After a successful pilot of the program, the AI Lab for Startups is thrilled to announce its latest cohort of innovative founders. These remarkable, academic-led ventures, emerging from various labs across Harvard, are breaking new ground in their respective industries, with AI at the core of their innovations. Through the support and resources provided by D^3’s AI Lab for Startups, these ventures will gain the tools and knowledge needed to move toward commercialization, bringing their cutting-edge ideas to life and impacting global markets.
At the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard, we are deeply committed to supporting the next generation of academic-led AI startups.Our guidance provides these founders with unparalleled access to mentorship, industry experts, business-building resources, and investor connections. Our goal is to accelerate the commercialization of their innovations, helping them bridge the gap between academic research and market success. We are privileged to be a part of their journey.
Debi Kleiman, Director of the AI Lab for Startups.
This cohort of ventures represents a wide range of industries, from healthcare and fertility to sports and science commercialization, all united by the transformative power of AI and machine learning. Each founder brings a unique vision, and with the resources available through D^3, they are well-equipped to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Here’s a closer look at the ventures that are part of this exciting cohort of all-female scientists:
OvaVision
Founder: Dr. Helen Yang
OvaVision is transforming the fertility industry with AI-driven solutions. With a PhD in Biophysics from Harvard University, Helen’s interdisciplinary research spans clinical IVF, physics, biology, and computer science. Her diverse expertise drives innovative approaches to reproductive health, integrating cutting-edge technology with deep scientific knowledge. OvaVision’s BlastAssist platform uses interpretable artificial intelligence to analyze cellular-level data and help clinicians select the most viable embryos, ultimately increasing IVF success rates and improving patient outcomes. With a team of leading scientists in fertility and AI, OvaVision is paving the way for more accurate, affordable, and effective fertility treatments.
SportsBuddy.ai
Founder: Tica Lin, PhD
SportsBuddy.ai, was born from research in the Visual Computing Group at Harvard’s Computer Science Department. It uses advanced AI technology and computer vision to build an intuitive, interactive tool that empowers sports enthusiasts at all levels to create compelling sports highlights to amplify their impact. With Tica’s strong passion and knowledge in human-centered AI technology and an incredibly talented team of co-founders, SportsBuddy.ai is reshaping how athletes, teams, and fans interact with their favorite sports.
Vie Science, Inc.
Founder: Dr. Carmen Messerlian
Dr. Carmen Messerlian, a renowned professor of environmental and reproductive epidemiology at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, leads Vie in its mission to empower couples on their fertility wellness journey with personalized, AI-driven solutions for generational health. By integrating gene-environment interactions into precision health models, Vie predicts, prevents, and optimizes reproductive outcomes by addressing the root causes of fertility challenges. Scalable and accessible, Vie is a Prevention-as-a-Service platform addressing global population-level fertility concerns through a first-of-its-kind couple-based wellness intervention. Committed to reducing the emotional and financial burdens of fertility care, Vie is redefining what it means to access effective, holistic fertility support.
Business of Science
Founder: Pamela Groen, MD, PhD
Business of Science is helping to demystify and streamline the commercialization process for scientific innovations. Dr. Groen’s platform leverages AI to provide a risk score for investing in life science and biotech companies. Investors can significantly reduce risk, make informed decisions swiftly, and contribute to delivering life-saving technologies to the market faster. Scientists benefit from the platform, too, by understanding the market potential of their innovations, developing commercialization strategies, and securing funding. Business of Science is set to accelerate the journey of countless scientific discoveries toward real-world application.
Global Clinician Network (GCN)
Founder: Dr. Rebecca Weintraub
Most digital health products fail to integrate into decision-making at the front lines of care delivery. Under Dr. Weintraub’s leadership, the Global Clinician Network (GCN) will provide vital insights into emerging digital tools and generative AI health platforms. The network is the world’s most diverse and qualified source of first-hand clinical expertise, with 200,000 experts engaged to review and advance new products. GCN will drive high-quality health care by promoting the global adoption of safe and credible health AI products.
The future of AI-driven innovation is bright, and these founders are at the forefront of this exciting evolution. Their work is poised to make a significant impact on industries across the globe. Stay tuned for more updates on their progress.