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Students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard have joined forces to launch a new startup accelerator, specifically aimed at supporting early-stage founders in the web3 space who have ties to any of these prestigious institutions. This initiative, called MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator, stands out for being a non-dilutive program, which means that it does not seek equity in the startups it helps. Sam Lehman, a central figure at the accelerator, emphasized: “Our approach is solely focused on mentoring, with no immediate intention to invest or grant grants.”
The accelerator is powered by a team of core collaborators, including MIT’s Sam Lehman, Luke Xie, and Hannah Shen, along with Harvard’s Liang Wu. They are supported by a group of founding mentors, all of whom are connected to these institutions. This distinguished lineup includes Tieshun Roquerre, the mastermind behind NFT Market Ethereum Layer 2 Blur and Explode; Keone Hon and Eunice Giarta, the duo behind layer 1 blockchain developer Monad Labs; Kenny Li, co-founder of the Layer 2 Manta network; and Mirza Uddin, who leads business development at Injective Labs, known for its Cosmos-based Layer 1 blockchain network.
The accelerator also has mentors from renowned crypto companies such as a16z, Avalanche, Dragonfly, Galaxy Digital, Nascent, and Polygon. However, Lehman noted, “I cannot reveal their identities due to their respective companies’ policies.”
Participation in the Accelerator Program
Eligibility for the accelerator requires startups to have at least one team member with a connection to MIT or Harvard, whether as a student, alumni, faculty, researcher, or staff. This criterion ensures a strong link between the accelerator and its founding institutions.
Strengthen MIT and Harvard alumni networks, as well as the broader Cambridge crypto ecosystem.
The inaugural MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator cohort is scheduled to begin next month and end in June. The application process is currently open, and final selection of participants will be made by senior contributors in collaboration with student club leaders from both institutions. Lehman shared: “Our goal is to strengthen the MIT and Harvard alumni networks, as well as the broader Cambridge crypto ecosystem.”
Notably, Lehman also plays a key role in Beacon, another accelerator launched in 2022 by Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal. However, he claims that the MIT x Harvard blockchain accelerator operates independently of his work with Beacon. Similarly, Luke Xie’s involvement in Press Start Capital, a scholarship program for cryptocurrency founders, is distinct from his role in the accelerator.
Harvard is a strong supporter of blockchain and they recently announced that they would host the third annual edition. Harvard Blockchain Conference
Tickets are now on sale for our third annual Harvard Blockchain Conference!
🗓️ Saturday – Sunday, April 13 and 14
📌Northwest Building, Harvard University
🖊️ Register here: https://t.co/p2aNRTH0OYFree tickets for students (with .edu) and early bird booking for only $20.
– Harvard Blockchain (@HBSCryptoClub) February 25, 2024
Stanford University also has a blockchain accelerator with a comparable focus, which has successfully launched companies such as Modulus Labs, Nocturne, Zero Gravity, and Caldera.
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