MassChallenge Announces Inaugural Human Potential Sprint Cohort

BOSTON, Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, MassChallenge, global nonprofit accelerator connecting innovators to grow and transform economies, launches its inaugural Human Potential Sprint. The program will drive novel technologies toward new use cases and opportunities, with an aim to measure, push, and surpass previously defined bounds of the human body. MassChallenge welcomes sixteen startups into the inaugural cohort.

The Human Potential Sprint is a six-week, high-intensity program designed to support strategic industry exposure with customers, partners, and investors. The program will conclude with a Startup Showcase in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, November 7, gathering startups, partners, and investors for technology demonstrations and networking.

Startups accepted into this sprint will have the opportunity to influence innovation roadmaps and the future of the human condition. MassChallenge is seeking enabling innovations including sensor technology, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), genetic engineering and gene therapy, data monitoring & gathering, artificial intelligence (AI), and exoskeletons.

"MassChallenge specializes in technology transfer across industries, offering greater success toward tech development, partnership, and funding," said Robby Bitting, Interim Head of U.S. Acceleration at MassChallenge. Uniting an ecosystem of innovators to understand the true bounds of human potential will accelerate solutions at a greater rate than attempting to solve these challenges separately."

MassChallenge has built an ecosystem of partners and investors that are committed to forging advancements in sports tech, health tech, defense, space and more. Through MassChallenge's Human Potential Sprint, supporting partners such as Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Stadia Ventures, and more, will secure access to the next wave of technologies solving for incremental improvement to human physicality and movement. 

"The Air Force must leverage the start-up ecosystem to accelerate the development of novel technologies that enhance the warfighter," urged Dr. Kevin Schmidt, Senior Neuroscientist with the Autonomy Capability Team 3, AFRL, Department of the Air Force. "The Air Force Research Laboratory is excited to be part of this next generation of technology development at MassChallenge."

About MassChallenge

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators. Headquartered in the United States with eight locations worldwide, it is the non-profit's mission to help bold entrepreneurs disrupt the status quo and create sustainable change. Since launching in 2009, MassChallenge has run programs in 24 countries, supported more than 4,000 startups from around the world, and awarded over $18M in equity-free cash and prizes. Learn more about MassChallenge at masschallenge.org. 

The Department of the Air Force's engagements with non-government organizations does not imply or constitute approval or endorsement by the Air Force or the Department of Defense.

SOURCE MassChallenge