Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts

Ecosystem Event: Boston Foodtech Social
2024-09-09 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | LabCentral, 238 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, United States
Foodtech sits at the intersection of AI, robotics, data, climate tech, health tech, and biotech. It is a trillion dollar industry that is critical to keeping up with the global challenges of food supply.
​Massachusetts is among the largest foodtech ecosystems in the United States.
​Join Tufts Food & Nutrition Innovation Institute, MTLC, and LabCentral to celebrate the almost 140 foodtech companies in the state.
​To learn more about Food Tech in Massachusetts, check out: www.bostonfoodtech.com!

Ecosystem Event: Solstice Entrepreneurship Conference
2024-10-05 09:30 - 17:00 | 245 Beacon St, Chestnut Hill, MA, 245 Beacon St,, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States

Ecosystem Event: TechWeek SF
2024-10-07 - 2024-10-13

Ecosystem Event: TechWeek LA
2024-10-14 - 2024-10-20

Cross University Event: Boston University IDEACon!
2024-10-26 09:00 - 15:30 | George Sherman Center, Boston University, George Sherman Union, 775 Commonwealth Ave,, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
The Boston University IDEACon is a one-day innovation extravaganza for students and recent grads to connect with fellow movers and shakers and experience entrepreneurship and leadership hands-on. This conference is a cross-university event with students attending from Boston University, UMass Lowell, Babson, Tufts and more. Derby Entrepreneurship CEnter is proud to reprise our partnership for the fourth consecutive year, offering our popular workshop, “Networking Like A Boss”.
Whether you’re interested in technology, business, social impact, or arts and culture, IDEA Con is the perfect place to get inspired. And even better: you’ll learn strategies to harness that inspiration and turn it into something real.

Partners

Ecosystem Event: Set Sail to Scale
2024-10-31 - 2024-11-02
Get ready to Set Sail to Scale from October 31 – November 2, 2024, in Tampa for our 41st annual Global Conference & Pitch Competition. During your weekend, CEO members, partners, investors and business mentors will assemble!

Event Key Elements:
Global Pitch Competition: Compete in the largest and longest-running business pitch competition, offering $20,000 in new venture fundingConcurrent Subject Matter Experts: Learn from experts in their fieldChapter Awards: Highlighting chapter successes across the networkChapter Leadership Development: Best practices and step by step exercises to run a successful chapterExhibit Hall: Meet with a variety of entrepreneurial companies

Cross-Campus Pride+ Founders Mixer
2024-11-02 17:00 - 19:00

International Student's Guide to Entrepreneurship
2024-11-21 14:00 - 16:00 | 730 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215, 730 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215
Join our panel event, International Student’s Guide to Entrepreneurship, to learn how to start a company on an F1 visa.

Ecosystem Event: India Conference at Harvard
2025-02-15 08:00 - 2025-02-16 18:00 | Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States

Ecosystem Event: MIT Africa Business Challenge
2025-02-28 08:00 - 2025-03-01 18:00 | Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, 1 Amherst Street E40-160, Cambridge, MA, 02142, United States
The dealine for submitting for the competition is January 14, 2025. Register for the competition today.

Ecosystem Event: MassRobotics Career Fair
2025-05-01 15:30 - 17:30 | Boston Exhibition & Convention Center, 415 Summer Street, Boston, 02210, United States

Ecosystem Event: FounderCrush at Harvard
2025-05-01 16:00 | Harvard iLab, Batten Hall, 125 Western Ave,, Allston, MA, 02134, United States

Ecosystem Event: Startup Boston Week 2025
2025-09-08 - 2025-09-12 | Suffolk University
Startup Boston Week is the largest annual gathering for New England’s startup community — five days of connection, learning, and inspiration for founders, startup operators, investors, students, and the ecosystem builders who support them.
Each September, we bring together thousands of attendees for 100+ free sessions, panels, and networking events spanning every stage of the startup journey — from idea to IPO. Whether you’re launching your first company, scaling to your next milestone, or just curious about the world of startups, you’ll find the people, resources, and ideas to help you take your next step.
More than just a conference, Startup Boston Week is a celebration of the innovation, grit, and collaboration that fuel New England’s startup scene. It’s where partnerships are sparked, ideas are stress-tested, and our community gets stronger — together.

Field Trip to Boston Ecosystem Fair, Hosted by Startup Boston Week
2025-09-09 17:30 - 20:30 | Suffolk University
Meet us at the 1st floor lobby of the Joyce Cummings Center near the front door at 5:30pm!
Looking for an accelerator? A networking group? Government support? Or just trying to figure out where you fit in Boston’s startup scene? Startup Boston Week is bringing the region’s most impactful startup support organizations together under one roof – live and in person. Meet the folks behind the accelerators, communities, agencies, and nonprofits that help founders and startup teams start, scale, hire, fundraise, and thrive. Whether you’re just getting started or already building something big, this is your chance to explore what the ecosystem really has to offer and connect with the people who are here to help you grow.
About Startup Boston Week
Startup Boston Week is the largest annual gathering for New England’s startup community — five days of connection, learning, and inspiration for founders, startup operators, investors, students, and the ecosystem builders who support them. Learn more at https://www.startupbos.org/sbw2025

Ecosystem Event: Biotech Week Boston
2025-09-15 08:00 - 2025-09-18 17:00
Be a part of this unique experience spanning the drug development value chain, giving you access to the most innovative scientific minds and business leaders in Boston and around the world.

Ecosystem Event: Boston Fintech Week
2025-09-15 08:00 - 2025-09-19 17:00
Boston Fintech Week brings you speakers you wouldn’t see anywhere else and the opportunity to make meaningful connections with the innovators, regulators, and investors building the future of financial services. It is an inclusive conversation amongst thousands of industry leaders and emerging fintechs from around the world.
Boston Fintech Week, presented by Fintech Sandbox, is a collaboration between Fintech Sandbox and the broader fintech ecosystem and startup community. What started as a grassroots gathering has grown into a full week each year when the global fintech community gathers in Boston.
In 2025, Boston Fintech Week will take place September 15 – 19, and will include our 2-day ticketed conference – the Fintech Sandbox Innovation Forum – on September 16 – 17. The rest of the week will feature a variety of community-hosted and sponsored events, such as fireside chats, masterclasses, and receptions.
We hope you can join us for Boston Fintech Week 2025, as we showcase the newest ideas, the latest advances in technology, and the boldest fintech entrepreneurs moving faster than the speed of light!

Ecosystem Event: Boston AI Week
2025-09-26 08:00 - 2025-10-03 17:00
Boston AI Week exists to unify our region’s entire AI ecosystem – enterprises, startups, investors, researchers, artists, students, and government – in a shared mission: to make artificial intelligence accessible, impactful, and inclusive for all. Boston AI Week is a platform to build together and build forward.
With over 100 events and 10,000+ participants expected in 2025, Boston AI Week is the largest AI event on Earth.

Ecosystem Event: Building in Uncharted Territory
2025-09-30 18:00 - 19:00 | Page Commons, 4000 Mayflower Hill, Waterville, ME, 04901, United States
Speaker: Steven Koltai, Entrepreneur, Investor, Author, former U.S. State Dept. senior advisor
Lessons from scaling telecom, entertainment, and event tech ventures—and how those experiences informed building entrepreneurship ecosystems across Sub-Saharan Africa

Ecosystem Event: Boston College Entrepreneurial Summit
2025-10-04 10:00 - 15:00 | 245 Beacon St, Chestnut Hill, MA, 245 Beacon St,, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
The BC Entrepreneurial Summit will bring together students, founders, and investors for a one-day conference. Attendees will experience speaker events, investor panels, founder talks, and breakout workshops. There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided.
Register link: here

Ecosystem Event: The Power of Storycraft 2025: Storyteller Survival Skills
2025-10-04 11:00 - 18:00 | Eaton Hall, 5 The Green, Medford, MA, 02155, United States
Storyteller Survival Skills is the third in ISIG’s flagship Power of Storycraft series. This forum will bring together experts in nonfiction writing, journalism, audio and visual media, and communications to share insights on gathering, evaluating, and sharing information accurately and fairly, telling compelling nonfiction stories, and thriving in storytelling careers.
The one-day forum will feature panels, workshops, and mentoring opportunities designed to deliver practical skills and advice for students of all majors and backgrounds who are interested in careers that involve nonfiction writing, podcasting, or visual storytelling. At the end of the program, attendees and speakers will have opportunities to socialize and network.
Check out the schedule and reserve tickets for the sessions you are interested in. Feel free to pop in for one or two sessions or stick around for the full day of programming. Please note that tickets for each session will be available at the door.

Ecosystem Event: FletcherFest
2025-10-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Cabot Intercultural Center, 170 Packard Ave, Medford, MA, 02155, United States
Join us for an exciting evening where you’ll learn how a Fletcher education can accelerate your career and expand your opportunities. FletcherFest spotlights our new Graduate Business Certificate—open to all Tufts undergraduates—and showcases Fletcher’s broader programs in global affairs and business.
This year’s theme, “Where are the Jobs? Emerging Trends in Business, Employment and the Changing Future of Work,” will feature engaging conversations with faculty, alumni, and leaders who know how to navigate today’s fast-changing job market.
What’s happening at FletcherFest:
· Hear from Dean Kelly Sims Gallagher and Dean of Global Business Bhaskar Chakravorti
· Connect with outstanding Tufts alumni: Vivek Shah (A94) and Candace Lun Plotkin (F96)
· Get a professional headshot (drop-in)
· Stop by the Office of Professional Development for quick career guidance
· Pick up Fletcher merchandise and enter a raffle for prizes
· Enjoy some delicious food and drink
Come for the insights, connections, and career inspiration—and leave with tools, stories, and a vision for your own future.

Ecosystem Event: IDEACon @Boston University
2025-10-25 09:00 - 17:00 | Boston University
From Innovate@BU, and sponsored by the Cynthia Cohen 2040 Impact Fund, IDEA Con brings innovators from across New England together at Boston University on October 25, 2025.

Ecosystem Event: Climatetech Summit
2025-11-06 08:00 - 19:00 | Greentown Labs, 444 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, MA, 02143, United States
The world is at an inflection point: there’s an unprecedented demand for energy globally, emissions must be drastically reduced, and resilience has never been more critical. Meeting this growing demand requires audacious entrepreneurial innovation at the nexus of energy generation and decarbonization, coupled with corporate leadership, philanthropic action, and community engagement.
We’ll dive into these challenges and opportunities together at Climatetech Summit, and emerge with tangible actions to foster more collaboration.
On Nov. 4 in Houston and Nov. 6 in Boston, step into our incubators for a day of hands-on exploration of climatetech solutions from 200+ startups, insightful keynotes and discussions with industry leaders, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Throughout the event, we’ll highlight how collaboration across Texas and Massachusetts’s climate and energy ecosystems—and beyond—is accelerating deployment, scaling impact, and commercializing the technologies that will power a clean-energy abundant, sustainable, resilient future.

Ecosystem Event: From Zero to First Customer: Startup Sales & Marketing Unplugged
2025-11-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Page Commons, 4000 Mayflower Hill, Waterville, ME, 04901, United States
Speakers: Drew McKechnie ‘04, Head of Global Consulting Services Commercialization, Google Cloud; Larry Patrizio ‘17, Founder of Srva, A B2C2C AI app auto-builder; Sylvia LePoidevin, CMO of Kandjii, an Apple security platform
Learn the real playbook for winning your first
customers. Hear from marketing and sales experts
who’ve built brands from scratch, closed enterprise
deals, and hacked growth with AI-powered tools.
Hybrid Event

Ecosystem Event: Frontiers Hackathon
2026-03-07
Breakthrough’s Frontiers Hackathon is a one-day build sprint designed for students who want to prototype real systems, test bold ideas, and ship fast.
🚀 What You’ll Get:

Full-Day Build Sprint
12 hours of rapid prototyping alongside 250 of Boston’s brightest undergraduate, graduate, and research students across CS, design, and entrepreneurship.
Direct Exposure to Industry Leaders
5 senior panel judges including leaders from DeepMind and venture capital.
Prizes for Top Teams
Competitive awards for the most innovative and technically impressive builds.
Network Access
Connect with engineers, researchers, operators, and founders across campuses.

Eligibility: Our program is open to all students across North America who are either actively enrolled, on leave, or recent grads.
📍Where: MIT on March, 7
⏳ Deadline: Sunday, February 22 @ 11:59 PM PT

Ecosystem Event: Ankit Gupta Fireside Chat
2026-03-30 17:15 - 18:30 | Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Aging Initiative is pleased to announce a fireside chat with Mr. Ankit Gupta, General Partner at Y Combinator. Mr. Gupta’s past experiences include various software and data science positions at Google, Palantir, Harvard Medical School, and Vicarious AI.
​His startup, Reverie Labs (YC W18) focused on engineering next-generation, brain-penetrant cancer therapies. He utilized machine learning and elastic cloud infrastructure to power drug discovery programs. As Co-Founder and CTO, Mr. Gupta oversaw the machine learning, data science, and SWE portions of the company. Reverie raised over $31M, before being acquired by Ginkgo Bioworks in February 2024.
​Thereafter, he became Head of AI at Ginkgo Bioworks for a year, before transitioning to partnership positions at Y Combinator. He is now one of 15 General Partners at Y Combinator, and is one of the premier venture capitalists in the life sciences and machine learning industries.
​Mr. Gupta graduated from Harvard with a concurrent A.B. and S.M. in Computer Science.

Ecosystem Event: Five Steps to HypherGrowth: The Algorithm with Jon McNeill
2026-04-02 18:00 - 19:00 | Harvard Coop, 1400 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Join us for an evening with Jon McNeill in conversation with Jodi Goldstein, CEO of the COOP and leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.

An entrepreneur and former president of Tesla, McNeill will discuss his new book, The Algorithm. Drawing on decades of experience scaling high-growth companies, he shares the decision-making framework he used to help build some of the world’s most forward-thinking organizations.
Whether you’re a founder, executive, or aspiring leader, this conversation will deliver practical insights on strategy, execution, and building companies that last. Don’t miss the chance to hear two innovation leaders in conversation at the heart of Harvard Square.
About Jon NcNeil
Jon McNeill is the CEO and Co-Founder of DVx Ventures, where he has helped launch 12 companies targeting large, high-growth markets. A seasoned operator and entrepreneur, he previously served as President of Tesla and as COO of Lyft, where he helped double revenue and take the company public.
In his new book, The Algorithm, McNeill shares a behind-the-scenes look at how companies like Tesla, SpaceX, Lululemon, and General Motors achieve hypergrowth—and the practical framework leaders can use to scale with impact.
About the COOP
Founded in 1882 by Harvard students, The COOP began as a simple but ambitious idea: a store created to serve students. When MIT joined the cooperative in 1916, The COOP quickly became a landmark in Harvard Square. Over the decades, it has welcomed cultural icons while evolving into a global destination for community and culture. Today, The COOP remains a hub for discovery, conversation, and community; bringing together readers, writers, and ideas that shape campus life and reach far beyond it.

Ecosystem Event: Tufts in Translation: A Smart Way to Treat Osteoarthritis
2026-04-08 11:30 - 13:30 | Lab Central, 700 Main Street North, Cambridge, MA, United States
Osteoarthritis remains one of the largest unmet needs in musculoskeletal medicine, with few disease-modifying options and significant challenges in achieving targeted therapeutic delivery.
On April 8, Li Zeng, PhD will present a nanoparticle system engineered to selectively localize to damaged cartilage and enable site-specific therapeutic expression — offering a precision approach designed to improve efficacy while limiting systemic exposure.
By targeting the disease microenvironment directly, this strategy introduces a differentiated pathway for advancing joint therapeutics.

Ecosystem Event: Boston 311 Hack
2026-04-16 16:30 - 20:30 | 1 Education St, 1 Education St, Cambridge, MA, 02141, United States
Turn ideas into impact and step into the future of AI-powered cities. Boston built one of the first city MCP Server in the US and we get to build the agents on top. Come join us and all our partners at Hult university and spend 2 hours building the future of how cities will operate.
​This dynamic and inclusive hackathon brings together technical, semi-technical, and non-technical participants to tackle real-world challenges centered on Boston’s evolving 311 support services. Using agentic AI and cutting-edge frameworks, participants will build solutions that directly improve how the city serves its residents.
​Participants will be placed into teams of five, carefully balanced with technical and non-technical members to ensure diverse thinking and skill sets. Each team will develop:

​A compelling slide deck that communicates the problem, solution, and impact

​A functional prototype of an AI-powered agent, built using modern tools that accelerate development

​Whether you’re a coder, designer, strategist, or simply driven by big ideas, this is your opportunity to create something real. You’ll collaborate with ambitious peers, gain hands-on experience solving meaningful problems, and work alongside mentors using city data and advanced technologies to bring your ideas to life.
​Participants will present their solutions to an elite panel of judges from the City of Boston, Wayfair, Mass AI Hub, Mendoza Ventures, Scale Up Labs, NANDA, and more giving you direct access to decision-makers, valuable feedback, and potential pathways for growth, recognition, and even investment.
​Proudly sponsored by Hult International Business School, this event will take place on Hult’s Boston campus placing you at the center of a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
​This isn’t just a hackathon it’s a launchpad to build your skills, expand your network, and accelerate your path forward.

​AGENDA
​4:30 – 5:00 PM | Mandatory Registration and Credentialing (Lobby)
5:00 – 5:05 PM | Opening Ceremony: Mandatory Kick-Off
5:05 – 5:15 PM | Strategic Partner Deep Dive
5:20 – 5:30 PM | NANDA International: The Value Proposition
5:30 – 5:35 PM | Challenge Briefing and Rules of Engagement
​5:40 – 7:40 PM | INTENSE Code Block: Development Phase
6:00 PM | Dinner Service: Fueling Innovation
6:40 PM | Business Case Submission Deadline
​7:40 – 8:10 PM | Final Presentations
8:20 – 8:30 PM | Closing Ceremony and Awards Announcement

Ecosystem Event: Ask a Pre-Seed Investor Anything
2026-04-23 14:00 - 15:00
​If you’ve ever had a question you wanted to ask an investor but didn’t have the right room to ask it, this is that room.
​This session is designed for students and builders across a select group of universities with top entrepreneurship programs. Whether you’re actively building, exploring an idea, or just starting to think about funding, this is a chance to engage directly.
​Forum Ventures is hosting an open AMA with Naomi Goez, Partner at Forum Ventures. She spends every day working with pre-seed founders and evaluating what actually gets funded at the earliest stages.
​No slides. No pitch. Just a candid conversation. Come with your questions and get real answers.

​Sample questions we’ll dig into:

​What should founders actually think about before applying to an accelerator?

​What are pre-seed investors seeing in the market right now, and what’s getting their attention?

​When is the right time to raise, and how do you know if you’re ready?

​What makes a B2B or AI company fundable at the earliest stages?

​How do investors evaluate founders who are still in school or recently graduated?

​What does Forum look for that isn’t on a pitch deck?

​About Forum Ventures
​Forum Ventures backs B2B founders at the very start of the journey. $100K investment, hands-on support, and a partner who believes in you before you have all the answers. If you’re building something, learn more at https://www.forumvc.com/accelerator
​Naomi Goez
​Naomi Goez is a Partner at Forum Ventures, leading pre-seed investments in B2B software across healthcare, supply chain, fintech, and vertical AI. An operator turned investor, Naomi brings a rare combination of hands-on company building and rigorous research to early-stage investing.
​Before working at Forum Ventures, Naomi built her career in the fashion supply chain, overseeing production and leading sustainability initiatives at Centric Brands, navigating the fundraising trenches herself at a pre-seed circular economy startup. She went on to earn her MBA from The Wharton School, investing in commerce and supply chain at Alpaca VC along the way.
​Naomi was named a 2025 Rising Star by Venture Capital Journal and is a vocal advocate for underrepresented founders, hosting quarterly “Pilates & Pitches” events for womxn founders (with 100+ person waitlists), co-hosting GP/LP dinners for women shaping capital, and leading workshops on breaking into venture without the Silicon Valley playbook.
