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Innovation in Pharma Part IV: What comes next?

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In the fourth of a four-part series, we explore what a new, nimble, more innovative pharma sector might look like. How bad are the shrinking pains? What's next for the industry? Join us on Wednesday, April 4th, 11:30am at the MIT Trust Entrepreneurship Center (E40-160B) for a discussion on "Entrepreneurial Big Pharma: Myth or Reality?"

Click for Part I -- Part II -- Part III -- Part IV

MIT’s New Nuclear Reactor: an Interview with Transatomic Power

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MIT students have a lot of resources available to them if they want to start a new company. In fact, many do so while still students. One such example is Transatomic Power. Two nuclear engineering graduate students have applied some of their research and PhD work to develop a new nuclear reactor design.

 

What's Really Going on with Venture Capital?

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The venture capital industry appears to be defying economics. On one hand, early stage fund raising is down 48% year over year. Exits are dwindling. And the number of venture capitalists has declined.  On the other, there’s a start up boom. Everyone, it seems, is starting something. Incubators abound. And in Silicon Valley valuations are astronomical. What’s really going on?

Sana: Providing Hope for Healthcare through Mobile Technology

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Inside a hot, breezeless room, a group of women wait with their children to see the pediatrician. He is late today; he was needed to treat a sick child at another hospital some 100 kilometers away. As one of the few doctors in this rural region of Madhya Pradesh, India, Dr. Gupta sees over fifty children during a single clinic session.

In A Galaxy Not So Far, Far Away: Virgin Galactic’s new CTO Discusses Commercial Space Travel and the Future of the Aerospace Industry

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Of Sir Richard Branson’s many inspiring entrepreneurial ventures, Virgin Galactic may sound like the craziest. The company, part of the eclectic Virgin Group, which includes transportation, telecommunications, entertainment and many other companies, offers tourist trips into space starting at $200,000. You can already book a flight (http://www.virgingalactic.com/booking/), although the first commercial passenger launch is still at least two years away. 

Understanding Equity Splits: Insights from TechStars (Part II)

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Do founders typically offer equity to critical hires?  How do they decide how much to give them?  In part 2 of "Understanding Equity Splits", the authors share key insights from their study on TechStars participants.

Understanding Equity Splits: Insights from TechStars (Part I)

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The equity split in a startup company is often one of the earliest decisions made by a founding team, and is frequently one of the most difficult. There has been a wealth of advice given to entrepreneurs about how to split equity, when to do it, and how to go about doing it. Behind all this advice is the specter of absentee founders, lawsuits, and disappointments.

How to Drive Adoption of a Smart Grid Platform: A look inside Trilliant

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The utility industry is hitting an inflection point.  Inexpensive wireless technology, political pressure to integrate renewables, and increasing demand will compel utilities to move forward with smart grid technologies and develop capabilities at a pace unprecedented in the industry. How does a smart grid company position itself in a still-developing industry?  Trilliant executives Rob Conant, Chief Marketing Officer and Paul Karr, VP of Commercial Operations discussed their vision and strategy with MITER. 

Do Startup Accelerators Deliver Value? The Economics of Creating Companies (Part 2 of 2)

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As alluded to earlier (see Part 1), startup accelerators may contribute to firm growth in four ways: human capital growth, reduction of search costs, signaling, and reduction of the rental rate on capital. However, the significance of any of these effects has yet to be proven empirically.

Going beyond 50 miles

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In 2011, GM is finally rolling out the long anticipated, plug in hybrid Chevrolet Volt, and Nissan is releasing their full electric Leaf—both of which offer about ~50 miles of all electric range (70 miles cruising for Leaf). While most of us do not drive above 50 miles a day on a regular basis, a truly sustainable solution would require a 300-mile range electric vehicle – the billion-dollar question. But first we have to answer the million-dollar question: how do we even go beyond 50 miles?