Wall Street Journal reporter Jeffrey Sparshott writes about a new study by MIT researchers that examines the current state of American entrepreneurship. The researchers found that American entrepreneurs face difficulties in the potential for “firms to scale in a meaningful way over time.”
Ambika Behal writes for Forbes about MIT startup Authess, which is dedicated to changing educational assessments. Based off Prof. Chris Kaiser’s experiences in the classroom and with edX, Authess is focused on developing a more authentic learning experience for students.
BetaBoston reporter Curt Woodward writes that a new study co-authored by MIT researchers finds that startups perform better when venture capitalists are one plane ride away. The researchers found that “startups that were connected to their investors’ cities by a new direct flight were granted about 3 percent more patents.”
In an article for The Boston Globe, Hiawatha Bray writes about MIT startup Passport Systems Inc., which is developing new ways to spot atomic hazards. Bray writes that the company is currently working on a scanner that will inspect shipping containers entering the Port of Boston.
Tech reporter Scott Perry writes about the MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund program, which aims to support student innovators and entrepreneurs. Dean Ian Waitz explains that the goal of the program is “developing the students, not the ideas,” adding that he hopes Sandbox will become “entrenched in the Institute’s culture much in the way UROP or UPOP has.”
Wall Street Journal reporter Alexandra Wolfe profiles Prof. Cynthia Breazeal and examines her latest work developing a robot, dubbed Jibo, that can assist humans with daily tasks and serve as a companion. “I’m really thinking about social robots as an extender of our human capacity,” Breazeal explains.
Alumnus Anmol Madan, co-founder and CEO of MIT startup Ginger.io, writes for The Huffington Post about how to improve mental health care in the U.S. In his piece, Madan highlights how MIT researchers have found “vast potential for the application of mobile sensing to mental health.”
The Economist highlights an MIT study that shows Massachusetts is outperforming Silicon Valley in creating life sciences startups, and credits MIT for its role in driving innovation in Kendall Square. “The Boston metropolitan area...seems to be holding its own as the world’s pre-eminent biotech hub.”
In an article for Boston Magazine about Massachusetts being named the most innovative state in the country, Garrett Quinn highlights MIT’s role in the state’s success. Quinn writes that Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Inc., credited MIT as being “one of the main drivers of innovation in Massachusetts.”
A number of MIT students, researchers and alumni have been named to Forbes’ annual “30 Under 30” list, which honors rising stars in 20 different sectors.
In an article for Boston Magazine, Lauren Landry writes about MIT startup TVision, which has developed a secure, anonymous device to track how viewers watch programming. “Television and the way we consume video content is shifting,” explains co-founder Dan Schiffman. “And the way we measure that is shifting.”
Prof. Carlo Ratti writes about the proliferation of startup hubs around the world in this piece for Project Syndicate. “Before long, the digital world and the physical world will be indistinguishable,” writes Ratti. “The era of ‘Silicon Everywhere’ is upon us – and it is taking shape in the world’s cities.”
Senior lecturer Sharmilia Chatterjee writes for Fortune about the growth in box-delivery subscription services and how large retailors may end up edging them out of the market. “Before entrepreneurs rush into the subscription box space, they should take heed of a number of factors including…the entry of big players,” Chatterjee writes.
Boston Herald reporter Jessica Van Sack writes that Grove, an MIT startup dedicated to enabling people to grow their own produce, will award five of its indoor garden/fish tank systems to local schools. “When you have a full ecological system, it becomes more than just planting seeds and watching them grow,” explains co-founder Gabe Blanchet.
Lauren Landry writes for Boston Magazine about MIT startup Lumii, which is developing glasses-free 3-D technology. Our vision is that, one day, you will take out your phone and you’ll see a 3-D, interactive hologram popping out of it,” says co-founder Tom Baran. “You won’t need to wear those goofy glasses.”