Shea Coakley — Boston, Massachusetts

Shea Coakley,
Boston entrepreneur.

Shea Coakley is a Boston-based serial entrepreneur and founder of Back Bay Ventures. Living on the South Shore of Massachusetts, Shea has built his ventures in and around Boston — from LeanBox’s corporate food service across Greater Boston offices to PERKSCon at the Hynes Convention Center to GetWard’s AI retail intelligence platform.

View all ventures
Boston
Based in MA
5+
Ventures founded
20+
Years in Boston
National
Reach achieved

Building from Boston, scaling beyond.

Every venture Shea Coakley has built started in Boston. LeanBox launched in Greater Boston offices and grew into the region’s leading technology-driven corporate food service company. PERKSCon debuted at the Hynes Convention Center before expanding to six cities nationwide. Back Bay Roasters brought craft coffee culture to New England corporate offices.

Shea’s deep roots in the Boston business community — combined with a national and increasingly global outlook — give his ventures a unique blend of local authenticity and scalable ambition. He believes that the best companies are built with a strong sense of place, even when they’re designed for scale.

Entrepreneurship rooted in human connection.

Shea Coakley is a deep believer in human connection and community as the foundation of great companies. His involvement in the Boston entrepreneurial ecosystem extends beyond his own ventures — he’s a connector, advisor, and advocate for founders building things that matter.

Living on the South Shore with his wife and two daughters, Shea brings the same values to his community as he does to his companies: show up, invest in people, build something worth being part of. That philosophy has earned him recognition as a 2016 Game Changer and a sought-after voice in the Boston startup and business community.

01
LeanBox
Greater Boston Corporate Food Service
Founded 2013
03
PERKS Convention
Launched at Hynes Convention Center
Founded 2014
05
GetWard
AI Retail Intelligence
Active
Shea Coakley on Boston Business & South Shore
“Boston taught me that the best businesses are built on relationships and reputation. You can’t fake that in a city this tight-knit.”

Let's connect.

Shea Coakley is always open to conversations about boston business & south shore, investment opportunities, and building what matters.

Get in touch Book a call