Boston is a proven pioneer in technology and innovation, so it’s no surprise to us that General Electric Corp. chose Beantown as the new location for its headquarters over other urban options like New York and San Francisco.  
A city with such rich history, Boston sometimes gets overlooked as an epicenter for technology, but we’re no stranger to innovation. Boston educates the country’s next innovators in highly-recognized colleges and universities like MIT, Harvard, Tufts, Northeastern and Boston University to name a few.
Boston’s tech community grows each year with the opening of new offices, the growth of successful existing businesses and the relocation of established companies, like GE, to the area. In an attempt to foster (and keep) tech-focused residents, Boston is home to many organizations, such as MassChallenge, Canopy, WeWork, and Greentown Labs, dedicated to teaching, empowering and connecting the industry.
In that same vein, Mayor Marty Walsh and Governor Charlie Baker, with progressive development at the forefront of their goals for the Bay State, courted GE to bring new tech to the city with their novelty work in photonics, fiber optic technologies, sustainable alternatives, holistic medicine, jet engines and efficient transportation. GE will build upon the foundation of technology advances we have here in the city. Each innovation will play a role in this chapter of Boston’s history.
GE’s chief executive Jeff Immelt said, “We want to be at the center of an ecosystem that shares our aspirations. Greater Boston is home to 55 colleges and universities. Massachusetts spends more on research and development than any other region in the world, and Boston attracts a diverse, technologically fluent workforce focused on solving challenges for the world. We are excited to bring our headquarters to this dynamic and creative city.”
The decision to move the headquarters to Boston over other major cities in the country was made based on qualities like the thriving business ecosystem, top-notch talent, long-term costs, quality of life for employees, connections on a global scale and proximity to other important company assets. GE plans to put more emphasis on innovation in its new home, with about 200 corporate staff and 600 digital industrial managers, designers and developers.
The headquarters moving to town will not only boost the economy, but will make Boston an even more well-respected city in the global economy. So, for all who were bummed about the cancelled bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, we’ve got something better.

The new headquarters will be located in the Seaport District, which is the fastest growing neighborhood in the city, home to the Boston Innovation Center plus a number of startups and tech and science businesses. Charlie Baker calls the headquarters’ move to Boston a “huge win” for the state and the city.
Why would any high-tech genius not want to move to the 617, when there’s a surplus of support and opportunity for tech enthusiasts throughout the city? Welcome to Boston, GE; we’re excited to have you.
Tell us what you think about General Electric’s move to Boston in the comments section below or tweet us @BIGfishPR!