Great article by Jackie Noblett of the Boston Business Journal on the changing tide of business networking in Boston. POPSignal on page 2.

Friday, May 16, 2008
Social Network
Local techies take cue from West Coast to mix parties and business

Greater Boston’s techies are bucking the label of the introvert and turning out to meet each other at a growing number of area get-togethers. At events ranging from small coffee talks to big bashes at nightclubs, they also are helping to defy a stereotype — that despite its large student population, Boston is cold, stodgy and lacks the socializing and networking opportunities that grease deals in places like Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas.

The change, if it comes off, will be the work of a handful of visionary techies that have made it their mission to build buzz and raise the spirits of hundreds of geeks, entrepreneurs and investors.

“In the last 18 months we have been blessed with a definite increase in the number of events taking place,” said Mark Doerschlag, founder of MarksGuide, a Web site that tracks local business networking events. “Boston’s doing the right thing by encouraging these types of events.”

…

Two days later, the first POPSignal party was scheduled to take place at the Tequila Rain nightclub in Boston, bringing hundreds of techies together for music, dancing and free booze.

Brian Balfour and Jay Meattle of POPSignal, a startup designing a Web platform for the local tech community, said the event came from a demand for even more social events for the younger crowd.

“I really wanted to do something more social, just bring the tech community in and have fun,” Balfour said. “You make your best connections in social environments.”

POPSignal’s 450 person RSVP list filled within 48 hours.

Read the full article here.