Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40 - Synthenet Corporation

Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40

November 2, 2001

"Some say life begins at 40. For these young professionals, life began a whole lot sooner. Meet some of the brightest lights in Boston's high-energy business community."

Rodney Capron
Title: President
Company: Synthenet Corp.
Age: 30

Rodney Capron remembers being captivated by e-mail when he first began using it a decade ago. The fascination drew him into the early period of web development and eventually led him into business for himself.

Just 30 years old, Capron runs Synthenet Corp., a small web-development company in Northborough. He built the business without formal business or technology training, and he didn't attend college.

"It's just pure passion that's gotten us where we are," Capron says.

Capron's early e-mail experience, long before it was widely used, sent him in search of trade magazines for details- what he calls "some of the really nerdy stuff." He discovered an aptitude for technology, and before long he was involved in several web-related businesses.

"It really seemed so exciting," Capron said. "I kind of jumped in with both feet and started learning everything I could."

By 1998, Capron had founded Synthenet. The company develops customized web applications, touching on areas such as content management, bulk e-mail, e-commerce, and intranets. Its opportunity, he says, is helping customers make better use of all the web technology they've invested in.

Synthenet has served more than 47 businesses and has completed more than 100 projects since it opened. A partial list of clients includes Polaroid Corp., PalmGear.com, ecookbooks.com, Palm Computing, Handspring, Synergy Investments, Brooks Automation, Boy Scouts of America, IDG Books and Tap Magazine.

Capron said he'd like Synthenet to grow, but only in a cautious way. He does not want to join the list of web companies that started aggressively and then stumbled or failed.

Capron also devotes time and resources to support a number of community groups and causes, such as the Jimmy Fund and Worcester County Food Bank. He's also been involved with the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization for the past two years.

Capron and his wife Lynn share their Northborough home with a cockatiel, two parrots and a Goffin cockatoo. Capron is also an avid motorcyclist.