Three Interesting Things (in the Boston Startup Space)

Author

Nathan Therrien
May 05, 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 Cinco de Mayo celebration at Mendoza Ventures. We also have some newsworthy articles, including one about seven new startups joining the biotech incubator, and a podcast wildcard featuring American Data Science founder Andrew Chang.

Events:

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Mendoza Ventures

Monday, May 5, 5:00-7:00 pm

207 Newbury St, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the tech community at Mendoza Ventures. Hear from speakers including Adrian Mendoza, Adam Kerr, Aymbré Paige, Esther Afrane Pallen, Enrique Sanchez Padilla, Reda Mekouar, Mohammed Kamal, and Christopher Alemán. Enjoy an evening of networking across #venturecapital, #ai, #cybersecurity, #fintech, and #femalefunders.

Elevate Your Fundraising Strategy with Top Investors and Founders

Tuesday, May 6, 10:00-12:00 pm

Boston, MA

Learn fundraising strategies from leading investors like Samara Gordon of Hyperplane, Gabrielle McCarthy of Underscore VC, and Jadyn Bryden of Xfund at an exclusive #Boston breakfast hosted by Foundess, Foley & Lardner LLP, and Girls Into VC. Hear insights on metrics to track, relationship-building, and preparing for investor meetings. Meet other #startup founders and gain insider advice in a supportive, energizing setting.

Spring is in the air, and so is the energy of the Core Community!

Tuesday, May 6, 5:00-8:00 pm

Boston, MA

The Core Community is gathering for the Underscore VC Core Spring Social, bringing together #Boston entrepreneurs, startup builders, and community supporters for an evening of conversations and collaboration. Meet familiar faces, make new connections, and exchange ideas with the people shaping bold B2B software ventures. Hosted by Underscore VC, it’s a night to celebrate community and springtime energy.

Boost Your Cybersecurity Knowledge at the Massachusetts Municipal Summit

Thursday, May 8, 9:00 am-3:00 pm

DCU Convention Center - 50 Foster Street, Worcester, MA 01608

Learn how to recognize emerging threats and strengthen your defenses at the Massachusetts Municipal Cybersecurity Summit hosted by MassCyberCenter. Attend collaborative workshops, hear the latest strategies for municipalities, and level up your cybersecurity awareness with experts leading the charge.

Discover the Next Wave of Innovation at QUBIC Spring 2025

Friday, May 9, 4:00-7:30 pm

Fidelity Investments - Boston, MA

Get a first look at 11 groundbreaking #startups pitching high-impact solutions at QUBIC Spring 2025, hosted in collaboration with Fidelity Investments. Meet #founders, network with investors, and explore emerging investment opportunities in a fast-paced, high-energy setting. Enjoy an evening of innovation, networking, and fresh ideas shaping the future.

Dive into AI Innovation at the Generative AI X Summit

Tuesday, May 13, 9:00 am-6:00 pm

Boston Convention and Exhibition Center

Connect with top minds in #AI and #datascience at the Generative AI X Summit, co-located with ODSC East. Hear from leaders driving innovation across industries, explore the future of generative AI, and network with executives, scientists, and innovators shaping what’s next. Check out confirmed speakers and details at Open Data Science Conference (ODSC).

Meet GenAI Enthusiasts at AI Woodstock Boston

Tuesday, May 13, 5:30-7:30 pm

Time Out Market Boston

Meet GenAI enthusiasts and #AI professionals at AI Woodstock Boston, a free networking event organized by Paul Baier of GAI Insights and AI Blueprint for MA. Connect with innovators driving the next wave of generative AI and explore the energy shaping the future of tech. Enjoy an evening of conversations and collaboration with the #Boston AI community.

Build AI Tools That Close the Gender Gap in Healthcare

Saturday, May 17, 9:30 am – 8:00 pm

51 Vassar St, Cambridge, MA

MIT’s inaugural Female Medicine through Machine Learning (FMML) Women's Health AI Hackathon is calling all changemakers to tackle the gender gap in medicine using AI. Spend the day at MIT creating open-source tools that improve care for female bodies with support from Foreground Capital and Perkins Coie. Whether you're a student or a seasoned builder, this is your chance to reimagine #healthcare through data-driven innovation.

Celebrate Biotech Innovation with Founders and Investors at The Forum

Thursday, May 22, 1:00-8:00 pm

Portal Innovations – Southline Labs, Boston, MA

Nucleate Boston’s Forum spotlights emerging #biotech founders from the Activator program alongside investors, leaders, Portal Innovations, LLC, Pliancy, Genetech, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and more. Hear from George Church and explore what’s next in life sciences.

Celebrate Innovation and Student Ventures at BUILDFest 2025

Tuesday, May 27, 5:30-8:00 pm

Fenway Park – Dell Tech Capital and Aura Clubs

Support the next generation of #startup leaders as three finalist teams pitch their business ideas at BUILDFest 2025. The event features a Student Business Expo where you can meet student entrepreneurs, explore their products, and learn about their journeys.

Pitch Night with AI Startups and Global Investors

Wednesday, May 28, 5:30-8:30 pm

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

Watch 10 top AI startups compete at the Datamellon AI Ignite Pitch Battle in #Boston. This event brings together developers, investors, and #founders for fast-paced pitches, live demos, and networking. With a $100k prize on the line and support from AWS, it’s a big night for innovation in the AI space.

Build a Startup in a Weekend with Techstars Boston

Friday, May 30, 5:00 – Sunday, June 1, 8:00 pm

Suffolk University Law School – Boston, MA

StartupWeekend is back in #Boston with three days of rapid ideation, mentorship, and team building. Whether you're a visionary or a builder, collaborate with future founders, work alongside expert mentors, and pitch your startup to judges and peers. Hosted by Techstars Startup Weekend Boston, this high-energy weekend is where ideas come to life.

Articles:

LabCentral and C10 Labs Launch AI BioHub in Kendall Square

LabCentral and C10 Labs announced a new AI BioHub in Kendall Square to accelerate #biotech and AI collaboration. The space will support early-stage teams using #AI to solve significant challenges in life sciences, providing lab space, computing power, and industry connections. The launch signals growing momentum around AI-driven biotech innovation in the #Boston area.

Deel’s $1.5B Acquisition Marks a Fintech Shakeup

Deel just announced it’s acquiring PaySpace in a $1.5B deal, expanding its footprint in global payroll and HR solutions. The move signals growing consolidation in the fintech space as companies race to offer end-to-end platforms. Deel now claims it’s on track to surpass $500M in annual recurring revenue.

Seven Startups Join Biotech Incubator in Worcester

Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives has welcomed seven biotech startups to its incubator space in Worcester, adding momentum to the city’s growing life sciences sector. The move reflects continued demand for early-stage biotech infrastructure, as startups seek lab space and support outside of Greater Boston. The latest cohort includes ventures focused on gene therapy, medical devices, and drug development.

Wild Card:

🚨 Founder Spotlight 🚨 Founder Spotlight 🚨

Andrew Chang is the founder of American Data Science, a Boston-based startup that is empowering data scientists and machine learning engineers with AI and GPUs by way of artificial intelligence editing tools built for data scientists. American Data Science helps users accelerate and automate their data science and research processes with AI and GPUs. ADS's AI editor and agents help streamline the workflow of data scientists, researchers, and AI/ML developers.

 In the most recent episode of my Pop-Up Podcast, American Data Science founder Andrew Chang joined me to talk about his startup journey.

In the 1st clip, Andrew gives a two-minute elevator pitch on the mission to improve workflows for data scientists by leveraging generative AI.

The 2nd clip has the entire interview with Andrew.

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.