Take a look at these I&E opportunities happening in February and March at iHQ, MIT, and beyond!
iHQ Lockers Available for Personal Use (Free!): Lockers are now available again throughout iHQ. If you would like to be assigned a locker for the semester, email Office of Innovation Facilities Manager Gregory Soloviev at soloviev@mit.edu. Please provide him with your preference of which floor you most often use and he will assign you a locker and key.
Hacker Reactor Off-Limits: The iHQ 7th floor Hacker Reactor event space is reserved exclusively for scheduled events. Use of this area for personal study or unscheduled activities is prohibited.
iHQ 3rd Floor: Student Innovators Lounge + Voxel Makerspace Come join fellow student innovators at iHQ this evening for an innovation celebration full of fun, art, snacks, and good times, including the official unveiling of our new mural, "Morning in the Infinite", by iHQ artist Isabella Yu! Let us know you're coming!
MIT Sandbox: Pitch Preparation Workshop with Pillar VC
Wednesday, February 19; 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
MIT Innovation Headquarters, (Building E38, 7th floor Hacker Reactor space)
This workshop will cover insight and tips around how to craft a compelling pitch for VC investors.
Review a proven pitch deck framework, including key information and slides to include to help you tell a persuasive story.
Pillar VC (www.pillar.vc) is a seed-stage venture firm based in Boston. The firm was co-founded by 41 CEOs who have built companies worth billions, including the founders of Wayfair, DraftKings, TripAdvisor, and Ginkgo Bioworks. Pillar invests in deep science; over half of the firm's portfolio companies have roots in university research.
Thursday, March 6th; 5:30pm The Voxel Lab, E38-391
Calling all sonic explorers! Bring your instruments, pedals, synths, and any noise-making gear to our Effects Potluck—an evening of sound experimentation, creative play, and unexpected collaborations. Whether you're a pedal hoarder, a modular synth wizard, or just curious about sonic mayhem, this is your chance to plug in, tweak, and explore in a fun, open-ended jam session.No rules, no setlist—just a table full of effects and an open floor for creativity. Come make some noise!
Bring a gadget, bring a friend, and let's jam!
MIT Despande Center: Commercialization Grants Open
Apply by March 3rd
Attention postdocs and advanced degree students: ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT COMMERCIALIZATION?
The Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation has opened its our call for proposals for the Fall 2025 grant cycle. If you and your PI want to spin out or license your lab research, this may be right for you.
What are Deshpande grants? The DCTI is charged with helping commercialize MIT faculty inventions and discoveries for global impact. With a combination of grant funding and expert guidance we bring teams with a late-stage technology to their first commercial transaction. Initial funding is up to $100,000.
Applications are due 6 p.m. March 3. Grants are formally awarded to Principal Investigators, but the whole team benefits. Postdocs and advanced degree students are often the ones leading the commercialization effort, and they find the mentoring especially helpful.
Calling all MIT DLCI's and student orgs! Come to the Hacker Reactor Open House on Friday, February 28th to learn abou how this space can host your next flagship event. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Join us in the Breakerspace (8-102) on for free coffee and dinner while learning about our new initiative supporting Native and Black youth in Tulsa, OK. Don’t miss it!
3rd Annual MIT Female Founders Pitch Competition in New York City
March 20th, 2025
Applications Due: Midnight, February 28th, 2025
Applications are now open for The 3rd Annual MIT Female Founders Pitch Competition! The event will take place on March 20th, 2025, at the Deutsche Bank Center in New York City.
Prizes:
First Place: $10,000 cash.
Social Good Prize: $10,000 sponsored by The GLAM4GOOD Foundation. This prize will be awarded to applicant(s) focused on Social Good initiatives, including Disaster Recovery, Child & Family Welfare, Social Equity, and Mental Health & Wellbeing. The prize will be presented by Mary Alice Stephenson, Foundation Founder & CEO. More info here: https://glam4good.com/
Founders must attend the event in person to pitch.
Cross University Student Innovators [CUSI] Mixer @ Harvard iLabs
March 6th, 2025; 6-7:30pm
Join your fellow student innovators from MIT and Harvard over at the Harvard Innovation Labs for an evening of networking, and community. Event is free, registration required.
Moonshot invites MIT students, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty to apply to receive up to a $1M uncapped SAFE for their startup or idea. We launched this competition because we believe many of the most transformative ideas across software, hardware, AI, robotics, climate, biotech, and more are forming inside research labs, MBA programs, and undergraduate dorm rooms.
Check out Startup Boston's calendar for events happening not just in Boston, but throughout New England. From pitch nights to networking mixers, there's something for everyone.
