Three Interesting Things (in the Boston Startup Space)

Author

Nathan Therrien
March 03, 2025

I’m Nathan Therrien, founder of Business Insurance & Benefits Services of MA, the go-to resource for #startups on all things insurance.

I spend a lot of time discussing insurance and employee benefits for startups, but there are other things people would rather hear about. So, I started a newsletter—a quick read covering five things and a few more that are a little more interesting than insurance.

This week, we have some cool startup events, including a yard sale with Launch Yard at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, some newsworthy articles, including one about Boston Dynamics’ robots, and a wildcard from the Launch Yard event at Babson College.

Events:

Unwind and Network at Portal Pours This March

Tuesday, March 4, 5:00-8:00 pm

Portal Innovations – 135 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125

Mingle with life sciences professionals over drinks and light bites with Portal Innovations, LLC. Connect in a relaxed setting and explore cutting-edge lab space with optional tours. Don’t miss this chance to expand your network and celebrate the local biotech community!

Experience the Future of AI at Demo Dai

Tuesday, March 4, 6:00-8:00 pm

Cambridge, MA

Explore cutting-edge AI startups from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and beyond at Demo Dai. Hosted by Everydai and Sundai, this showcase features rapid-fire prototypes and ambitious ventures shaping the future of AI.

Meet the Startups Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts

Thursday, March 6, 3:00-6:00 pm

MIT Samberg Conference Center - 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142

Explore the future of health equity at the Massachusetts E-Health Institute's Sandbox Networking Event at MIT Samberg Conference Center. Meet the AHEM Challenge startup cohort, hear from founders who’ve scaled with top sandbox partners like MIT Center for Clinical and Translational Research and M2D2, and network with healthcare innovators shaping the industry.

Explore the Future of Search with Elastic and ODSC

Thursday, March 6, 6:00-8:00 pm

BasisTech – 1070 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144

Dive into the next evolution of search at this exclusive event with Open Data Science Conference (ODSC) and Elastic on March 6. Discover how machine learning is transforming search beyond traditional methods and get an inside look at Stateless Elasticsearch with Andrew (AJ) Meyers. Enjoy live demos, networking, and insights from industry experts—all hosted at BasisTech.

Discover the Next Big Thing at Yard Sale @ MIT

Thursday, March 6, 6:27-8:32 pm

Cambridge, MA

MIT’s boldest innovators and Boston’s brightest minds showcase groundbreaking tech at Launch Yards Yard Sale at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Whether you’re pitching, scouting, or just here for the big ideas, don’t miss Yard Sale: The Best Finds, where top talent goes head-to-head.

Dive into vLLM Innovations with Neural Magic, Red Hat & Google

Tuesday, March 11, 5:00-9:00 pm

Google Cambridge – 355 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142

The first-ever East Coast vLLM meetup is happening at Google Cambridge! Hosted by Neural Magic (Acquired by Red Hat) and Red Hat, this event brings together vLLM users, developers, and engineers from Google, Red Hat, and more. Expect deep technical talks, insights on optimizing LLM inference, and plenty of networking. Don’t miss this chance to connect with experts shaping the future of AI performance.

Meet Mitch Kapor: Entrepreneurial Pioneer and Venture Capital Visionary

Tuesday, March 11, 6:00-7:00 pm

MIT Samberg Conference Center – 50 Memorial Dr, Cambridge, MA 02142

Join the Trust Center's Spring Speaker Series with Mitch Kapor, Founding Partner of Kapor Capital. Hear from the tech pioneer behind Lotus 1-2-3 and learn about his work investing in startups that close gaps for underrepresented communities. Don't miss this chance to gain insights from one of Silicon Valley's most influential figures.

Celebrate Innovation and Leadership at the Tech Top 50 Awards

Thursday, March 13, 5:00-7:00 pm

McKinsey – 240 Devonshire St, Boston, MA

Celebrate the region’s top tech companies, leaders, and innovations at the Tech Top 50 Awards. Honoring individuals like CEO of the Year and companies driving AI, workforce culture, and community impact, this event will also recognize Pam Reeve with the Mass Technology Leadership Council Commonwealth Award for her contributions to Massachusetts' tech ecosystem.

Dive Into Generative AI with Industry Experts at Boston's Meetup

Thursday, March 13, 6:00-8:30 pm

Microsoft New England Research and Development Center – 1 Memorial Dr, Cambridge, MA

Join top AI leaders at the Boston Generative AI Meetup! Hear from experts like David Chang, Sid Probstein, and Beth Porter as they explore the power of generative AI in business. After the panel, enjoy an hour of networking with fellow AI enthusiasts. Don't miss this chance to connect and learn from the best!

Pitch Night: See the Best of Boston's Pre-Series A Tech Startups in Action

Thursday, March 13, 5:30-8:00 pm

Venture Lane – 55 Court St, Boston, MA 02203

Venture Lane | Startup Hub Studio’s Pitch Night showcases six top pre-Series A B2B tech startups from Boston, selected from over 150 applicants. Join a dynamic audience of investors, entrepreneurs, and mentors to discover innovative startups and connect with the leaders shaping Boston’s tech scene. This is the perfect opportunity to network and explore high-growth opportunities in the B2B tech space.

Meet Women Innovators Shaping AI with Glasswing, Flybridge, and MTLC

Tuesday, March 18, 5:00-7:30 pm

Glasswing Ventures – 275 Newbury St, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116

Join the next Women in AI meet-up hosted by Glasswing Ventures, Flybridge, and Mass Technology Leadership Council. This event will feature three women leading in AI from diverse perspectives—founder, investor, and innovator. Enjoy plenty of time to network and reconnect with new and familiar faces while hearing from these incredible leaders in the field.

Unite with Boston’s Tech Communities for Networking and Collaboration

Tuesday, March 18, 5:30-8:00 pm

Pillar VC, 500 Boylston St, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02116

Join product managers, engineers, designers, and tech enthusiasts at Tech Communities Unite, hosted by Jovial and Jellyfish. Discover new groups, make valuable connections, and dive into an interactive activity that sparks fresh ideas. Don’t miss out—space is limited for this exciting evening of collaboration and innovation!

Overcome Data Silos in Biotech with Experts and Peers

Wednesday, March 19, 6:00-9:00 pm

Vester – 73 Ames St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Join biotech founders, data leaders, and scientists for an evening of insights and networking at Mindvyne's Data & Drinks event, hosted by Mindvyne, Collaborative Drug Discovery - CDD Vault, and dovetail biopartners. Hear from experts on overcoming data silos and discover practical strategies to integrate data across teams and platforms. Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with drinks and a roundtable discussion, followed by a panel of experts sharing actionable takeaways for startups.

Articles:

Boston Dynamics' Robots Are Learning New Tricks

Boston Dynamics, known for its groundbreaking robots, is pushing the boundaries of machine learning. Its latest advancements allow robots to teach themselves new skills, moving beyond pre-programmed motions. As AI-driven autonomy grows, the company’s approach could reshape robotics across industries.

Bybit Puts Up $140M Bounty After Major Crypto Hack

Crypto exchange Bybit is offering a $140 million bounty to track down hackers who stole funds from its platform. The breach, one of the largest in recent months, raises concerns about security risks in the crypto space. Bybit says it’s working with authorities and blockchain analysts to recover the stolen assets.

Startup Failure Rates Spark New Approaches to Problem-Solving

Gogi Eloshvili turned past failures into lessons for building XData, a startup tackling complex data challenges. His story reflects a trend of founders using setbacks to refine strategies and build resilience.

Wildcard:

A big round of applause for Enyu R. and Sean Robins for Launch Yard’s recent Yard Sale pitch event at Babson College. 👇

Launchyard is in the midst of a 10-event run throughout the #Boston area putting together high-impact startup demo events. This event highlighted eight #startups taking to the stage to demo their product, including:

CreatorZen: helping influencer marketing agencies find influencers for their campaigns faster. FYI, they are looking for team members.

CurtainCall: Connects creative and industry executives within the entertainment sector. A Social media platform for the creative industry.

Transparent: AI powered platform to track donations through verified nonprofits with real time updates.

Alteris Healthcare: Alteris reduces physician burnout, enhances patient outcomes, and empowers doctors with better-informed decisions.

Eazeye Tech: Energy-efficient, eye-friendly displays made for comfort & sustainability.

NeaterNotes: An app that transforms bland, boring, or illegible handwritten into an aesthetically pleasing copy of them. They’re looking for a CTO if you know anyone.

Momora: A social platform that facilitates mass sharing, exploring, and editing of content with AI agnetic technology

Klonos.me: Create an interactive virtual avatar that answers questions, collects new insights, and helps you book more calls.

It was a great showcase for a live product demo, and Launchyard isn’t close to finished. With events coming up at Harvard and MIT, you’ll have your chance to experience the mayhem.

Check them out on their LinkedIn page for upcoming events, and go check out some really cool startups that will be making some noise in the not-to-distant future.

Thanks for spending five minutes with me!

If you’d like to spend more time with me, check out Nate’s Pop-Up Podcast, follow my company, Business Insurance & Benefits Services of MA, on LinkedIn, or reach out through my website for help with all things insurance and benefits for startups.