MIT & Harvard alumni fuel web3 revolution with startup accelerator 🚀😎

MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator Launches to Support Web3 Founders

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard alumni have collaborated to establish a startup accelerator called the MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator. The program aims to provide support to early-stage web3 founders associated with either institution. Unlike traditional accelerators, this program does not require any equity in return for participation and instead focuses solely on mentorship.

Key Points:

The MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator is a non-dilutive program that supports early-stage web3 founders associated with MIT or Harvard.
The accelerator does not take any equity in the startups it accelerates and is focused on providing mentorship.
The founding mentors of the accelerator are individuals from MIT and Harvard, as well as members from various crypto firms.
To join the accelerator, startups must have at least one member associated with either MIT or Harvard.
The first cohort program of the accelerator will begin next month and run until June.

The MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator is led by four core contributors: Sam Lehman, Luke Xie, Hannah Shen from MIT, and Liang Wu from Harvard. These contributors have extensive experience in the blockchain industry and are committed to supporting early-stage web3 founders.

Founding Mentors

The accelerator’s founding mentors consist of individuals from both MIT and Harvard, as well as members from various crypto firms. Some of these mentors include:

Tieshun Roquerre (aka “Pacman”), founder of the NFT marketplace Blur and Ethereum Layer 2 Blast
Keone Hon and Eunice Giarta, co-founders of Layer 1 blockchain developer Monad Labs
Kenny Li, co-founder of Layer 2 network Manta
Mirza Uddin, head of business development at Injective Labs, a Cosmos-based Layer 1 blockchain network

In addition to these mentors, the accelerator also has unidentified members from crypto firms such as a16z, Avalanche, Dragonfly, Galaxy Digital, Nascent, and Polygon. These individuals provide valuable guidance and support to the startups in the program.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator, startups must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Founding teams must have at least one member associated with either MIT or Harvard.
Members can be current students (undergraduate or graduate), alumni, faculty, researchers, or staff.

This requirement ensures that the program remains closely tied to the MIT and Harvard communities and fosters collaboration among individuals associated with these institutions.

MIT x Harvard Accelerator’s First Cohort

The first cohort program of the MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator will commence next month and conclude in June. The core contributors are currently accepting applications from early-stage web3 founders who meet the eligibility criteria. The applications will be reviewed by the core contributors and leaders of the student clubs at MIT and Harvard before final decisions are made.

Although the accelerator does not take any equity in the startups it supports, its goal is to strengthen both the MIT and Harvard alumni ecosystems as well as the broader Cambridge crypto ecosystem. By providing mentorship and guidance to early-stage web3 founders associated with these institutions, the accelerator aims to foster innovation and drive the growth of the blockchain industry.

It’s worth noting that Sam Lehman, one of the core contributors of the MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator, is also involved with the Beacon accelerator, which was launched in 2022 by Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal. However, Lehman clarified that the MIT x Harvard accelerator is a separate initiative and not connected to his work with Beacon. Similarly, Luke Xie’s involvement with the accelerator is completely separate from his work at Press Start Capital, a fellowship program for crypto founders.

Hot Take: Accelerating Web3 Innovation through Collaboration

The launch of the MIT x Harvard Blockchain Accelerator signifies a strong commitment to supporting early-stage web3 founders associated with these prestigious institutions. By providing mentorship and guidance, this non-dilutive program aims to empower entrepreneurs and drive innovation in the blockchain industry. The collaboration between MIT and Harvard alumni, as well as mentors from various crypto firms, creates a unique ecosystem that fosters growth and collaboration.

The first cohort program will undoubtedly pave the way for groundbreaking projects and further establish Cambridge as a hub for blockchain innovation. As more startups join the accelerator and benefit from the mentorship provided by experienced industry professionals, we can expect to see new ideas and technologies emerge that push the boundaries of what is possible in the web3 space.