(Boston Orange編譯)麻州經濟發展辦公室（Executive Office of Economic Development）和「麻州創投（MassVentures ）」4月23日宣佈，共有 16 個項目獲選加入2026 年春季「創業先修班（Founders School）」，種類包含生命科學、氣候科技、先進材料、國防、農業科技及人工智慧（AI），十分多元。
麻州經濟發展廳廳長 Eric Paley 表示，麻州擁有全球頂尖的研究實力與人才，「創業先修班（Founders School）」是一個協助深科技（Deep Tech）創業者為創辦企業做好準備，加快科研構想轉化為企業產品的孵化加速器。
「創業先修班（Founders School）」 2024 年啟動迄今，3年來已支持共 38 個創業項目，累計籌集資金超過 1,800 萬美元， Techstars、麻州生命科學中心（MLSC）及 SBIR/STTR 等頂尖機構都認可與資助。
MassVentures 總裁兼執行長 Charlie Hipwood 指出，跨入第三屆意味著 「創業先修班（Founders School）」 社群已正式成形，將致力於提供導師資源與網絡，協助領導者在麻州境內加速成長。
「創業先修班（Founders School）」採用「活教材」模式，根據每屆學員的需求即時調整課程。計畫包含結構化工作坊、專家會議及里程碑審核。入選者在核心內容階段每週或每兩週交流一次，隨後接受為期九個月的持續輔導與顧問支持。
麻州首個深科技協作體 venx 為自創立以來的關鍵夥伴，負責塑造課程、招募導師並鏈接風險投資生態系統。venx 董事總經理 John Ho 強調，該計畫為開發顛覆性技術的創業者提供了實質的前行路徑。
2026 年春季班成員極為多元，不但 63% 創業者為女性，創業團隊座落地點也遠遠不只傳統的波士頓與劍橋創新走廊，甚至匹茨菲爾德（Pittsfield）、斯托頓（Stoughton）及韋克菲爾德（Wakefield）等地都有。
2026 年春季班入選名單與項目簡介
創業者 | 企業名稱 | 項目重點 | 地點 |
Aishwarya Kothari | Prithvion | 透過超在地預測與農藝見解預測作物疾病 | Somerville（尚莫維爾） |
Carolina Aguila | NanoInGreen | 將天然成分轉化為高吸收奈米粒子 | Tulsa, Oklahoma（奧克拉荷馬州圖爾薩） |
Carolyn Lee Parsons | Periwinkle Pharm | 開發用於生產關鍵化療藥物的植物系統 | Boston（波士頓） |
Catherine Katambo | VocaSafe Watch | 具備 AAC 輔助溝通與安全功能的穿戴式手錶 | Somerville（尚莫維爾） |
Dawn Thompson | Auracee | 推進子宮切除術康復的女性健康解決方案 | Pittsfield（皮茨菲爾德） |
Emily Wan | Aruspex | 用於國防與航太的零知識 AI 驗證 | Chestnut Hill（栗樹山） |
Farag Ammed | ParaGlow AI | 透過 AI 驅動識別以減少手術併發症 | Boston（波士頓） |
JC Arce | Tidefield | 利用海藻減少牛隻的甲烷排放 | Stoughton（斯托頓） |
Jocelyn Foulke | LiPhera | 規模化鋰萃取技術 | Dorchester（多徹斯特） |
Kimberly Panik | Amphyra Technologies | 水下環境的即時生理監測 | Boston（波士頓） |
Lesley-Ann Gibbons | Symbiota | 挖掘極端微生物共生技術以強化食品維生素 | Northampton（北安普敦） |
Patrick Thayer | Aster Biofabrication | 動物模型替代方案的生物製造基礎設施 | Hudson（哈德遜） |
Pavana Rotti | Nervoid | 用於檢測細胞信號變化的 AI 視覺平台 | Cambridge（劍橋） |
Pranay Srivastava | Neurapsyc | 家用神經康復穿戴式裝置 | Wakefield（韋克菲爾德） |
Tosin Joel | Toluai | 專注於能源負載預測與氣候風險建模的 AI 決策平台 | Cambridge（劍橋） |
William Cronin | North Shore Therapeutics | 針對嚴重精神疾病的 AR 數位療法 | Dallas, TX（德州達拉斯） |
MassVentures Announces the Third Cohort of Founders School
Sixteen Founders Selected from a Competitive Applicant Pool Spanning AI, Life Sciences, Climatetech, Advanced Materials, and Defense
BOSTON — Today, the Executive Office of Economic Development and MassVentures announced that 16 fellows will join the Spring 2026 cohort of Founders School, a founder-centered pre-accelerator built for deep tech venture readiness. The cohort reflects the breadth of Massachusetts' innovation economy, with strong representation across life sciences, climatetech, advanced materials, defense, agtech, and AI.
“Massachusetts is home to some of the strongest research and talent in the world, but turning that into a company takes the right support at the right time,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “Founders School helps close that gap, giving entrepreneurs the tools and connections they need to build and scale here in Massachusetts.”
Since launching in 2024, Founders School has supported three cohorts totaling 38 founders. Founders School alumni have collectively raised more than $18 million in capital to date and have been accepted into, recognized by, and awarded grants from leading institutions, including Techstars, Antler, MassCEC, NSF I-Corps, Greentown Labs, the Harvard Innovation Labs, Harvard Business School, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and SBIR/STTR.
"This third cohort marks a meaningful milestone — the emergence of a true Founders School community," said MassVentures President and CEO Charlie Hipwood. "We are committed to equipping these leaders with the mentorship, resources, and networks they need to accelerate their growth and scale their businesses here in the Commonwealth."
Founders School operates as a living curriculum that adapts in real time to the needs, questions, and ambitions of each cohort. The program combines structured workshops, expert sessions, and milestone checkpoints. Founders engage in weekly and biweekly touchpoints during the core content phase, followed by nine months of ongoing coaching and advisory support.
A key partner since inception has been venx, Massachusetts' first deep tech collaborative, whose network of operators, investors, and domain experts has been instrumental in shaping the curriculum, sourcing mentors, and connecting founders with the broader venture ecosystem.
"We have a responsibility to make sure the founders building disruptive technologies have a real pathway forward,” said venx Managing Director John Ho. “Founders School is exactly that kind of force multiplier. The diversity of businesses in this cohort, from climatetech to AI to life sciences and beyond, reflects what's possible when you open the door wider across the entire ecosystem."
The Spring 2026 cohort comprises 16 founders, with 63 percent identifying as women. Founders School extends beyond the traditional Boston and Cambridge innovation corridor, reaching founders in communities like Pittsfield, Stoughton, Hudson, and Wakefield and ensuring high-potential entrepreneurs are identified and supported regardless of geography.
Fellows include:
· Aishwarya Kothari, Prithvion — Somerville
Predicts crop diseases through hyperlocal forecasts and agronomic insights.
· Carolina Aguila, NanoInGreen — Tulsa, Oklahoma
Transforms natural ingredients into high-absorption nanoparticles. Exploring a Massachusetts presence.
· Carolyn Lee Parsons, Periwinkle Pharm — Boston
Developing plant systems to produce key chemotherapeutic drugs.
· Catherine Katambo, VocaSafe Watch — Somerville
Wearable AAC smartwatch supporting communication and safety.
· Dawn Thompson, Auracee — Pittsfield
Advancing women’s health solutions for hysterectomy recovery.
· Emily Wan, Aruspex — Chestnut Hill
Provides zero-knowledge AI verification for defense and aerospace.
· Farag Ammed, ParaGlow AI — Boston
Reducing surgical complications through AI-driven identification.
· JC Arce, Tidefield — Stoughton
Reduces cattle methane emissions using algae.
· Jocelyn Foulke, LiPhera — Dorchester
Scaling lithium extraction technologies.
Kimberly Panik, Amphyra Technologies — Boston
Real-time physiological monitoring in aquatic environments.
· Lesley-Ann Gibbons, Symbiota — Northampton
Symbiota mines extremophile symbioses in order to transform standard dairy and plant-based products into functionally vitamin-fortified foods.
· Patrick Thayer, Aster Biofabrication — Hudson
Infrastructure for biofabrication of animal model alternatives.
· Pavana Rotti, Nervoid — Cambridge
AI vision platform for detecting cell signaling changes.
· Pranay Srivastava, Neurapsyc — Wakefield
Home-based neurorehabilitation wearable.
· Tosin Joel, Toluai — Cambridge
Toluai is an AI-native decision intelligence platform focused on energy load forecasting and climate risk modeling.
· William Cronin, North Shore Therapeutics — Dallas, TX
North Shore Therapeutics develops immersive, AR-based digital therapeutics for individuals with serious mental illness. The company is exploring relocation to Massachusetts to access the Commonwealth's world-class life sciences ecosystem.
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