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THE
FOUNDER
FILES

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Welcome to The Founder Files—a dynamic directory of startups founded by students, graduates, faculty, researchers, or postdocs of MIT and/or Harvard. Use the filters to sort startups by industry or country. To add your startup, please complete this form. This platform is designed to increase visibility for exceptional ventures and connect them with a global network of investors, partners, service providers, and future team members. 

VISION

Find your next investment opportunity, partnership, career path, or source of inspiration here.

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THE  FOUNDER  FILES

Welcome to The Founder Files—a dynamic directory of founders who are students/graduates/professors of MIT and Harvard and their startups. Explore a diverse range of innovative companies and discover the stories behind their creation.

 

Use the filters to sort startups by Industry or Country, and click "Read the Interview" to dive into exclusive interviews with each founder.

If you want to be featured on The Founder Files, kindly complete this form.

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Soum

Soum : Buy & Sell
with Convenience, Trust, and Ease

Sustainability / Environmental, e-Commerce

Soum is an online marketplace transforming how people in the MENA region buy and sell items by offering convenience, trust, and ease. Launched in 2021 in Saudi Arabia, they began with second-hand electronics and have expanded into verticals like used cars and collectibles. Soum solves common pain points with verified listings and secure payments, building a trusted platform for tech-savvy millennials, families, and collectors. With over 5 million app downloads and operations in 150+ locations, they are redefining e-commerce in the region.

Founders:

Bader Almubarak, Fahad Albassam, Fahad Alhassan

Stage: 

Completed Series A or beyond

Country:

Saudi Arabia

Year Founded:

2021

Affiliation:

MIT

Spectrohm, Inc.

Inspect at the Speed of Commerce

Government, Logistics & Supply Chain, Defense, Security, Hard Tech, VR & AR

Spectrohm develops high-speed, high-throughput internal inspection systems for small bags, packages, and personal property. Current human-centric tools inspect only 3% of the 400 billion bags and packages that move each year, resulting in $100 billion in losses due to fraud, errors, hazards, and threats.

Spectrohm’s patented technology identifies hidden contents within bags and boxes, enabling an automated future where 100% of items are inspected. The company has received over $5 million in U.S. government support to enhance the inspection of international eCommerce and air cargo.

Founders:

Tim Cargol, Leo Ludwick

Stage: 

Country:

United States

Year Founded:

Affiliation:

MIT

SyzOnc

Aligned Against cancer

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biotech / Life Sciences

SyzOnc aims to develop therapies for cancer patients who have no effective treatment options. Grounded in world-class oncology and machine learning research from Penn and the Broad Institute, they are targeting matrix-rich solid tumors by tackling multi-faceted protein targets.

Founders:

Anne Carpenter, PhD, Karin Eisinger, PhD, Ashley Fuller, PhD

Stage: 

Country:

United States

Year Founded:

2023

Affiliation:

MIT & Harvard

Tiba Biotech

TIBA Biotech : We Deliver

Biotech / Life Sciences

Tiba emerged from MIT and the Whitehead Institute in 2018 following five years of government-sponsored research to advance a patented RNA delivery platform for vaccines and therapeutics. They have secured U.S. funding from NIH (SBIR) and BARDA, as well as international support from CEPI and the Australian government for livestock vaccine development. Tiba’s work has resulted in several high-impact publications and demonstrates strong potential for rapid-response solutions against viral threats such as Ebola, Zika, H1N1, and more.

Founders:

Karl Ruping, Christian Mandl, Jasdave Chahal








Stage: 

Generating revenue, Profitable or cash-flow positive, Operating in multiple countries, Secured corporate or government partnerships, Featured in notable media or awards

Country:

United States, Australia

Year Founded:

2018

Affiliation:

MIT & Harvard

Vikri.IO

Procurement software that minimizes human error by improving existing relationships between buyers and suppliers on day one.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Logistics & Supply Chain, SaaS (Software as a Service)

Vikri.IO is a supply chain communications platform built for the future of work. It automates RFQs, vendor onboarding, and order visibility between buyers and suppliers using AI-powered workflows—reducing manual coordination, errors, and delays. Unlike marketplaces, Vikri.IO connects existing buyer-supplier relationships and integrates with ERP systems without heavy IT lift. Founded at MIT and a Delta V Accelerator alum, Vikri.IO is designed for rapid deployment and network-driven growth.

Founders:

Matthew Roman, Eric Haywood, Zaire Williams

Stage: 

Product launched in market, Raised funding from accelerators or grants, Operating in multiple countries, Have enterprise or institutional clients

Country:

United States, Philippines, Timor-Leste

Year Founded:

2024

Affiliation:

MIT

Vinco

Employee retention via education

Education & K12, SaaS (Software as a Service)

Vinco makes it easy for companies to upskill their workforce and use education as a tool for retention and productivity, so that the cashiers, the drivers, the mechanics, everyone can obtain a degree and in turn stay longer and grow at their companies. We do it by partnering with the best educational institutions, so employees can have access to the best educational programs. These programs are subsidized by their employer, who in turn, obtains full administrative support and reporting from Vinco. We already work with some of the largest corporations like OXXO, 7Eleven and Walmart, and have raised funds from Y Combinator, Alter Global, Reach and Learn.

Founders:

Lissy Giacoman Colyer, Miriam Fernandez, Sofia Sada

Stage: 

Generating revenue, Product launched in market, Raised funding from accelerators or grants, Raised funding from angels or pre-seed investors, Operating in multiple countries, Featured in notable media or awards, Selected by a top accelerator (e.g., YC, Techstars, etc.), Have enterprise or institutional clients

Country:

Mexico

Year Founded:

2021

Affiliation:

MIT

Vocadian

Empowering Frontline Workers with Predictive Voice AI for Safety and Health Management

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Fitness, SaaS (Software as a Service)

Vocadian is revolutionizing safety and health management for frontline workers through its voice AI-powered B2B SaaS platform. By integrating seamlessly into existing compliance workflows, it enables predictive fatigue assessment and performance forecasting through quick pre-shift speech tasks—without requiring additional hardware.

Starting with fatigue risk management, the platform is expanding its capabilities to include alcohol and substance detection as well as occupational disease prediction, building a comprehensive safety ecosystem. Unlike reactive or subjective alternatives, Vocadian takes a predictive approach to addressing the root causes of workplace risks.

Targeting safety-critical industries such as transportation and logistics, mining, construction, manufacturing, aviation, and insurance, Vocadian currently serves LATAM and the U.S., with plans for global expansion. By mitigating risks, safeguarding workers, and fostering trust, it is setting a new standard for occupational safety and health.

Founders:

Yujie Wang, Amy Eginton, Adolphus Lau

Stage: 

Country:

United States

Year Founded:

Affiliation:

MIT, Harvard

Wizest

Investing with Guidance

Financial Services

Wizest is a collaborative digital and human platform making saving and investing simple and accessible to underserved groups like young professionals, women, and minorities. As an SEC-registered investment advisor, they offer transparent portfolio replication from vetted experts, high-interest savings insured up to $5M (FDIC), and strong financial literacy tools. Wizest partners with institutions like the Cleveland Cavaliers and MassMutual and is backed by leaders from E*Trade, eBay, and APEX Clearing. Their subscription model supports individuals, employers, and financial institutions alike.

Founders:

Axel Thibon, William Estoque, Lazaro Gonzalez, Rafael Vallina, Jeffrey Memnon

Stage: 

Country:

United States

Year Founded:

2019

Affiliation:

MIT

Xtraa

Transforming Cross-Border Trade Settlement and Finance

Financial Services, Lending / Loan Management, Crypto / Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), Marketplace, SaaS (Software as a Service)

XTRAA is building a new way to trade commodities cross border,
providing alternatives to legacy banking rails like SWIFT

Founders:

Sangwon Park, Daniel Chia, Gerardo Lemus

Stage: 

Country:

Hong Kong

Year Founded:

Affiliation:

MIT

Zero 2 Infinity

Purveyors of Elevation

Aerospace, Sustainability / Environmental, Transportation, Travel & Tourism

Zero 2 Infinity (Z2I) flies payloads—and soon, people—above 99% of the atmosphere with zero emissions. They address the world’s growing demand for space access, offering solutions for connectivity and sustainable space tourism. Z2I is turning science fiction into business reality.

Founders:

José Mariano López-Urdiales

Stage: 

Country:

Spain

Email:

Year Founded:

2009

Affiliation:

MIT

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