2017
Year in Review
By Frank Baldesarra
Co-Founder & CEO
It was a very big year for engineering.com. Incredible things happened and we performed at our best, all thanks to you! As the leading voice informing one of the most trusted professions in the world, our mission is to connect and mobilize the dreamers, doers, makers and hackers in the new shared economy. As we get ready for an exciting and impactful 2018, it’s important to take a look back and reflect on how far we’ve come.
1.
We produced great stories.
The engineering and technology world is advancing fast, and we covered many of those important stories. Some stories were trends and some were requested by our customers, and thanks to our very talented and passionate publishing team, we produced nearly 200 sponsored stories and over 2000 informing and inspiring stories!
2.
Our audience continues to grow
Viewers to our stories grew by 31%, our overall site visitors increased by 10%, to a total of over 20 million unique users this year... primarily by referrals. It's a testament to the importance of what we are doing and why we're doing it.
3.
Our customers are amazing
We are grateful for the marketers who drive us forward. Digital marketing is changing before our eyes, and our customers have worked hand-in-hand with us to push the envelope on new ways to connect their brand stories with technical users. Their keen curiosity, their reliance on data, and their willingness to try new things, all made this past year fascinating.
We've strengthened our brand
4.
Leonardo Da Vinci said “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. With the implementation of a new navigation system and the refresh of our logo, our goal is to simplify our messaging and amplify our impact.
A big change to highlight is our new company color, Purple. Purple plays a significant role in the history of engineering, as well as the traditions of some engineering schools today. Though purple has multiple origin stories, from engineers wearing purple coveralls on-board the sinking Titanic, to the purple armband worn by Royal Engineers of the British Army, what is consistent is the color acts as a reminder of our unwavering respect for those who have given their lives for others and the responsibility that all engineers share.
5.
Eva Lau
Board of Directors
Renata Vaccaro
Managing Director,
VP of Technology
Lauren Baldesarra
Director,
Vision & Strategy
We added new leadership to our team
In late 2016, we were fortunate to have Eva Lau join our the Board of Directors. With her wealth of knowledge in start-ups and creating network effect online communities, we assembled a new R&D team in downtown Toronto. That team, led by Renata Vaccaro & Lauren Baldesarra were challenged to find the best way to bring together the new generation of engineering minds with our experienced problem solvers to help change the world for the better.
6.
We created something from scratch!
With a clear vision and with the generous participation of over 600 engineers around the world, 3 of which were key advisors from MIT, we soft launched projects.engineering.com in mid November and began the journey of having our engineering minded community do projects in a new way. A big thank you to so many of you who helped make this happen.
"The team at Engineering.com is incredibly helpful and have the makings of a terrific tool for innovators and makers."
7.
... And we are very proud of some early success!
We’re pleased to have partnered with hackABILITY, an extended hackathon to create creative solutions to help improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Participants used the new platform to find team members, work collaboratively on their projects and get design help on their presentations. Teams featured solutions like a Smart Cane for the visual impaired and AIDEX to aid dexterity.
TomBee
Community Member
2018
The expectation is high for 2018. We will continue to take risks and make bets in the areas that matter most – building and connecting our amazing community of STEM students to the most experienced engineers – and we will continue to grow our team with exceptional talent to help make this happen. A great big thanks to all again as we move forward for you!