Strengthening the Heart of Watertown: Our 2025 Impact

Watertown is more than just a place to do business; it is a community defined by its resilience, creativity, and connection. At the Watertown Business Coalition (WBC), our mission is to ensure that every business—from the independent consultant to our largest of companies—has the support and advocacy they need to thrive as well as help connect member organizations with the Watertown community.

As we look back on 2025, the impact of our collective efforts is clear.

A Year of Connection and Growth

This year was our most active to date. We hosted a record-breaking 26 events, providing vital networking opportunities that turned neighbors into partners. Highlights included our partnership with the City Events Team who helped us run four fabulous networking events and two workshops focused on Empowering Women in Business.  

Our community is growing, too—we were proud to welcome 42 new members into the WBC family this year.  We seek to bring dozens more into the network in 2026.

Bridging Industry and Education

One of our proudest milestones was launching the first collaborative STEM Night at Watertown Middle School in partnership with the Watertown Public Schools. By bringing together students, teachers, and our local Life Science leaders, we aren't just supporting today’s businesses—we are inspiring the workforce of tomorrow right here in our own backyard.

"WBC has been instrumental in building the CoLAB High School STEM Career Collaboration. The first Life Science Forum gave us access to local companies who sent volunteers to inspire Watertown High School students to pursue STEM careers. WBC then asked us to organize two more Life Science forums, which gave CoLAB enormous visibility to the community." - Merle Kummer, President of CoLAB

Advocacy That Matters

Business ownership comes with challenges, especially during major construction projects. This year, the WBC served as a vital bridge between local commerce, City Hall, and project leaders. Our direct advocacy ensured that small businesses remained at the forefront of the conversation, helping to keep operations viable during difficult transitions.

Driving Local Foot Traffic

We believe in making "supporting local" fun! This year, we introduced two new community competitions:

• Pizza Fest: 12 local eateries vied for the title of Watertown’s Best Slice, driving significant engagement across the city.

• 1st Annual Holiday Decorating Contest: 30 businesses transformed our streets into a winter wonderland. Beyond the festive spirit, we were honored to donate on behalf of our winners to charities and nonprofits of their choice. Between both contests, nearly 1,500 community members voted!

Celebrating Culture and the Arts

The 5th Annual Watertown Arts Market continues to be a crown jewel for our city, drawing thousands of visitors from across Massachusetts to support our local artisan economy. Through our leadership role in the Watertown Cultural District, we remain committed to ensuring that arts and culture remain central to our economic identity.

Thank You for Investing in Watertown

Everything we do is fueled by the belief that when our local businesses succeed, our entire city wins. Whether you joined us for a Walk n Talk with Live Well Watertown, participated in our 4th Annual Holiday Mixer & Toy Drive with the Watertown Rotary Club, or tuned into our Watertown’s Open podcast events (either in person or online) with Little Local Conversations, you are the reason Watertown remains a vibrant place to live and work.

Thank you for your continued partnership. We can’t wait to see what we build together in 2026!

With gratitude,

The WBC Team