Ventures | MITdesignX - MITdesignX

designX 2025

Utilizing harvested crop stubble for construction as an alternative from crop burning.

An AI-powered storytelling platform that combines large language models and physical play to allow children to co-create stories in real-time.

Correlating real-time incidents of war-related violence from social media platforms with displacement patterns to better coordinate humanitarian aid distribution.

A fashion marketplace where secondhand stores and individuals can locally buy, sell, or rent their collections via an infinite commission model.

A design-to-fabrication workflow to generate high-performance walls from salvaged or cutoff studs.

CLIMA Technologies

An AI software that dynamically adjusts temperature setpoints in multi-zone commercial buildings.

Pre-fabricated construction material built on the power of structural curves.

Using speech-to-text, VLM, LLM, and low-tech tablets to better design and execute construction punchlists.

Creating second-life battery solutions.

A visual news platform that leverages machine learning technologies to curate and present news stories that are customized to each user’s unique informational needs, familiarity, and preferences.

A coconut fiber-based composite that offers a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials.

An AI-powered social impact assessment and informative platform tailored for real estate developers.

A small-scale biogas upgrader and generator for households.

Giving coffee grounds a second life – Coffee Leather has the touch, feel, and durability of leather while being 100% biodegradable.

Vassar Robotics

Advanced automation for metal 3D printing post-processing.

An agri-knowledge management solution powered by a knowledge graph-grounded AI for farmers to acquire, share and manage knowledge.

Civic Leaders of Today

A peer-to-peer learning platform aimed at making government more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of its citizens.

Helping people better prepare for everyday uncertainties by designing a series of beautiful, intuitive, dual-use personal objects that have an embedded emergency use.

Indonesia’s AI-assisted virtual primary care clinic dedicated to women’s sexual and reproductive health.

Empowering homeowners and contractors to build modular, flexible structures with locally sourced, natural materials.

Developing dynamic surfaces that support health and wellbeing, such as a wheelchair cushion that prevents pressure injuries.

Bridging gaps in access by centralizing health and social services into one intuitive platform – using AI to automate the most bureaucratic steps.

Helping struggling informal businesses reach more customers, secure a steady income, and scale through a digital network.

Adaptable, modular, and easily deployable bamboo structures to create spaces such as classrooms, clinics, and community centers in displaced communities.

Leveraging generative AI, VR, and AR to create immersive simulations for community engagement.

Predictive mapping to protect coastal communities and regions.

Furniture asset manager and marketplace.

Medium is the Massage. Tailor-made technology that feels you.

A computer vision-based 3D monitoring technology synced with a marketplace that helps contractors efficiently manage and resell construction waste

Safer food systems for all

A good fit for growing feet

The Middle Frame

Not your typical Arab images

Accelerating the transition towards a circular economy by developing new biodegradable materials.

An autonomous solution for rapid building envelope diagnostics using aerial data and cloud computing.

Inclusion improves innovation.

Experience rare design.

Harness the Heat

Urban comfort out of thin air

A location Intelligence, AI prediction platform built to help tangible businesses scale.

Using the value of waste to create better living conditions in refugee camps.

Somoto transforms community infrastructure into creative learning spaces for young people

Improving transit stations through revolutionary retail

Matching developers with diverse artists and managing public art requirements

Creating exceptional learning environments, right out of the box

Design learning in a box

Digital platform to improve housing and mobility choices of lower income populations

Database and platform to improve government buy-out process of flood prone properties

Preconstruction intelligence for architects and manufacturers

Starlings Technology

Enhancing the sustainability, safety, and harmony of urban streets with peer-to-peer synchronized technology for micromobility

Live Large in Small Space

A marketplace digitalization of informal economies operating in low income environments

Enabling low income workers in India to make insightful seasonal migration decisions for employment, housing and transportation.

A business-to-consumer company that will help homeowners save their architectural histories using digital fabrication.

Creating a world where every building makes us healthier

Zilper Trenchless

A novel machine for installing pipelines in urban environments without digging trenches.

A social enterprise that matches empty nesters with graduate students to provide housing and social solutions.

Software algorithms to turn simple pictures into intelligent 3D models for design and renovation.

Technology to identify, design and develop neighborhood-scale housing with the efficiencies of larger development.

LearningBeautiful

Creating Montessori-inspired toys for young children to learn computer science-without using computers.

A space utilization analytics company helping managers of physical space maximize the utility of their assets through automated monitoring.

Biobot Analytics

Measuring the concentration of drugs that are excreted in urine and collected in sewers and mapping this data to empower communities to tackle the opioid epidemic in real time.

Transforming public buses into vehicles of urban exploration by employing audio-augmented reality on smartphones.

Capturing and converting aerial imagery into digital CAD plans for site surveys and construction monitoring.

Revolutionary new financing model for homeownership that allows a greater cross section of society to engage in the housing market.

Connecting infrastructure providers with people living in informal communities in the developing world.

Software to help commercial real estate investors, brokers, and lenders make data-driven investment decisions based on planning and environmental trends and forecasts.

Empowering creative communities in cities by transforming vacant and underutilized buildings into collective and collaborative artist studios and gallery space.

Next generation all-weather boot sold direct-to-consumer.

Real-time diagnostic "smart tattoo" for human skin to monitor levels of blood analytes like glucose, sodium, potassium, albumin, and others such as those found on a basic blood panel.

Physical and digital interface to influence and record your dreams.

Public space infrastructure for disaster resilience and response.

Early childhood learning environment furniture in rural and developing parts of India.

AI-enabled adaptive environment for improving yields in indoor agriculture.

MIT Accelerating Innovation in Design, Cities, and the Built Environemnt

crop*d Utilizing harvested crop stubble for construction as an alternative from crop burning.

Geni An AI-powered storytelling platform that combines large language models and physical play to allow children to co-create stories in real-time.

acaciapulse Correlating real-time incidents of war-related violence from social media platforms with displacement patterns to better coordinate humanitarian aid distribution.

Helix A fashion marketplace where secondhand stores and individuals can locally buy, sell, or rent their collections via an infinite commission model.

reframe A design-to-fabrication workflow to generate high-performance walls from salvaged or cutoff studs.

CLIMA Technologies An AI software that dynamically adjusts temperature setpoints in multi-zone commercial buildings.

ARCA Pre-fabricated construction material built on the power of structural curves.

DAERO Using speech-to-text, VLM, LLM, and low-tech tablets to better design and execute construction punchlists.

Axiom Creating second-life battery solutions.

Traverse A visual news platform that leverages machine learning technologies to curate and present news stories that are customized to each user’s unique informational needs, familiarity, and preferences.

Kokus A coconut fiber-based composite that offers a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials.

TangibleImpact An AI-powered social impact assessment and informative platform tailored for real estate developers.

BioBoost A small-scale biogas upgrader and generator for households.

Cortado Giving coffee grounds a second life – Coffee Leather has the touch, feel, and durability of leather while being 100% biodegradable.

Vassar Robotics Advanced automation for metal 3D printing post-processing.

Numanac An agri-knowledge management solution powered by a knowledge graph-grounded AI for farmers to acquire, share and manage knowledge.

Civic Leaders of Today A peer-to-peer learning platform aimed at making government more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of its citizens.

BosaiPlus+ Helping people better prepare for everyday uncertainties by designing a series of beautiful, intuitive, dual-use personal objects that have an embedded emergency use.

Empati Indonesia’s AI-assisted virtual primary care clinic dedicated to women’s sexual and reproductive health.

COBI Empowering homeowners and contractors to build modular, flexible structures with locally sourced, natural materials.

TOPPA Developing dynamic surfaces that support health and wellbeing, such as a wheelchair cushion that prevents pressure injuries.

BridgeHealthAI Bridging gaps in access by centralizing health and social services into one intuitive platform – using AI to automate the most bureaucratic steps.

ONE Community Helping struggling informal businesses reach more customers, secure a steady income, and scale through a digital network.

BendShelters Adaptable, modular, and easily deployable bamboo structures to create spaces such as classrooms, clinics, and community centers in displaced communities.

Mí.katã Leveraging generative AI, VR, and AR to create immersive simulations for community engagement.

Littor.al Predictive mapping to protect coastal communities and regions.

Loopa Furniture asset manager and marketplace.

SofDesk Medium is the Massage. Tailor-made technology that feels you.

Ingot AI A computer vision-based 3D monitoring technology synced with a marketplace that helps contractors efficiently manage and resell construction waste

Chakula bora Safer food systems for all

romps A good fit for growing feet

The Middle Frame Not your typical Arab images

Hera Materials Accelerating the transition towards a circular economy by developing new biodegradable materials.

Lamarr.ai An autonomous solution for rapid building envelope diagnostics using aerial data and cloud computing.

Visible Hands Inclusion improves innovation.

Rarify Experience rare design.

Harness the Heat Urban comfort out of thin air

Tangible A location Intelligence, AI prediction platform built to help tangible businesses scale.

ReFuse Using the value of waste to create better living conditions in refugee camps.

Somoto Somoto transforms community infrastructure into creative learning spaces for young people

T-Space Improving transit stations through revolutionary retail

p(art)ner Matching developers with diverse artists and managing public art requirements

Out of the Box Creating exceptional learning environments, right out of the box

Elements Design learning in a box

ECHO Digital platform to improve housing and mobility choices of lower income populations

Buy-In Database and platform to improve government buy-out process of flood prone properties

acelab Preconstruction intelligence for architects and manufacturers

Starlings Technology Enhancing the sustainability, safety, and harmony of urban streets with peer-to-peer synchronized technology for micromobility

TULU Live Large in Small Space

Quipu A marketplace digitalization of informal economies operating in low income environments

Bandhu’ Enabling low income workers in India to make insightful seasonal migration decisions for employment, housing and transportation.

Ogee! A business-to-consumer company that will help homeowners save their architectural histories using digital fabrication.

Spatio Metrics Creating a world where every building makes us healthier

Zilper Trenchless A novel machine for installing pipelines in urban environments without digging trenches.

Nesterly A social enterprise that matches empty nesters with graduate students to provide housing and social solutions.

HostaLabs Software algorithms to turn simple pictures into intelligent 3D models for design and renovation.

Placeful Technology to identify, design and develop neighborhood-scale housing with the efficiencies of larger development.

LearningBeautiful Creating Montessori-inspired toys for young children to learn computer science-without using computers.

Bitsence A space utilization analytics company helping managers of physical space maximize the utility of their assets through automated monitoring.

Biobot Analytics Measuring the concentration of drugs that are excreted in urine and collected in sewers and mapping this data to empower communities to tackle the opioid epidemic in real time.

Alight Transforming public buses into vehicles of urban exploration by employing audio-augmented reality on smartphones.

Airworks Capturing and converting aerial imagery into digital CAD plans for site surveys and construction monitoring.

Frolic Revolutionary new financing model for homeownership that allows a greater cross section of society to engage in the housing market.

Kawsay Connecting infrastructure providers with people living in informal communities in the developing world.

predictRE Software to help commercial real estate investors, brokers, and lenders make data-driven investment decisions based on planning and environmental trends and forecasts.

Spaceus Empowering creative communities in cities by transforming vacant and underutilized buildings into collective and collaborative artist studios and gallery space.

Season Three Next generation all-weather boot sold direct-to-consumer.

SkinPixel Real-time diagnostic "smart tattoo" for human skin to monitor levels of blood analytes like glucose, sodium, potassium, albumin, and others such as those found on a basic blood panel.

Dormio Physical and digital interface to influence and record your dreams.

PREPHub Public space infrastructure for disaster resilience and response.

Credi Early childhood learning environment furniture in rural and developing parts of India.

Adaviv AI-enabled adaptive environment for improving yields in indoor agriculture.

Applications for the MITdesignX 2026 Cohort will Open October 1

MITdesignX in Venice and Dubai Applications open for our accelerator programs in Venice and Dubai. Online courses at MITdesignX We are excited to offer a unique online course for venture creation and solution design.

Join us Our Supporters

news 06.16.2025

Acelab Partners with mindful MATERIALS

Acelab‘s (MITdesignX 20) strategic partnership with mindful MATERIALS integrates the Common Materials Framework (CMF) directly into their Materials Hub platform.

Read more here:

https://www.archpaper.com/2025/05/acelab-mindful-materials-strategic-partnership/

news 06.16.2025

News Detective and the Future of Fact-checking

In an article for Tech Policy Press, The News Detective (MITdesignX 22) founder Ilana Strauss explores how platforms like Meta are moving away from professional fact-checking—and how hybrid models like theirs can step in to fill the gap.

Read it here:
Meta Is Ditching Fact-Checkers. ThatDoe sn’t Have to Be a Disaster

news 10.31.2023

MITdesignX Global Reach

MITdesignX Extends Its Reach With Seven Highly Successful International Programs

More is this MAD MIT story.

news 10.21.2023

Ganadores del programa acelerador para la Transición Energética en México

MITdesignX CDMX 2023 supported twelve startups addressing the energy transition this summer and awarded three top prizes to Oxtron, VEU, and Batu.

Read more (en español) at Fortuna

news 10.21.2023

How startup Tulu is upending the bias for ownership

Tulu (MITdesignX 18) is working to change the bias for ownership. It provides modular rental units for buildings, offering household items such as vacuum cleaners, home theater projectors and waffle makers. The company seeks to reshape consumption habits, particularly in cities where space and financial constraints make many purchases wasteful and unnecessary.

Read more at Greenbiz

news 01.20.2023

Learning Beautiful brings MIT’s “mind and hand” ethos to early childhood education

With so many educational tools that are “screen-based and focused solely on coding,” Kim Smith Claudel created Learning Beautiful (MITdesignX 17) – a business making tactile and beautiful materials to teach computation without computers. Read about Kim’s work in MIT news.

news 11.14.2022

Influence your dreams with the Dormio V3

Now available: the The Dormio V3 – a hand-worn device that tracks changes in three bio signals to identify when there is a window of opportunity to play audio that will influence your dreams. Find out more at MAKE:

news 11.14.2022

TIME magazine names Biobot one of the 100 Best Innovations in 2022 for Social Good

COVID may have mainstreamed wastewater epidemiology, and Biobot is the leader: TIME Best Innovations of 2022

news 09.21.2022

Out of the Box (MITdesignX 2020) honored as finalists in FastCompany’s 2022 Innovation by Design Awards

The team is a finalist in the “Learning” category for their classroom-in-a-box product. Read the list here: https://www.fastcompany.com/90772183/learning-innovation-by-design-2022

news 09.19.2022

Dormio (MITdesignX 2018) shares guide to create DIY wearable “Dream Incubator”

Learn about the team’s latest version of their sleep tracker, which they refer to as the “Dormio Dream Incubator”. Read more: https://makezine.com/projects/dormio-dream-incubator/

news 06.27.2022

MIT News and Quipu Marketplace CEO Mercedes Bidart Discuss Decentralized Banking

MIT News interviews co-founder and CEO of Quipu Market, and MITDesignX 2019 alumna, Mercedes Bidart (SM ’19). Bidart discusses her startup’s growth and its vision for decentralized banking. Read the story at: https://news.mit.edu/2022/quipu-market-business-loans-0624

news 05.27.2022

Mariana Matus (co-founder, Biobot Analytics) is ranked on the Boston Globe’s ‘Tech Power Players 50’ list

Mariana is the co-founder of Biobot Analytics (MITdesignX 2017) is ranked #8 among the 50 top people influencing the technology industry in Massachusetts. Read more: https://bostontechleaders.bostonglobe.com/people/mariana-matus-biobot-analytics/

news 05.24.2022

Visible Hands (MITdesignX 2020) partners with Google on Latinx entrepreneur training

Together with Google, Visible Hands will launch a program called VHLX to train 20 selected individuals on the basics of building a start-up and attracting funding. Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/24/business/boston-vcs-partner-with-google-entrepreneur-training/

news 05.17.2022

Biobot Named Top 50 CNBC ‘Disruptor’ Company

Biobot Analytics (MITDesignX 2017) is among the top 50 private companies named on the CNBC Disruptors list. Read their entry here: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/17/biobot-analytics-disruptor-50.html

news 04.22.2022

TULU (MITdesignX 18) closes $20 million Series A round led by VC New Era Capital Partners

Read more: CTECH

news 04.22.2022

Roofscapes’ (MITdesignX 20) approach to greening roofs highlighted in Le Figaro

Read here (in French): Le Figaro

news 03.25.2022

Kelly Leilani Main, Co-Founder of Buy-In Community Planning (MITDesignX 20), Named A Grist 50 2022 Fixer

Cofounder & Executive Director of Buy-In Community Planning, Kelly Leilani Main, is named a Grist 50 2022 Fixer. She joins a group of emerging leaders in sustainability, climate, and equity. Read her story here: https://grist.org/fix/grist-50/2022/#kelly-leilani-main

news 03.09.2022

Quipu Market (DesignX ’19) is named a top 10 Most Innovative Company in Latin America by Fast Company

Co-founders Mercedes Bidart, Juan Cristobal Constain, and Viviana Siless continue their work of building communities by supporting microbusinesses. Read the list here: https://t.co/vwe2SHUDd8

news 03.07.2022

Roofscapes (x20) is among leading innovators featured in this must-read piece by Axelle Parriaux from the BBC

https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/the-people-building-edible-cities/

news 02.08.2022

Jean-Jacques Degroof (PhD ’02 Sloan) Shares the Story of Entrepreneurship at MIT Through the Lens of MITDesignX

With MITDesignX and Biobot Analytics as the focus, Jean-Jacques Degroof explores the entrepreneurial ecosystem here at MIT. Read more: https://mitsap.medium.com/from-the-lab-to-the-marketplace-5edc49920f06

news 01.20.2022

Mariana Matus (co-founder, Biobot Analytics) Explains COVID-19 Case Forecasting Using Sewage Data

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/health/covid-omicron-wastewater-sewage.html

news 01.05.2022

Lamarr.AI (DesignX 2022) Joins Gensler For Second Phase of US Department of Energy E-ROBOT Prize

The team will join Gensler as a partner, where the team will share their expertise and suite of built environment AI tools. Read more here: https://www.gensler.com/blog/recruiting-robotics-against-climate-change

news 01.03.2022

Biobot Analytics (MITDesignX ’17) among top wastewater analysis leaders tracking Covid-19 surge

Read how they are responding here: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna10451

news 01.03.2022

Mariana Matus (co-founder, Biobot Analytics) details the predictive power of wastewater analysis

Mariana Matus, co-founder of @BiobotAnalytics (MITdesignX 17) explains how wastewater analysis can give a very early indication of the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) in cities. Read more here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-track-covid-19-surges-scientists-are-studying-sewage-11640082603

news 12.23.2021

Biobot Analytics (MITDesignX 2017) is named a Newsweek Disruptor

Read the list here: https://www.newsweek.com/2021/12/24/americas-greatest-disruptors-enterprising-idealists-1659084.html

news 12.23.2021

Out of the Box (MITDesignX 2020) shares their curriculum development with Dorm Room Fund

Read the interview here: https://blog.dormroomfund.com/post/how-education-startup-out-of-the-box-builds-preschool-curriculums

news 12.23.2021

Zilper Trenchless (MITDesignX 2019) receives funding from Bertzman Social Ventures

Read more here: https://bertzman.com/bertzman-funds-zilper-trenchless

news 10.22.2021

Biobot Analytics (x17) raises $20 million in Series A financing

Read more at the following link: Bloomberg

news 09.13.2021

Roofscapes (x20) debuts exhibition for the 2021 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism.

Designed for the 2021 Seoul Biennale, it is currently on view in Paris, France. Learn more: https://www.roofscapes.studio/newsfeed/head-in-the-clouds-at-academie-du-climat

news 07.22.2021

Adaviv (DesignX 2018) Raises $2.3M in Seed Round

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/adaviv-raises-2-3m-upsized-124900792.html

news 07.14.2021

Acelab (DesignX 2020) Announces $3.5M Seed Round

Read more: https://blog.acelabusa.com/acelab-announces-3-5m-seed-round-to-build-marketplace-for-architects-and-manufacturers/

news 06.30.2021

Visible Hands Receives $750,000 Philanthropic Contribution

Visible Hands (DesignX 2020) has received a $750,000 philanthropic contribution from JPMorgan Chase in support of their inaugural fellowship program. Read More: https://medium.com/visible-hands-vc/visible-hands-receives-750-000-philanthropic-contribution-from-jpmorgan-chase-ed2295c0405a

news 06.07.2021

Visible Hands (x20) highlighted for their work increasing diversity in venture capital

Read more: Boston Globe

news 06.07.2021

Two DesignX alumni teams are winners of the 2021 Virginia RISE Coastal Community Resilience Challenge

Hosta Labs (DesignX 2017) and Zilper Trenchless (DesignX 2019) are finalists of the RISE challenge that will enable them to perform pilots, in addition to their grant prizes. Read more: https://t.co/smBzPWXy97?amp=1

news 05.18.2021

How a Confluence of Technology and Social Concerns Will Shape Infrastructure in the Post-Pandemic City

The DesignX hosted symposium, “Design >> Fast-Forward”, is featured in this review and discussion of the infrastructure design and construction topics presented across panels.

news 04.09.2021

Visible Hands’ (dX 2020) inaugural virtual fellowship highlighted

Visible Hands’ newly announced virtual fellowship is highlighted in BostInno. Applications for their fellowship are open now. Read more here.

news 03.05.2021

Zilper Trenchless (dx 19) is listed on Forbes’ Top 30 Business Promises in Colombia for 2021

Zilper Trenchless, members of the 2019 designX cohort, currently operate in Colombia. Read more here (ESP): https://forbes.co/2021/03/05/emprendedores/las30deforbes-zilper-trenchless/amp/

news 02.26.2021

Entrepreneurial journey of UMarket (dx21) co-founder Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor and his family are featured in the Boston Globe.

Read more here: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/02/26/metro/evicted-boston-new-west-african-restaurant-is-being-welcomed-providence/

news 02.17.2021

Biobot’s (dx 17) wastewater expertise highlighted in fight against rising COVID strains – Vice News

Read more here: https://www.vice.com/en/article/3anemj/we-need-a-national-poop-testing-strategy-to-stop-mutant-coronavirus-strains

news 01.14.2021

Natasha Sadikin (designX 2020) speaks to MIT News on real estate and design

Natasha Sadikin, member of designX 2020 venture P(art)ner, speaks to MIT News about the confluence of design and real estate in her work. https://news.mit.edu/2021/sadikin-real-estate-design-0114

news 01.05.2021

Biobot Analytics recognized as a top 100 GovTech company for 2021

Read more here: https://www.govtech.com/biz/Essential-The-2021-GovTech-100.html

news 01.04.2021

Acelab selected as a top architecture startup to follow by Startupill

Acelab (designX 2020) has been recognized as a top architecture startup to follow. See the complete list here: https://startupill.com/38-innovative-architecture-startups-worth-a-follow-in-2020/

news 12.10.2020

Biobot Analytics’ work recognized as Technology of the Year by Smart Cities Dive

Biobot Analytics’ (MITdesignX 2017) wastewater epidemiology tech has been recognized as “Technology of the Year”.

Read more: https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/technology-of-year-biobot-analytics-2020/588313/

news 11.25.2020

Biobot Analytics and MIT professor highlight epidemiological power of toilets

Biobot Analytics (MITdesignx 2017) and MIT professor Eric Alm explain the public health insights to be gained from our toilets. Read more here.

news 10.28.2020

Biobot Analytics wastewater expertise highlighted by CNN amid rising Covid cases

As Covid-19 cases rise across the U.S., Biobot’s technology and analysis are being used as part of the public health arsenals of municipalities across the country. Read more here.

news 10.15.2020

Quipu Places Third in the Visa Everywhere Initiative

Quipu, members of the 2020 MITdesignX cohort, placed third in the Visa Everywhere Initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean. You can learn more about the initiative and watch the virtual showcase here.

news 10.04.2020

Biobot helping get schools reopened sooner

“What we measure today predicts what happens in the community in four to seven days. So it’s sort of like looking into a crystal ball in the shape of a toilet,”

Watch here on WGBH

news 07.23.2020

Season Three discusses boot design with Design Milk

Season Three (MITdesignX 2018) walks Design Milk through the creative process of their first boot, the Ansel. Read more: https://design-milk.com/season-three-breaks-down-the-design-process-behind-the-ansel/

news 07.22.2020

AirWorks selected as finalist in 2020 New England Innovation Awards

AirWorks, member of the 2018 MITdesignX cohort, is among 25 firms selected from New England to move onto the finals in October. Read more here.

news 07.20.2020

The first QuipuMarket is profiled in El Heraldo

The community of Villas de San Pablo in Barranquilla, Colombia, the location of the first QuipuMarket created by team Quipu (2019), is featured. Read more.

news 06.30.2020

Scientific American highlights work of Biobot Analytics and wastewater-based epidemiology

news 06.22.2020

Season Three’s Brand and Start-Up Journey Featured

Season Three, a fashion brand and alum of MITdesignX (2008), share their history and their brand philosophy in this feature. Read more.

news 05.12.2020

DesignX Team TULU Offers Renters In-Building Products and Services

DesignX 2018 team TULU is equipping New Yorkers with household products, printers, and mobility options right from their own building. Read more.

news 04.27.2020

Biobot Analytics raises $4.2 Million in funding, supporting COVID-19 research

Biobot Analytics, member of the inaugural MITdesignX cohort, has raised $4.2 million in funding to support their research into COVID-19. Read more.

news 04.26.2020

Nesterly teams up with the City of Boston to promote volunteerism for the elderly

Nesterly, a MITdesignX alumna team, has partnered with the City of Boston to launch the ‘Good Neighbors’ program. Read more.

news 02.04.2020

AirWorks named one of Boston’s “50 Startups to Watch in 2020”

AirWorks, alum of the 2018 MITdesignX cohort, is listed among Built In Boston’s 50 Startups to watch this year. Read the list here: https://tinyurl.com/s8yxjsq

news 02.04.2020

Biobot Analytics listed on New York Times’ 2019 “Good Tech Awards”

MITdesignX 2017 alum, Biobot Analytics, has been listed on the New York Times’ 2019 “Good Tech Awards”, in recognition of their work tackling the opioid crisis. Read more.

news 02.04.2020

SpaceUs discusses the future of artists spaces with Fast Company

A wonderful feature on SpaceUs, an MITdesignX 2018 alum, and the future of artist spaces. Read more.

news 02.04.2020

Season Three founders discuss brand building with Forbes

Season Three, graduates of the MITdesignX 2018 cohort, are interviewed about their unique branding strategy. Read more.

news 12.03.2019

MITdesignX alum Lipifai featured on list of upcoming assistive tech in Israel

Lipifai, an alum of MITdesignX cohort 2019, is featured on a list of burgeoning, Israeli-based assistive tech. Read more.

news 07.29.2019

MITdesignX Faculty Director’s firm designs new marine city in China

Professor Dennis Frenchman and his firm, Tekuma Frenchman, win competition to reimagine the waterfront in Shenzhen, China. Read more at MIT NEWS

news 07.24.2019

Nesterly CEO interviewed by NPR to discuss housing crisis

Nesterly (MITdesignX cohort 2017) CEO Noelle Marcus discusses the global housing crisis through the lens of renters and senior homeowners.

news 06.28.2019

Zilper Trenchless highlighted in The Buzz

A member of the 2019 MITdesignX cohort, Zilper Trenchless is highlighted in The Buzz. Read more about their history and their future here.

news 06.07.2019

MITdesignX highlighted as source for design entrepreneurs in Architect Magazine

MITdesignX’s curriculum is highlighted in this May Architect Magazine’s survey of entrepreneurs in the building industry. Read more.

news 05.24.2019

Nesterly featured in Wall Street Journal article on innovations in urban senior living

news 04.10.2019

Zilper Trenchless wins prizes at Rice University Business Plan Competition

MITdesignX 2019 venture Zilper Trenchless wins multiple cash prizes at the annual Rice Business Plan Competition. In total, they won $435,000. Read more.

news 04.10.2019

MET Fund launched to support MITdesignX

Seed fund will support venture-design education and entrepreneurship in the School of Architecture and Planning. Read more.

news 03.27.2019

Zilper Trenchless inducted into Imagine H2O’s 10th annual accelerator

MITdesignX 2019 venture Zilper Trenchless has been accepted into Imagine H20 2019’s cohort. They also received the Audience Choice Award at Imagine H2O Demo Day.

news 03.21.2019

Storefronts go from empty to artistic

Spaceus, MITdesignX 2018 alums, are among those featured in this article on transforming empty storefronts in Massachusetts.

news 03.19.2019

Rethinking What Makes a Great Roommate

MITdesignX venture Nesterly (Cohort 2017) is featured in this AARP article:

news 03.07.2019

Israeli and Palestinian architects and planners seek common ground on innovation, entrepreneurship

news 02.21.2019

Biobot Analytics (MITDesignX 2017) Named a Forbes Women-Led Startup “Crushing Tech”

Biobot Analytics is included among 50 top women led startups, curated by Forbes magazine (2019). Read more here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/allysonkapin/2019/02/20/50-women-led-startups-who-are-crushing-tech/?sh=7293a66d52b3

press 02.01.2019

Cohort 2018 team AirWorks raises $2.3M seed round

press 12.04.2018

MITdesignX Selects New Cohort: Nine multi-disciplinary teams join MIT’s design entrepreneurship accelerator

press 07.31.2018

This MIT Startup, AirWorks, Aims To Be The Top Aerial Data Analytics Service For Construction Firms

press 07.19.2018

Seniors have too much house. Millennials have none. And a business model is born.

MITdesignX Cohort 2017 start-up nesterly featured in the Globe and Mail:

press 06.25.2018

Scientists can track the spread of opioids in sewers. But do cities want to know what lies below?

Biobot helps cities transform sewage into actionable public health data to tackle the opioid crisis.

press 04.21.2018

Inside MIT’s Future Factory

Cohort 2018 startup Dormio featured on 60 Minutes:

news 05.11.2017

How Startup Accelerator DesignX Turns Architecture Students into Entrepreneurs

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2019 Cohort

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2025

crop*d Utilizing harvested crop stubble for construction as an alternative from…

Geni An AI-powered storytelling platform that combines large language models and…

acaciapulse Correlating real-time incidents of war-related violence from social media platforms…

Helix A fashion marketplace where secondhand stores and individuals can locally…

reframe A design-to-fabrication workflow to generate high-performance walls from salvaged or…

CLIMA Technologies An AI software that dynamically adjusts temperature setpoints in multi-zone…

ARCA Pre-fabricated construction material built on the power of structural curves.

DAERO Using speech-to-text, VLM, LLM, and low-tech tablets to better design…

Axiom Creating second-life battery solutions.

Traverse A visual news platform that leverages machine learning technologies to…

Kokus A coconut fiber-based composite that offers a sustainable alternative to…

TangibleImpact An AI-powered social impact assessment and informative platform tailored for…

BioBoost A small-scale biogas upgrader and generator for households.

2024

Cortado Giving coffee grounds a second life – Coffee Leather has…

Vassar Robotics Advanced automation for metal 3D printing post-processing.

Numanac An agri-knowledge management solution powered by a knowledge graph-grounded AI…

Civic Leaders of Today A peer-to-peer learning platform aimed at making government more efficient,…

BosaiPlus+ Helping people better prepare for everyday uncertainties by designing a…

Empati Indonesia’s AI-assisted virtual primary care clinic dedicated to women’s sexual…

COBI Empowering homeowners and contractors to build modular, flexible structures with…

TOPPA Developing dynamic surfaces that support health and wellbeing, such as…

BridgeHealthAI Bridging gaps in access by centralizing health and social services…

ONE Community Helping struggling informal businesses reach more customers, secure a steady…

BendShelters Adaptable, modular, and easily deployable bamboo structures to create spaces…

Mí.katã Leveraging generative AI, VR, and AR to create immersive simulations…

2023

Owl Sights Activating surveillance cameras for real-time crime detection and preventing incidents…

Jane Any home can be a net zero home

Littor.al Predictive mapping to protect coastal communities and regions.

Loopa Furniture asset manager and marketplace.

SofDesk Medium is the Massage. Tailor-made technology that feels you.

Ingot AI A computer vision-based 3D monitoring technology synced with a marketplace…

Construct(); (easily) create 3D environments via speech-to-space AI.

AfterStock Carbon-conscious reuse platform, coordinating a second life for materials from…

Chakula bora Safer food systems for all

Capture Your needs, Your Energy

Purifyx Providing clean water solutions in India with low-tech, low-cost, high-impact…

Cradle Wherever You Go, We Go!

romps A good fit for growing feet

2022

News Detective Fighting misinformation on social media.

Hera Materials Accelerating the transition towards a circular economy by developing new…

Lamarr.ai An autonomous solution for rapid building envelope diagnostics using aerial…

Brella Reinventing apparel return infrastructure to reduce environmental and economic waste.

Grain Box Optimizing post-harvest value chain for smallholder farmers in rural India.

La Firme Democratizing access to architectural and engineering services in Latin America…

Civic Atlas Helping local governments build trust and fight gridlock through simpler…

Cohab Improving quality, costs, and resiliency of home maintenance for low-to-middle…

RE: Stacks Designing the residential garage of the future.

tervi Completing affordable housing in Columbia.

AiRCAD 3D modeling technology to make content creation easy and accessible…

2021

The Middle Frame Not your typical Arab images

Harness the Heat Urban comfort out of thin air

Tangible A location Intelligence, AI prediction platform built to help tangible…

Vertify Analytics Combining drone technology and digital collaboration tools to revolutionize urban…

ReFuse Using the value of waste to create better living conditions…

Clearstory Creating equity through negotiation.

Somoto Somoto transforms community infrastructure into creative learning spaces for young…

Share a Shelf An urban microbusiness cultivator for retail and food vendors of…

2020

Visible Hands Inclusion improves innovation.

Rarify Experience rare design.

T-Space Improving transit stations through revolutionary retail

p(art)ner Matching developers with diverse artists and managing public art requirements

Out of the Box Creating exceptional learning environments, right out of the box

Roofscapes Making Green Places on the Roofs of Paris

Elements Design learning in a box

ECHO Digital platform to improve housing and mobility choices of lower…

Buy-In Database and platform to improve government buy-out process of flood…

acelab Preconstruction intelligence for architects and manufacturers

Starlings Technology Enhancing the sustainability, safety, and harmony of urban streets with…

2019

Quipu A marketplace digitalization of informal economies operating in low income…

Bandhu’ Enabling low income workers in India to make insightful seasonal…

DomusAI An AI-powered system that generates customizable interior designs, cost estimation,…

PlaceInt Decoding human behavior in physical spaces to enable customer knowledge

Ogee! A business-to-consumer company that will help homeowners save their architectural…

Spatio Metrics Creating a world where every building makes us healthier

Roux Supporting economic growth by connecting customers to minority owned businesses…

Stakd A flat-pack pre-fab house that can be rapidly deployed after…

Zilper Trenchless A novel machine for installing pipelines in urban environments without…

2018

TULU Live Large in Small Space

Alight Transforming public buses into vehicles of urban exploration by employing…

Airworks Capturing and converting aerial imagery into digital CAD plans for…

Frolic Revolutionary new financing model for homeownership that allows a greater…

Kawsay Connecting infrastructure providers with people living in informal communities in…

predictRE Software to help commercial real estate investors, brokers, and lenders…

Spaceus Empowering creative communities in cities by transforming vacant and underutilized…

Season Three Next generation all-weather boot sold direct-to-consumer.

SkinPixel Real-time diagnostic "smart tattoo" for human skin to monitor levels…

Dormio Physical and digital interface to influence and record your dreams.

PREPHub Public space infrastructure for disaster resilience and response.

Adaviv AI-enabled adaptive environment for improving yields in indoor agriculture.

2017

Nesterly A social enterprise that matches empty nesters with graduate students…

HostaLabs Software algorithms to turn simple pictures into intelligent 3D models…

Placeful Technology to identify, design and develop neighborhood-scale housing with the…

LearningBeautiful Creating Montessori-inspired toys for young children to learn computer science-without…

Mediate Wearable devices for people with visual impairment.

Bitsence A space utilization analytics company helping managers of physical space…

Biobot Analytics Measuring the concentration of drugs that are excreted in urine…

Credi Early childhood learning environment furniture in rural and developing parts…

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