mail from MITX the other day announcing the finalists for their annual web awards, and as I scrolled down, right there with the likes of big-city heavyweights like Digitas, Sapient, Arnold, Mullen, and Molecular, I saw Portsmouth's own PixelMedia and Mad*Pow.

I hope all companies in the NH seacoast area realize the level of talent right that exists right here in their own backyard when they bid out for web development projects. But I know they don't. And that they think they need to go to the cities for the high-level professional jobs. This is why I blog about it. ;-)

Review all the finalists here: http://www.mitxawards.org/interactive/Finalists.aspx

Cocchiaro Sacked!

When he told me on Friday morning, you could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather. Aside from peeling his face off and announcing he was an evil space alien, it was the last thing I expected him to say. After 15 years at the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, Tom Cocchiaro was officially a local institution, so for him to be let go unceremoniously on a random Thursday in August was certainly a surprise to anyone who has worked with him. Even worse, it was a total surprise to him. If you read the account in the Portsmouth Herald, that is pretty clear.

What isn't clear is why. We just had a terrifically successful eCruise (that's Tom, topside) that Tom had planned and managed. The Chamber annual dinner held just a couple weeks ago was a big hit, too, from all reports. It could simply be a cost-cutting move for the Chamber, and we'll know that soon if his replacement is conspicuously young and affordable. Which is fine, I suppose, as long as you realize that his experience and institutional knowledge (he had worked under, what, 5 or 6 different directors?) can not be replaced.

What's also unclear is the effect this will have on the eCoast organization in general. Tom was essentially the point man for most of the eCoast programs, and the last time the Chamber sacked our main contact (Ginny Griffith), the eCoast was almost scuttled completely.

In the end, of course, this an opportunity for Tom. He's bright, creative, articulate, professional, and highly connected. I know I'll keep him in mind for projects and positions going forward, and so should you.

iCruise + uCruise = eCruise!

Last Thursday evening ~225 high-tech businesspeople, both local and from away, clambered aboard the MV Thomas Laighton for a 3-hour cruise. After a year's hiatus, this was the triumpant return of the eCruise, our yearly floating eBrew. Despite the fact that I was on the planning committee for this excursion (full disclosure), I am happy to report that the eCruise was a resounding success! Many beers and businesscards were exchanged with a backdrop of pretty views and refreshing ocean breezes--what better way to spend a nice summer's evening?

We departed a bit later than we expected (about 5:55PM) but we had to get our sea-legs under us right quick. In past years, we were content to stay in the harbor, hug the coastline, or even go up river, which disappointed the more adventurous eCruisers. But this year, our captain announced at the outset that the seas were calm, so we'd be heading straight out to the Isles of Shoals. We soon found "calm" to be a relative term, with eCruisers stumbling across all 3 decks, surfing from chairs to railings to poles for support as the steamer chugged out to sea at a steady clip, ignorant of the waves and the mostly landlubber crew.

Once we arrived our our destination, though, we lingered leisurely along the rocky crags of Appledore, Smuttynose, and Star Islands. I overheard many remarking that they had never actually been to the Isles and what a treat is was to finally see them up close. The return trip was steady-as-she-goes, with a pretty sunset lighting the way. (See more pictures on Flickr and Facebook.)

Thanks To: All of our sponsors, but especially Chris King (pictured) of SEEDA for being not only the major sponsor but also opening his tab for yours truly and several other grateful folks. This was SEEDA's party and we were all along for the ride.

Cool Factor: Off the Wall handed out multi-color-glowing name tags, which quickly became the most coveted tchotchke onboard. These trumped the early favorite Pokens, which were cool but made a late appearance.

Nice to Meet: The Off the Wall folks, Pam from BBJ/MHT, Rebecca from Global Technical Talent, and everyone else. What can I say, it was a good crew!

Surprise Hit: I don't eat fungus, but apparently the sausage-stuffed mushrooms (courtesy of Galley Hatch) were knocking everybody out.

RIP: The lens cap to Melanie's Canon Rebel XTi, knocked overboard and lost at sea.

Loved: The nifty tote bags, emblazoned with the eCruise logo and all the sponsors.

Raffle-osity: How does one guy win three (3!) major prizes, including the much-coveted Netbook? I call shenanigans! ;-)

$: Financially, the trip was solidly in the black for the Chamber, thereby ensuring the eCruise will return next summer.

After-Party: Scandalous!

Programming Note: There will be NO AUGUST EBREW. But if a few folks wanted to meet at the Coat for pint night, I'm always up for that.

eCoast Wi-Fi Expansion - Front page news unbeknownst to me!

I was just alerted by a friend on Facebook that my face is on the front page of Seacoastonline.com. I was sure she was mistaken, but I clicked over to see and sure enough, there's me... Albeit a younger and pony-tailed version. So yes, our little wi-fi project is front-page news again!

At my meeting with the Chamber a couple weeks ago, I had heard we were getting close to installing another access point at Harbour Place. That's a great spot for it, as it will hit the Prescott Park, marina, and that end of Daniel Street.

The holy grail, however, would be in hitting the decks. I was at Ferry Landing a few weeks ago for dinner and while we waited, I pulled out my iPod Touch; although I was able to connect to a network (Linksys), there was sadly no Internet behind it. Deck coverage would be awesome -- just think of the bar bets you could settle instantly with access to Baseball-Reference.com or Wikipedia!

I am also hoping we can save a few dollars from our $10,000 grant money to put up a some signage. A couple street signs on the sidewalk -- say one in Market Square and one in Prescott Park -- would serve to to let pedestrian tourists know there's wi-fi in the air.

We should also get some coverage maps printed up for the Chamber kiosk. If you've got any clever marketing ideas to get the word out, please e-mail me or comment below. Thanks and enjoy the sun while it lasts!

10th Anniversary eBrew this Thursday

Happy New Year! With every new year comes thoughts of times passed, and of times ahead. And you know how sometimes you look back over a period of time... Say, 10 years, and you think, "Wow, hard to believe it's been ten years... It's just flown by!" And other times, you think, "That was 10 years ago? Seems more like 20! And what was I thinking with that hair and those clothes?" Well, it's been 10 years since the very first eBrew, and for me, it definitely seems like it's been 10 years!

Yep, 10 years ago this month, I was sitting at a table at the Portsmouth Brewery with a handful of local tech-types having lunch. We got together because we all worked in Portsmouth in the high-tech arena, specifically the Internet, which at the time was still young and impressionable. We discussed the boundless opportunities and potential of Internet-based businesses we were starting. Then, we wondered aloud if anybody would notice us up here in this quaint little city in New Hampshire. Could we really hope to compete with Route 128, Austin, Seattle, and Silicon Valley? Or would this once-in-a-lifetime economic boom-time pass us by? We didn't want to move our start-ups and our families to where "the action was"; we loved it in Portsmouth and were determined to make it work here.

Based on my experience in marketing and public relations, I saw it as a classic PR problem. The NH Seacoast was (and still is) perceived as a great place to live, work, and play. Portsmouth is a well-established tourist town. But if we made people also aware of what was happening here on the high-tech front, then prospective clients and talented professionals would perceive us as a player in the Internet game... perhaps a mini Silicon Valley without the traffic? Or a Route 128 North without the taxes?

So there, over burgers and beers, we hatched a marketing plan to put us on the map. The Seacoast became the eCoast, a loose organization of tech-related businesses in the Greater Portsmouth area. Because together, we became part of something larger; not just a few tech start-ups in a small northern city, but a whole movement toward the ideal of working where you want to live, made possible by the go-anywhere Internet. And our monthly networking event, patterned after Boston's CyberBrew, became the eBrew.

Since then, we've survived booms and busts, recoveries and recessions. Companies have come and gone, but many more have stayed and thrived here in quaint ol' Portsmouth, NH. And nearly every month this past decade, there's been an eBrew where we could meet, have a drink, and talk about it. So come and join us at the 10th anniversary eBrew this Thursday evening at the Press Room. Let's celebrate what we've accomplished, and see what we can do here in the next 10 years!

eCoast Wi-Fi Expansion Makes News

After being front-page news in the Portsmouth Herald, news of the $345k donation of wi-fi equipment from Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) to our Portsmouth wi-fi network has proliferated.

NHPR reported on the radio that day. NH Business Review notes our expansion plans "In Brief" in the current issue.

Esme Vos at MuniWireless and Glenn Flieschman's WiFiNetworkingNews have both picked up the story. (Muni with prodding; WiFiNet without.)

Tom Long gave us a nod in the Sunday Globe North, making us Portsmouth's story of the week. And Mass High Tech covered it with a quote from yours truly; check it out here. (BTW, great to see Ef at the eBrew last week!)

Meanwhile, David Brooks reports here in the Nashua Telegraph about the effects of weather on municipal wireless, noting that our Portsmouth network used to shut down for the winter due to lack of use. For the record, that was only one of the reasons we shut it for the winter. Now, the access point is in a secure and heated indoor location (the kiosk, albeit cute, is unheated) and as such, we will be up for a second winter this year. I would note that although laptop-tappers and latte-sippers won't be out in Market Square in December -- indeed, all the outdoor seating will be put away for the season -- users will be able access the network from their Blackberries, iPod Touches, and other portable wi-fi devices. A cold and hungry shopper walking the sidewalks might well use the service to locate a restaurant, find lodging, look up a phone number, compare prices, etc. I believe we're only just beginning to see the implications of ubiquitous free public wi-fi. And yes, the signal pushes into Breaking New Grounds, making the window seats that much more desirable for your business meeting, so get there early and stake out your spot!

Happy 20th IOL / eCoast Wi-Fi Update

Back on the 8th, I saw in the UNHToday e-newsletter that the UNH InterOperability Lab -- known commonly in the industry as IOL for short -- is celebrating its 20th year of existence. Here's the press release. The IOL is a real feather in the cap, not only for UNH but the eCoast region and the entire state. IOL is the undisputed leader in interop testing and is internationally renown with good reason. As they note:

"If you ever use the Internet, check email, chat, play games online, or print from a networked device, then you have a used a product or service that has been tested and improved at the UNH InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL). UNH-IOL is one-of-a-kind: a hybrid industry and academic technology and testing lab that offers students paid training in leading-edge and popular technologies."

I've had the pleasure to know many folks from IOL over the years, and to work with them as partners in our eCoast Wi-Fi Project. Speaking of which, if you've been wondering what's going on with it these days, it's front-page news today! Thanks to Marisa for the heads up, and to Adam Leech for continuing to cover the story as the project evolves.

Check out the map of the coverage area! Not too shabby, eh?

eCoast loses one of its own; R.I.P. Jeff Beauregard

Sad news to report today. Jeff Beauregard, a Portsmouth technology sales executive and well-known face around town, took his own life Tuesday night. The obituary ran in today's paper. He was most recently with GreenPages; here's Jeff's LinkedIn profile. Condolences are pouring in on his MySpace and Facebook pages, as well as his online guestbook. He was just 28 years old.

I knew Jeff through my girlfriend when she worked with him at DesktopStandard, a Portsmouth shop that was bought by Microsoft a couple years ago. I didn't know him very well, but we hung out a few times after work at the local watering holes. I'll never forget how he had my back in a near altercation at Poco's one night. He was just a real, solid, stand-up kind of guy... Very outgoing, gregarious, funny... Which makes this so hard to understand.

I won't be able to attend his event tomorrow at RedHook so this is my memorial to him. R.I.P. Jeff. I hope you found the peace you were missing in life.

Meanwhile, I was reminded that I had just seen this in the paper a few days ago:

Thursday, September 11, 2008
PORTSMOUTH — Support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention by participating in the Portsmouth Out of the Darkness Community Walk on September 27th in Portsmouth's Peirce Island. Proceeds will benefit local and national suicide prevention and awareness programs. Registration will be held at Peirce Island near the Portsmouth Outdoor Pool at 9:00 am The walk will begin promptly at 10:00 am. To register, donate or to learn more, please log on to www.outofthedarkness.org.

Deal Flow? Deal Slow.

Flipping through the new issue of Mass High Tech, my eye is always grabbed by any reference to New Hampshire, because, let's face it, it's an infrequent occurrence. This week, MHT correspondent Christopher Calnan covers the dismal state of business investment overall, and focusses on some initiatives here in the Granite State hoping to ameliorate the situation.

In his piece, "N.H. Angels Respond as Deals Slow," you can learn about the growing number of angel investment groups in NH. I find it interesting to see that the SBDC is getting more involved in funding -- good idea, as they have first-hand knowledge of and access to the best small startup opportunities.

Note: eCoast Angels were not quoted in the story but are mentioned in the sidebar of the dead-tree version. And somehow, inexplicably, old pal Jeff Sohl was not quoted, although his Center for Venture Research was mentioned.

In a related editorial "NH, Maine Get Lost in Hub's Glare," the MHT editors opine: Perhaps the time has come for state funding agencies — and the angel investors working behind the scenes — to come together across state borders for the regional good. You mean, like this? At the very least, that network might be a good place to start the conversation.