If you’ve been following the Boston tech scene for a while, you may remember Reverie Labs -- the startup backed by Rough Draft Ventures that uses AI to speed up the design of new drugs.
The biotech venture founded by Hirsh Jain and Jonah Kallenbach is not the only one that made the cut for this year’s Harvard Venture Incubation Program (VIP), a 12-week program designed to help current students make progress on their entrepreneurial ventures. Indeed, the school just announced that another batch of promising startups born in the Harvard community is getting settled in the Harvard Innovation Labs for the summer.
This year, there’s a majority of startups focusing on Health and Science (37), a fact that does not come as a surprise given that life sciences are a major sector in the Boston tech ecosystem. Technology and B2B startups ranked at the second place for the number of ventures (28), followed by Consumer ventures (23) and Social Impact, educational and cultural ventures (19).
Here’s the full list of the 107 ventures that are part of the summer VIP cohort.
Cancer and HIV
- Adamantis Pharmaceutica is developing immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases and cancers by specifically targeting either pro-immune or pro-tolerance cell-types.
- Aldatu Biosciences is a biotechnology company applying its proprietary genotyping platform — PANDAA — to the development of innovative diagnostics designed to address unmet clinical needs in infectious disease. Aldatu’s lead product is a low-cost HIV-drug-resistance genotyping test designed to guide clinical decision-making in resource-limited healthcare settings.
- General Biotechnologies identifies and develops biological discoveries. The company’s lead candidate — Nivien — is a therapy for treatment-resistant cancers.
- Harmonus is developing an MRI-guided prostate biopsy system to improve diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer through better visualization and targeting of tumors.
- Shepherd Therapeutics is a patient-centered biotechnology company aimed at developing drugs and therapies for a portfolio of rare cancers.
- UrSure is producing patient-friendly, affordable, accurate urine tests for people taking the medication PrEP, to protect vulnerable patients from HIV infection.
Therapeutics
- Aeiyr develops affordable, paper-based wearable health devices to monitor respiration.
- Akouos is developing novel therapies and delivery systems to prevent hearing loss and restore hearing in genetically-defined patient populations.
- Beacon Genomics enables safer genome editing via its exclusively-licensed off-target specificity assays: GUIDE-Seq and CIRCLE-Seq.
- Blue Therapeutics is developing potent, non-addictive painkillers.
- Gel4Med focuses on engineering smart materials to solve challenging problems in regenerative medicine.
- GRO Biosciences produces high-value protein therapeutics in microbes that must traditionally be made in expensive mammalian systems. Using proprietary genomically recoded organisms (GROs), they engineer proteins with previously inaccessible stabilizing bonds to facilitate inexpensive microbial fermentation, fast production lead times, and longer serum half-life of recombinant proteins.
- Reverie Labs provides state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to improve the drug design pipeline.
- Riparian Pharmaceuticals is translating novel biology of the blood vessel wall into new therapeutics to promote vascular health.
- Sophros is a biotherapeutics company developing treatments for obesity and metabolic diseases using new therapeutic targets and delivery mechanisms.
- X-Cor Therapeutics develops advanced medical devices, specializing in dialysis-like carbon dioxide removal systems.
Prevention and Diagnostics
- Blue Skies keeps urban families healthier and safer by reducing exposure to asthma-causing pollutants.
- Day Zero Diagnostics is using genome sequencing and machine learning to modernize infectious disease diagnosis and facilitate faster diagnosis of dangerous bacterial infections.
- miniPCR’s mission is to give everyone access to DNA experimentation through its miniPCR machine, which enables DNA analysis at a fraction of the cost and through a simple and educational interface.
- PathoVax LLC is developing a best-in-class prophylactic Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine technology called RGVax, targeting all 15 cancer-causing strains.
- Vaxess enables next generation vaccines. The company has combined VC funding with grants and partnerships to advance two platforms: Matrix, a formulation and drying system that reduces the need for cold storage of vaccines and diagnostics, and Mimix, a sustained-release patch for delivery of vaccines and therapeutics, offering simplified administration and enhanced efficacy.
- XGenomes believes that gene sequencing is critical for sustaining healthy societies, but that current technologies do not meet the required specifications for doing so.
Medical Devices and Software
- Agile Devices aims to transform a wide variety of interventional procedures, resulting in improved patient outcomes and large cost savings.
- Avant-garde Health empowers hospitals and clinicians with information and insights to deliver the highest quality, most cost-effective care.
- Apio is a technological platform enabling healthcare providers to effectively recruit and manage temporary staff at a fraction of current commission costs.
- AUGMENTx uses augmented reality to accelerate the neurological recovery of patients living with stroke, limb amputation, and chronic pain.
- Herald Health is a notification platform that allows healthcare providers to create and subscribe to push notifications for important clinical data.
- Medical Surface is developing innovative coating technologies that will improve the biocompatibility and performance of implanted and wearable biosensors and medical devices.
- Parsagen Diagnostics is developing medical devices focused on women’s health.
- TetraScience is applying the Internet-of-Things to laboratories.
- Z Imaging is developing an augmented reality system to help surgeons operate faster and more safely.
Software for Monitoring Health and Accessing Healthcare
- BeWedFit is a digital health platform that helps engaged couples lose weight for their wedding and maintain healthy behaviors long after the "I do's".
- Gain Life delivers lifestyle-focused digital health coaching to combat serious, but preventable, chronic disease.
- illume healthcare is a best-in-class affinity program sold to health plans to engage and provide value to their hard-to-reach young active members.
- Impact Neuro is developing a wearable device that can detect the incidence of concussion based on a 90-second task measuring eye and body movements.
- Nella revolutionizes how families interface with the healthcare system by delivering timely and affordable home care to low-income Americans.
- Raiing provides wireless thermometers for continuous temperature monitoring and fertility tracking.
Technology
- BrandQR takes images, logos and graphics and turns them into fully functional QR codes using computer vision and machine learning algorithms.
- ClimaCell Inc. is using wireless communication networks to sense the environment and provide better real-time weather data and nowcasting to businesses.
- CocoVerse is building virtual reality tools to help convey complex concepts via easily digestible videos for learners.
- Evisort is a Harvard-MIT startup combining advanced artificial intelligence algorithms with workflow and document management solutions for lawyers.
- GigLync provides under-served blue collar employees better access to hourly jobs while improving the way employers manage their hourly workforce today.
- Julia Computing brings a fresh approach to technical computing, a sector that has been held hostage by programming languages with designs that are many decades old.
- JumpYield helps websites make more money from their ad space.
- Luccia is a total solution for creating, sharing, and exploring VR education content. Think Squarespace meets WebEx.
- Tempo powers the marketplace for quantified performance data for professional athletes and professional sports franchises.
- Titan uses a marketplace model and the blockchain to catalyze middle market finance, disintermediating alternative asset managers and investment banks.
- Veho Technologies is reinventing package delivery with a crowdsourcing platform that enables anyone with a car to get paid for delivering packages.
- Waypoint Labs uses augmented reality to automate the property insurance claims process by allowing insurance adjusters to seamlessly scan, measure and document a site.
B2B and Enterprise
- Ace-up aims to be the go-to marketplace for coaches. Its mission is to help coaches develop their business and help people get better coaching.
- Aday is a B2B human resources and operations platform that provides a multi-location internal labor market for employers of hourly team members. This digital matching firm’s mission is to provide a liquid universal workforce.
- AdmitHub’s mission is to make the college admissions process awesome for everyone involved, utilizing an AI-powered text messaging platform to help colleges scale student support.
- Aircrew addresses global needs for air purification for residential, industrial, and automotive sectors through developing advanced catalytic materials.
- AirFox is working reduce the cost of mobile data for consumers by enabling carriers to monetize their data networks.
- Analytical Space provides a data downlink service that enables satellite operators to get up to 3 times more data back to the ground at a lower cost per gigabyte.
- Base Operations believes everyone deserves to feel safe, so they creatively use data to map the security situation in cities in real time, helping people and businesses make better decisions when it matters most.
- Bounce Imaging builds throwable tactical cameras and sensors to keep first responders safe.
- Denttia is building a reporting and analytics platform for dental practices to improve medical and business outcomes.
- Doorbell is a real estate services and technology startup that brings community and convenience to any apartment building.
- Endorse.gg is pioneering influencer marketing for e-sports by connecting brands looking to reach millennials to professional video game players looking for product sponsorships
- Experfy is a Big Data and analytics consulting marketplace.
- GroupX is a platform helping gyms and health clubs maintain consistent quality and awesomeness across their group fitness classes.
- Keyturn is an end-to-end construction management platform that makes all stakeholders more money while ensuring quality work and on-time accurate payment.
- Komodo Technologies provides data engineering and analysis for companies that want to compete to win in today's markets — and tomorrow’s.
- StatusQuota provides upgraded sales technology tools to help sales reps and executives get more out of the software they use today.
- Zoba accurately predicts areas that are at higher risk for crime and terrorism.
Consumer Technology
- Credly is a platform for managing and distributing data-rich digital badges representing skills and certifications that are verified by third parties.
- Getmii lets users broadcast their needs to people nearby and connect with the people that can help them best.
- PHIAR combines artificial intelligence and augmented reality into a new form of in-car GPS system for enhanced safety and more intuitive navigation.
- Private Group Networks is a sophisticated performance optimization tool for teams, clubs and professional associations built around an integrated suite of mobile apps.
- TarDisk doubles your onboard MacBook storage by adding 256GB of secure, seamless storage through a simple, tool-free hardware platform.
Fashion
- Jaxxed is a bold fashion accessories brand that supports education and workforce development opportunities for underserved youth.
- The Wardrobe Essentialist helps professional men make a great impression in today’s meetings using their wardrobe.
Food & Agriculture
- Cache Chocolate crafts delicious truffles to delight food lovers and support cacao farming communities. Each box purchased provides one student lunch.
- Hivemind is a smart beehive that removes the barriers to entry associated with beekeeping, allowing anybody to take part in saving our pollinators.
- Rooted aims to combat environmental degradation by introducing algae in the form of snack foods as a sustainable alternative to animal protein.
- Voodles is working on a healthy, pasta alternative in the form of vegetable noodles.
Media
- RadioPublic is a Public Benefit Corporation launched with founding partner PRX that helps listeners discover, engage with and reward the creators of podcasts.
- The Cohort is the most efficient and enjoyable way for smart people to learn about world affairs.
Reat Estate & Home
- Arcbazar is the first-of-its-kind crowdsourcing platform for architectural, interior and landscape design projects.
- Cozy Kin is Airbnb plus childcare: families sharing great nannies.
- H Square provides a safe, quality, affordable housing alternative for university communities by owning and operating a portfolio of rental properties.
- Lock.In is afintechstartup offering tenant-default insurance for home rentals.
- Nestead builds a mobile inventory of possessions so busy households that shop online can get things done.
Sports & Games
- Nix is a consumer diagnostic company currently developing its initial product: a wearable hydration sensor that empowers athletes to manage their hydration status in real time.
- Plan Fate makes games to help couples build communication skills.
Travel
- Noken is reimagining the tour operator concept for Millennials by curating instant-bookable itineraries that are guided through a signature app.
- Sonder curates weekend trips based on issues that matter.
Social Impact, Education and Culture
- Affect is accelerating the innovations needed to provide every single person in the world with high quality mental health care.
- AllHere is an app that increases K-12 school attendance by 10 percent per year, by quickly notifying families of student absenteeism and by improving family engagement.
- Chinese a la Carte equips travelers for meaningful cross-cultural experiences, using virtual reality to give them the confidence and initiative to use foreign languages abroad.
- ClassForward uses its online video platform to provide teachers with evidence-based feedback from instructional coaches.
- Frank is a professional skills training program that helps companies identify and hire work-ready college graduates for professional jobs.
- Gusto & Gecko’s Travel is a children's edu-tainment venture that fosters appreciation of cultures, and tackles the problem of declining geography literacy.
- Koru Strategy Group provides customized and data-driven professional learning, strategic planning services, and coaching to schools and districts.
- Learn is disrupting the private instruction industry by providing the best instructors at a moment’s notice at a lower cost.
- Nex2us is a platform connecting classrooms around the world through images and critical classroom discussions to promote understanding across cultures.
- Parachute Teachers is creating the world's most trusted online marketplace for on-demand part-time teachers.
- PlenOptika is enabling eye care for all with the QuickSee — a simple, affordable device that prescribes eyeglasses at the push of a button.
- Resistance School provides training for communities to make sustained issue and electoral change that advances fairness, equality, and inclusivity.
- room2learn is a design consultancy and sharing platform that helps educators tailor school spaces to learning and teaching needs.
- Skillist helps middle-skill employers find the talent they need, and that helps community college students get the jobs they deserve.
- Trajectory of Hope is awakening educators to bias regarding black male identities while shifting their mindsets, with the aim of improving school discipline outcomes.
- T-var EdTech creates and sells affordable assistive technologies that teach literacy within a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.
- Two Rabbits is improving access to high-quality early childhood education for the world's most vulnerable children.
- Verticulture is building a modular vertical agriculture system to confront malnutrition, as well as the educational tools to develop vibrant social enterprises in resource-challenged communities.
- Whoo is a platform that provides low-cost, live-streamed micro-courses and a learning community to help Chinese learners know about academic disciplines.
