MIT Bootcamps

What happens when you bring together 80+ researchers, entrepreneurs, and experts to tackle one of the nation’s most pressing public health challenges? Breakthroughs. At MIT Bootcamps SUD Ventures, a hands-on program from MIT Open Learning, participants worked side by side to reimagine solutions for substance use disorder. Over three months, they developed 15 solutions addressing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Transformative ideas included: 🏠 A housing marketplace to support individuals in recovery 📱 A tech-driven solution to ensure consistent care ⌚ Wearable devices for monitoring opioid levels "The program has been totally exhausting, totally energizing, and totally inspiring," says one participant. 🔗 Learn more about SUD Ventures: https://bit.ly/4gHu5ic #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #HealthTech #Healthcare #SubstanceUseDisorder #Learning #Mentorship #Education #Teaching #HandsOnLearning

How can educators help students understand climate change and take action? Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Day of Climate offers hands-on lessons and activities to engage pK-12 students with climate curriculum by the MIT community. Join our kick-off introductory session on Feb. 12, where you will: ✅ Explore the vision behind the Day of Climate ✅ Get an overview of the curriculum and professional development opportunities ✅ Discuss with peers how to integrate climate action into your teaching In collaboration with MIT Systems Awareness Lab, this session will highlight the social-emotional and systems-thinking aspects of climate education. Don't miss this chance to connect with a network of educators, researchers, and students passionate about climate solutions. 📆 Sign up for this kick-off session: https://bit.ly/4jOI4pm 🌎 Learn more about Day of Climate: https://bit.ly/3EC1wFn #DayOfClimate #Climate #ClimateAction #ClimateEducation #ProfessionalDevelopment #Teaching #Learning #Education

Boston area AI-venture enthusiasts We teach a popular AI Venture course that is usually NOT open outside MIT-Harvard students. But this semester we are inviting scientists and mentors to apply to join. We expect to select only a handful (about 10). The course involves 80+ students, 20 VCs, a dozen professors as mentors and a finale demo day that is attended by top leaders in the Boston area. MAS.665 AI Venture Studio class Website: https://lnkd.in/eEJxEtks Class Schedule: Thursdays 10:00-12:00 Class highlights: https://lnkd.in/eSm3XA3T 1. *non MIT / Harvard Engg* (Included MIT/HVD post-docs, scientists, but only Engg backgrounds) If you are non MIT / Harvard - there are a few spaces for hackers to audit - https://lnkd.in/eShYEZq9 2. *Mentor* If you are a pro hacker or biz/venture leader and want to mentor student teams at this course - https://lnkd.in/exuqXXj8 Course Website: https://lnkd.in/eUDYQ-q4 Serge Vasylechko, Santanu Bhattacharya, John Werner, David Blundin, Hossein Rahnama, Beth Porter, Sertac Karaman, Nikhil Behari, Michael Hayes, Daniela Rus, John Harthorne

When asked to describe the SUD Ventures program, Brandi C Fink, Ph.D. said the following wise words. "Totally exhausting. Totally energizing. Totally inspiring." Join the waitlist for 2026 at https://lnkd.in/ewiNtqar #SUDVentures #SUDVentures2025 #MITBootcamps

✨ Excited to Share a Milestone! ✨ Last week, I completed the MIT SUD Ventures Bootcamp—an intensive, hands-on program, supported in part by The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), designed to challenge and shape leaders and create business solutions for the epidemic of substance use disorders. This was a truly rigorous experience. We averaged nearly 15 hours of work each day. I was fatigued, for sure, but also incredibly invigorated. The design of this program was #GENIUS. We gained invaluable insights into business development — not just through outstanding case studies and expert lectures but, even more importantly, by doing. In one week, each team: ✅ Built a business idea from the ground up ✅ Conducted primary market research ✅ Selected a beachhead market ✅ Charted our competitive position ✅ Designed our business model ✅ Defined our Minimum Viable Business Product (MVBP) Under the guidance of our coaches, we honed our pitches and learned what it takes to turn ideas into action. The culmination of our efforts? All of the teams came up with fantastic ideas - many of which I hope will turn into actual businesses and products. Extra fun? My team won the pitch competition! We designed a novel #digital platform addressing a critical, unmet need for people living with substance use disorder (SUD). (I may share more details at a later time). The solution is more than an idea—it’s a step toward making a meaningful impact in a space that truly needs it. Thank you to my incredible team, coaches, NIDA, and the MIT Bootcamps community for an unforgettable journey. Here’s to applying these lessons and making a difference! Bonus - our pitch contest prize included this amazing hat which I will be wearing to all future family gatherings. Shout out and endless thanks to: Hanna Adeyema Elena Koustova Mely Wu Ingrid Toppelberg Kelly J. Clark, MD, MBA Bill Aulet Erik Won John Konsin Tom Knight Elizabeth "Liz" Bogel Ryan Christopher Pirie Marc Flajolet Vanessa Gurie Samy Sidhom Nicky Agahari Suzanne Mitchell, MD MSc Amar Mandavia Gabriel Andjell

🚀 Reflections from MIT SUD Ventures Bootcamp: Lessons in Innovation, Collaboration, and Impact. Last week, I had the privilege of completing the MIT Bootcamps SUD Ventures program—a transformative journey that challenged me to think differently about innovation in the substance use disorder (SUD) space. Over the course of months leading up to the bootcamp, and during five intense on-site days, our team worked to identify a meaningful problem, refine it through customer discovery, design a solution, and create a business model—all culminating in a final pitch. This experience solidified my belief that innovation is about more than building solutions—it’s about centering people, listening deeply, and constantly adapting to meet real-world needs. What’s next? Big things are ahead for Transcendworx. We’re building on these lessons to accelerate meaningful change for individuals and communities in the SUD space. Read more about my reflections and key takeaways in my latest blog post here: https://lnkd.in/eYwF_4G8 #Innovation #Recovery #SUDInnovation #MITBootcamp #SubstanceUseDisorder #ImpactDriven

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to represent MabLab in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by MIT Bootcamps, aiming to inspire innovation and entrepreneurship in the SUD space. A special shoutout to Team 3 — Dan Harper (elizaswatch.com), Jeanie Chung, M.D., PhD. (taesunkit.com), Erica Sharpe, and Hannah S. for their exceptional passion and innovative contributions throughout the program. It was an incredible experience to collaborate with such inspiring individuals!

Last week, I had the privilege of participating in the MIT Bootcamps #SUDVentures in Boston. This incredibly enriching experience involved collaborating with over 80 professionals from different backgrounds and experiences, all united by a common goal: developing solutions to address the challenge of Substance Use Disorder (SUD). During this intense week, we exchanged knowledge and perspectives while hearing from remarkable speakers already making waves in the SUD field. Their groundbreaking projects and insights inspired us greatly. Additionally, we participated in a Pitch Contest where we showcased innovative projects to address this complex challenge. I’m thrilled to announce that my team's project won the competition, a recognition of the dedication, creativity, and enthusiasm we all invested in this initiative. Thank you to everybody at MIT Bootcamps (Ingrid Toppelberg, Hanna Adeyema, Mely Wu, and many more) for creating such an inspiring space and to my teammates Risa Weisberg, Ph.D., Amar Mandavia and Evan D. Kharasch, MD PhD for their commitment and collaboration. Special thanks to our Team Coaches, Christopher Pirie, and Marc Flajolet, for their invaluable support and guidance. They challenged us to think big while keeping our solutions simple and impactful—a perfect balance that made all the difference. Let's keep challenging the status quo and bringing innovation to a much-needed space! #MITBootcamp #Innovation #SUDSolutions #Teamwork #Gratitude

MIT Bootcamps Had an amazing week of challenges, problem analysis, solutions, pivots. Loved the relationships made, the support offered and felt. Thank you MIT SUD ventures and cohort 2! Ready, set, Pitch!

For the past week, I have been in Cambridge, MA attending the in-person component of the 2025 SUD Ventures program sponsored by MIT Bootcamps and The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The entire experience has been an extremely rewarding and inspirational journey and allowed me to meet some truly incredible people along the way. Over the past several months, our cohort met virtually to engage in thought-provoking discussions designed to lay the foundation for what would ultimately be required of us during the in-person week in January. Upon arrival, MIT consistently brought in highly esteemed Substance Use Disorder and entrepreneurial experts to discuss the driving forces behind SUD and the areas in which innovation is poised to affect real, positive change. I can't thank the wonderful people at MIT Bootcamps enough for all of their efforts organizing the event, and I want to give a special thanks to all of the coaches that stood by us to the early-hours of the morning perfecting our pitches. It was a challenging week, but I couldn't have asked for a better experience! Team 9! 🤙🫰 Marie Muller // Shobi A. // Farid Manshaii // Bai Zhang #MITBootcamps #SUDVentures2025 #SUDVentures #Entrepreneurship #MIT #NIDA #SUD