The Harvard Innovation Labs, an ecosystem that supports Harvard students and select alumni in exploring innovation and entrepreneurship, today announced that it has selected 13 ventures to participate in the inaugural Launch Lab X accelerator program.
“Over the years we’ve heard from many Harvard alumni about the need for a startup accelerator that takes a more tailored approach to helping them build businesses positioned for long-term success,” said Jodi Goldstein, executive director of the Harvard Innovation Labs. “The overwhelming number of impressive applications we received for the first Launch Lab X cohort is reflective of the demand for highly customized startup mentorship and development. Launch Lab X will help founding teams validate and grow their core businesses, which have the potential for significant impact.”
More than 260 ventures from 36 countries applied to Launch Lab X. The cohort is comprised of startups from around the world, from Geneva to San Francisco. Founders represent seven Harvard schools, and are working in a wide variety of fields, including 3D printing technology, digital health consulting, education, and consumer products.
“While all 13 teams are working in different industries, the common denominator between them is their determination to create exceptional businesses, and passion for contributing to the Harvard Innovation Labs vibrant community,” added Goldstein.
The 13 accepted teams will participate in a 9-month program, which is divided into three 90-day sprints. Each sprint will culminate in a pitch and feedback session with investors, prospective customers, and industry leaders, giving teams the time and guidance necessary to improve. Ventures will receive scorecards to track progress, combined with a roadmap designed explicitly for their businesses.
"When you’re growing a company in an industry that requires a lot of trust, a three-month accelerator sprint is not ideal for doing the work to position your business for long-term success,” said Khaled Kteily, founder and CEO of Legacy. “Launch Lab X’s nine-month time frame is one of the many reasons why we applied for the accelerator.”
Launch Lab X startups will also compete for non-dilutive funding as part of the newly-created Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge Alumni Track. The Bertarelli Foundation will fund all of the prize money for the Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge, which will total $410,000 in 2019.
The 2018–2019 Launch Lab X ventures include:
Elektra Labs
- Elektra Labs is building a platform to identify and develop digital biomarkers that can be used in decentralized research and care.
Gain Life
- Gain Life empowers individuals to achieve their best life using evidence-based digital behavior change software.
Jamber
- Using a science-driven approach, Jamber enhances the lives of everyday people by redesigning consumer products that have been overlooked.
Legacy
- Over the past 40 years, male fertility has decreased by more than 50 percent. Legacy addresses this decline in male fertility with a masculine, forward-looking, discreet product you can use at home.
MakerFleet
- MakerFleet builds 3D printer farms that are directly connected to the internet, and writes cloud software that allows people to instantly build products using the company's equipment.
Mobley
- Mobley is building a convenient and affordable alternative to furniture ownership through its rental system.
Nebula Genomics
- Nebula Genomics is using blockchain to reduce the costs of personal genome sequencing and enhance genomic data protection.
Nurse-1-1
- Nurse 1-1 is creating a better way to ask questions about your health than a Google search. The company’s platform connects people to a network of nurses in a way that makes users comfortable, and fits into their busy lifestyles.
Nilus
- Nilus is building a sharing-economy model of food waste rescue, where private drivers pick up food in edible condition and deliver it to community kitchens and shelters.
Pine Health
- Pine Health helps patients follow through on doctor's orders. The company’s AI-based solution uses patient data to trigger text-message conversations with a health coach.
Sage Learning
- Sage Learning is an AI-powered platform for next-generation teaching and learning.
Zoba
- Zoba is a platform for building and deploying spatial machine learning models. Organizations use Zoba to make decisions about operations and expansion related to mobility, healthcare, retail and more.
Zubale
- Zubale transforms how companies engage with consumers across emerging markets.
About The Harvard Innovation Labs
The Harvard Innovation Labs is an ecosystem that supports Harvard students and select alumni in their quest to explore innovation and entrepreneurship. To learn more, visit innovationlabs.harvard.edu.
