==Consumer Electronics==

* [http://www.ambientdevices.com/ Ambient Devices]: Integrating information displays into everyday devices, like umbrellas that tell you when it’s going to rain.

* [http://www.bose.com/ Bose]: Noise-cancelling headsets, Wave radios, iPod docks, and other stuff that makes the world a better-sounding place.

* [http://www.eink.com/ E Ink]: Pursuing the holy grail of electronic paper. Currently supplies high-contrast, low power screens to Amazon’s Kindle and Sony Reader, the leading e-books.

* [http://www.emolabs.com/ Emo Labs]: Trying to merge speakers and displays.

* [http://www.myvu.com/ Myvu]: Digital displays integrated into eyeglasses.

* [http://www.zink.com/ ZINK Imaging]: Polaroid’s last great hope, this spin-off is bringing to market technology for pocket-sized digital photo printers.

==Web 2.0 / Digital Media==

* [http://www.brightcove.com/ Brightcove]: Tools for publishing, measuring, and monetizing video on the Web.
* [http://buzzster.com Buzzster!]: Buzzster’s goal is to be the best way to recommend videos, news stories, blog posts, etc to friends and colleagues – open, easy, opt-in, customizable, and all leading to one thing – a tool to extend conversations.
* [http://competeinc.com Compete, Inc.] (now a TNS company): Compete, Inc. is a provider of analytics, research, and business intelligence. Compete gathers web behavior information from users who sign up at their site, then analyzes these data to create customized reports for client companies. Compete also offers a free web analytics tool for the general public at [http://compete.com Compete.com]. After its acquisition by TNS (March 2008), it became part of [http://tns-media.com TNS Media] alongside Cymfony, a market influence analysis company.

* [http://www.framemedia.com/ Frame Media]: Delivering content to Internet-connected picture frames.

* [http://going.com Going]: Online social director for people interested in going out to live events.

* [http://www.maven.net/ Maven Networks]: Pioneer developer of tools for online video publishing; acquired by Yahoo in 2008, so the future may be a bit hazy.

* [http://www.mypunchbowl.com/ MyPunchbowl]: Trying to knock off Evite as the dominant site for party planning.

* [http://demo.scanscout.com/ ScanScout]: Managing ads embedded in Internet video.

* [http://www.tripadvisor.com/ TripAdvisor]: The definitive word on where to stay. Developing into a social network for travelers. Owned by Barry Diller’s Expedia Inc. in New York.

* [http://corporate.veveo.net/about.html Veveo]: Video search for mobile devices.

* Visible Measures: Providing data about how users engage with video on the Web.

* [http://viximo.com Viximo]: Founded: 2007

==Product Design / Web Design==

* [http://www.brickyardvfx.com/ Brickyard VFX]: Visual effects for TV commercials and shows like “CSI: NY.”

* [http://www.dcontinuum.com/content/ Continuum]: Design firm with offices in West Newton, Milan, and Seoul. Lots of work on medical devices, consumer products like the Swiffer, and hardware like the $100 laptop.

* [http://www.ideo.com/contact/info.asp?x=5 IDEO Cambridge]: New England outpost of the famed Silicon Valley design firm that has worked with Apple, Palm, HBO, and Prada.

* [http://www.sapient.com/Home.htm Sapient]: Interactive shop whose clients include Staples, Celebrity Cruises, Sony, and Harrahs.

==Software, Software-as-a-Service, Virtualization==

* [http://www.avid.com/ Avid Technology]: Software for movie, TV, and music editors and producers.

* [http://www.cakewalk.com/ Cakewalk]: Software for amateur and professional musicians.

* [http://www.desktone.com/ Desktone]: Helping companies better manage desktop software by delivering it virtually.

* [http://www.matchmine.com/ Matchmine]: Funded in part by the Krafts, the first family of New England football, company aims to deliver more personalized content: music, video, and text.

* [http://www.nuance.com/ Nuance]: The world leader in speech recognition software, right here in Massachusetts.

* [http://www.vlingo.com/ Vlingo]: Talk to your cell phone and have it understand you. Run by former Nokia, SpeechWorks, and Groove Mobile execs.

==Networking==

* [http://www.airvana.com/ Airvana]: Infrastructure for high-speed wireless networks. Also, developing femtocells (cell phone booster devices) for consumer use at home. Run by former Apple exec Randy Battat.

* [http://www.akamai.com/ Akamai]: The FedEx of the Internet.

* [http://www.peermeta.com/ Peermeta]: Software platform to improve the end-user experience on mobile devices. Started by Acopia Networks founder Cheng Wu.

* [http://www.verivue.com/ Verivue]: Advanced networking services for the delivery of digital media.

==Enterprise==

* [http://www.oldroadcomputing.com/ Old Road Computing]: Aims to help enterprises better manage mobile devices.

==Hardware/Chips==

* [http://www.luminus.com/ Luminus Devices]: Brighter LEDs for TVs and lighting applications.

* [http://www.nantero.com/ Nantero]: Nanotube-based memory chips.

==Services==

* [http://www.zipcar.com/ Zipcar]: The world’s largest car-sharing firm is heavily dependent on technology.

==Robotics==

* [http://www.bostondynamics.com/ Boston Dynamics]: Creator of walking robots like BigDog, as well as simulation software for the military.

* [http://www.hydroid.com/ Hydroid]: Robots that don’t mind getting wet.

* [http://www.irobot.com/ iRobot]: Robots for the living room and the battlefield.

* [http://www.kivasystems.com/ Kiva Systems]: Robotic warehouse workers.

==CleanTech, Power, and Batteries==

* [http://www.a123systems.com/ A123 Systems]: Nanophosphate technology allows batteries to pack more punch; an A123 division called Hymotion also converts hybrid vehicles into ultra-high-mileage plug-in hybrids.

* [http://www.greatpointenergy.com/ Great Point Energy]: Converting coal into natural gas, while sequestering the CO2.

* [http://www.konarka.com/ Konarka Technologies]: This Lowell company wants to put thin, flexible solar cells on just about every surface exposed to the sun.

* [http://1366tech.com/v1/ 1366 Technologies]: Trying to bring down the cost of silicon-based solar cells.

==Games==

* [http://www.conduitlabs.com/ Conduit Labs]: Start-up trying to bring more fun and games to social networks. Founded by Nabeel Hyatt, formerly of Ambient Devices.

* [http://www.guildcafe.com/company/ GuildCafe Entertainment]: Creating an online hang-out for players of role-playing games.

* [http://www.harmonixmusic.com/ Harmonix Music Systems]: The MIT spin-out that gave birth to “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band.” Now owned by MTV Networks.

* [http://www.maddocsoftware.com/ Rockstar New England]: known until recently as Mad Doc Software, this shop specializes in bringing artificial intelligence to games. Acquired in April 08 by Rockstar Games, publisher of “Grand Theft Auto.”

* [http://www.turbine.com/ Turbine]: Builder of online fantasy realms linked to “Lord of the Rings” and “Dungeons and Dragons.”

==Research & Development==

* [http://www.bbn.com/ BBN Technologies]: You’ve heard of the Internet? They helped build it. Ever sent an e-mail? They sent the first one. Since 1948, they’ve been working on the edge of what’s possible in software and networking.

* [http://www.dekaresearch.com/ DEKA Research]

* [http://forrester.com Forrester Research]

* [http://www.google.com/support/jobs/bin/topic.py?loc_id=1382&dep_id=1173 Google Cambridge]

* [http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-04MSRCambridgeLabPR.mspx Microsoft Research Cambridge]: Just set up in 2008 to focus on core computer science, design, and social science.

==Sources==
* This list would not be possible without — Scott Kirsner – http://www.innoeco.com/2008/04/innovation-economys-cool-half-hundred.html