At the MIT Startup Exchange (STEX), our support begins once startups have launched and are ready to grow. We build lasting partnerships to help them succeed, offering curated corporate connections and access to industry leaders. Through this network, STEX guides founders through critical growth stages such as customer acquisition, talent recruitment, and brand development.
One of the companies that exemplifies this journey is Leela AI, a startup that has transformed its academic roots into a thriving enterprise shaping the future of industrial performance and safety.
Leela AI at a Glance
Founded: 2016
MIT Roots: CSAIL Spinoff
Founders: Henry Minsky, Cyrus Shaoul, Milan Singh Minsky
Focus: AI for industrial performance & safety
Joined STEX: 3 years post-founding
“STEX really understands startups and the local ecosystems that can help us grow,” said co-founder Cyrus Shaoul. “We got in the door with many large corporations in a way that would have been impossible without STEX.”
From Pivot to Breakthrough In its early days, Leela AI explored applications in digital wellness. But a pivotal pilot program, facilitated through STEX, revealed a far greater opportunity in manufacturing. The startup shifted focus and has never looked back.
Over the past seven years, Leela AI has:
Grown from a proof-of-concept into a 20-person team.
Secured numerous long-term enterprise customers.
Expanded to 12 manufacturing sites in just three years—all through connections initiated by STEX.
“Presenting at STEX events was critical to our decision to focus on manufacturing and develop relationships with anchor customers,” noted Shaoul. “Those early introductions laid the groundwork for sustainable growth.”
Where They Are Now Today, Leela AI is scaling rapidly with projects at major global manufacturers. Their flagship product, the Leela Visual Intelligence Platform, is driving advances in productivity, safety, and quality control across the industrial sector.
Looking ahead, the company has its sights set on global expansion. “We are excited to be at the forefront of the smart manufacturing revolution,” said Shaoul. “The global reach of MIT STEX has helped us support the world’s best manufacturers—companies that are leading by example in using AI to transform operations.”