MIT Startup Exchange March 2026 Demo Day

March 18, 2026
Virtual Event
MIT Startup Exchange March 2026 Demo Day

Location

Virtual/Remote Event

Overview

MIT Startup Exchange is convening a new installment of Demo Day on Wednesday, March 18 (12 PM – 1:15 PM ET). The event will feature several exciting industry-ready startups in brief lightning talks and Q&A. Breakout rooms will follow at the end of the event.

Please register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This event is for ILP members.

  • Overview

    MIT Startup Exchange is convening a new installment of Demo Day on Wednesday, March 18 (12 PM – 1:15 PM ET). The event will feature several exciting industry-ready startups in brief lightning talks and Q&A. Breakout rooms will follow at the end of the event.

    Please register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

    This event is for ILP members.

Register

Agenda

12:00 PM
Welcome and Introduction

Manager of Partnerships & Engagement, MIT Startup Exchange

Tricia Dinkel headshot
Tricia Dinkel

Manager of Partnerships & Engagement, MIT Startup Exchange

Tricia Dinkel comes to Corporate Relations with several years of experience in the innovation ecosystem and managing relationships with startups and corporates. Tricia previously worked as Director of Navigate (NECEC’s flagship innovation program) at the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC) in Boston where she led all operations and partnership development for 400+ startups, 65+ innovation partners, and 200+ investors & corporates in North America and Europe. Prior to that role, Tricia held positions with increasing responsibility in program management at NECEC. Before that, her experience included Director of Data Analytics and Sustainability Reporting Manager at WegoWise Inc. in Boston, Associate Director at the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation in Cambridge, Senior Sustainability Coordinator at A Better City in Boston, and Assistant Director at The Green Alliance in Portsmouth, NH.

Tricia earned her B.A., Environmental Studies/Natural Resource Policy at the University of Colorado, and her M.A., Environmental Science Education at the University of New Hampshire. She served on the NECEC Diversity & Inclusion Committee and as a member of the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), Massachusetts Chapter.

12:05 PM
Lightning Talks and Q&A (in speaking order)
Inspired by Humans, Powered by AI, Delivered Through Robotics
Vicente Viñuela

Co-Founder & CEO, Oddness

Vicente Viñuela

Co-Founder & CEO, Oddness

Bio coming soon.

Decarbonizing Adhesives
Shereen Shermak
Shereen Shermak headshot
Shereen Shermak

Shereen Shermak, COO of Silvis Materials, is a startup operator and founder with a successful track record of scaling early-stage ventures into impact-driven businesses. Two-time successful early-stage CEO and builder of three academic spinoutsfrom MIT, Duke and BU, achieving two exits to public companies (and counting). Passionate about innovation, strategic growth, and founder support. She started her career as an environmental engineer, and has held senior positions in the private, non-profit and government sectors. Active angel investor committed to empowering emerging entrepreneurs.She holds a BSE from Duke, an MBA from Sloan, and an MPA from the Kennedy School.

Molecular Recycling of End-of-Life Plastic
Matias Rojas
Matias Rojas

Bio coming soon.

Crop Protection Without Compromise
Jake Teitelbaum

VP, Business, Robigo

Jake Teitelbaum

VP, Business, Robigo

Bio coming soon.

The Intelligence Behind Better Care
Breana Patel

Founder & CEO, Owle AI

Breana Patel

Founder & CEO, Owle AI

Bio coming soon.

A Gene Therapy Approach to Treating Chronic, Age-Related Disease
Daniel Oliver

Founder & CEO, Rejuvenate Bio

Daniel Oliver

Founder & CEO, Rejuvenate Bio

Bio coming soon.

Genomics to the Power of Every Person
Ana Cornell

Founder & CEO, Acorn Genetics

Ana Cornell headshot
Ana Cornell

Founder & CEO, Acorn Genetics

Ana Cornell is the Founder and CEO of Acorn Genetics, a company developing next‑generation genetic testing platforms designed to be faster, lower‑cost, and usable outside of traditional  laboratory settings. She is a Thiel Fellow, a 776 Fellow, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, recognized for her work at the intersection of biotechnology, hardware, and systems innovation. 

Ana studied biomedical engineering at Northwestern University before leaving to pursue Acorn full‑time as a Thiel Fellow. She founded the company after firsthand experiencing the fragmentation and inaccessibility of the genetic testing ecosystem while attempting to obtain testing herself following her father’s diagnosis with a genetically linked condition. Through Acorn, she is re-imagining genetic testing by enabling DNA to be tested anywhere, in anything—across people, plants, and pathogens. 

Novel Superconductors the World Actually Needs
Jason Gibson

Co-Founder & CEO, Quantum Formatics

Jason Gibson

Co-Founder & CEO, Quantum Formatics

Bio coming soon.

1:00 PM
Breakout Rooms
1:15 PM
Adjournment
  • Agenda
    12:00 PM
    Welcome and Introduction

    Manager of Partnerships & Engagement, MIT Startup Exchange

    Tricia Dinkel headshot
    Tricia Dinkel

    Manager of Partnerships & Engagement, MIT Startup Exchange

    Tricia Dinkel comes to Corporate Relations with several years of experience in the innovation ecosystem and managing relationships with startups and corporates. Tricia previously worked as Director of Navigate (NECEC’s flagship innovation program) at the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC) in Boston where she led all operations and partnership development for 400+ startups, 65+ innovation partners, and 200+ investors & corporates in North America and Europe. Prior to that role, Tricia held positions with increasing responsibility in program management at NECEC. Before that, her experience included Director of Data Analytics and Sustainability Reporting Manager at WegoWise Inc. in Boston, Associate Director at the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation in Cambridge, Senior Sustainability Coordinator at A Better City in Boston, and Assistant Director at The Green Alliance in Portsmouth, NH.

    Tricia earned her B.A., Environmental Studies/Natural Resource Policy at the University of Colorado, and her M.A., Environmental Science Education at the University of New Hampshire. She served on the NECEC Diversity & Inclusion Committee and as a member of the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), Massachusetts Chapter.

    12:05 PM
    Lightning Talks and Q&A (in speaking order)
    Inspired by Humans, Powered by AI, Delivered Through Robotics
    Vicente Viñuela

    Co-Founder & CEO, Oddness

    Vicente Viñuela

    Co-Founder & CEO, Oddness

    Bio coming soon.

    Decarbonizing Adhesives
    Shereen Shermak
    Shereen Shermak headshot
    Shereen Shermak

    Shereen Shermak, COO of Silvis Materials, is a startup operator and founder with a successful track record of scaling early-stage ventures into impact-driven businesses. Two-time successful early-stage CEO and builder of three academic spinoutsfrom MIT, Duke and BU, achieving two exits to public companies (and counting). Passionate about innovation, strategic growth, and founder support. She started her career as an environmental engineer, and has held senior positions in the private, non-profit and government sectors. Active angel investor committed to empowering emerging entrepreneurs.She holds a BSE from Duke, an MBA from Sloan, and an MPA from the Kennedy School.

    Molecular Recycling of End-of-Life Plastic
    Matias Rojas
    Matias Rojas

    Bio coming soon.

    Crop Protection Without Compromise
    Jake Teitelbaum

    VP, Business, Robigo

    Jake Teitelbaum

    VP, Business, Robigo

    Bio coming soon.

    The Intelligence Behind Better Care
    Breana Patel

    Founder & CEO, Owle AI

    Breana Patel

    Founder & CEO, Owle AI

    Bio coming soon.

    A Gene Therapy Approach to Treating Chronic, Age-Related Disease
    Daniel Oliver

    Founder & CEO, Rejuvenate Bio

    Daniel Oliver

    Founder & CEO, Rejuvenate Bio

    Bio coming soon.

    Genomics to the Power of Every Person
    Ana Cornell

    Founder & CEO, Acorn Genetics

    Ana Cornell headshot
    Ana Cornell

    Founder & CEO, Acorn Genetics

    Ana Cornell is the Founder and CEO of Acorn Genetics, a company developing next‑generation genetic testing platforms designed to be faster, lower‑cost, and usable outside of traditional  laboratory settings. She is a Thiel Fellow, a 776 Fellow, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, recognized for her work at the intersection of biotechnology, hardware, and systems innovation. 

    Ana studied biomedical engineering at Northwestern University before leaving to pursue Acorn full‑time as a Thiel Fellow. She founded the company after firsthand experiencing the fragmentation and inaccessibility of the genetic testing ecosystem while attempting to obtain testing herself following her father’s diagnosis with a genetically linked condition. Through Acorn, she is re-imagining genetic testing by enabling DNA to be tested anywhere, in anything—across people, plants, and pathogens. 

    Novel Superconductors the World Actually Needs
    Jason Gibson

    Co-Founder & CEO, Quantum Formatics

    Jason Gibson

    Co-Founder & CEO, Quantum Formatics

    Bio coming soon.

    1:00 PM
    Breakout Rooms
    1:15 PM
    Adjournment

Disclaimer:  MIT Startup Exchange can make introductions that ideally provide open ended discussions in order to share mutual interests and potentially create common ground that incite the parties to collaborate. MIT Startup Exchange introductions may eventually lead to mutual partnerships, but that is not in any way guaranteed by MIT, MIT Corporate Relations, MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) or MIT Startup Exchange, which takes no responsibility for these outcomes and no formal part in such discussions following our introduction. MIT Startup Exchange and its activities and events are not for purposes of soliciting investment or offering securities.