Entrepreneurs are often said to be soothsayers and in 2002, David Ting founded Imprivata, a healthcare IT security company focused on keeping medical files private and locked online, allowing doctor’s offices and hospital physicians to more easily sign in to secure networks, whether text messaging platforms, electronic medical records, or prescribing databases. In June 2014, a decade later, Ting took his Lexington-based startup public, raising $66.3 million through its IPO. This July, Imprivata announced they were being taken private again, having been acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in a deal valued at about $544 million.

It's the most concentrated place I know of in terms of technology, even compared to Silicon Valley, which is 30 miles straight. Here we're talking about one square mile, at the most.

I’m at the phase where I’m working on FOLD outside of an institution. I have to find a lot of the strength and energy to push it forward – finding that internal strength to pursue something even if you don’t have any external parties telling you every day that “it’s a great idea, it’s a great thing to do” – you have to find that within yourself.

It's in the integration of the innocent, naive child and the thinking adult that the machines happen. It’s in that space. Listen here 

The problem in Boston right now is that I'm starting to feel like companies that should get funded, aren't getting funded and they aren't getting funded for stupid reasons. It doesn't need to be this way. Boston is the second most vibrant venture community in the world.

It's helpful if the person who originates the idea is opinionated. Trust your instincts.

You have to be a bit naïve sometimes to try new things and take risks. We are naïve optimists who believe that we can improve the world and have a positive impact through technology.