MassChallenge Selects Northeastern Startup as Finalist
MassChallenge, the world’s largest startup accelerator, has selected Quad Technologies for the final round of its prestigious entrepreneurship competition. The founders of the company Sean Kevlahan, Brian Plouffe, and Adam Hatch, met in graduate school at Northeastern University four years ago. Shashi Murthy, an associate professor of chemical engineering at Northeastern, is also a co-founder of Quad Technologies.
Quad Technologies is a biotech startup that has the potential to revolutionize stem cell research. Currently, scientists use magnetic particles to separate the stem cells they’re interested in from their surroundings. However, the magnetic particles permanently bind to stem cells. Quad Technologies has developed a gel called QuickGel that binds to particular cells or biological molecules but can easily be removed once the cells have been separated. The technology could be used to remove stem cells from the blood stream of a patient, ending the need for controversial embryonic stem cell research. Stem cells could be used to treat a variety of diseases, including Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Parkinson’s Disease, and ALS, and any new technology could prove invaluable for biomedical researchers.
Quad got to participate in MassChallenge’s four month accelerator program. As part of the program, startups from all over the world are given mentorship and financial resources, and they get working space in an accelerator with the other MassChallenge startups. The MassChallenge startup members also have the opportunity to attend a variety of networking events, talks, and lectures.
More than 1,200 companies applied to be part of the MassChallenge competition this year. 128 were selected as semi-finalists and got the opportunity to participate in MassChallenge’s four month accelerator program. At the end of the program, Quad Technologies was one of the 26 startups selected to compete for $1 million in cash prizes and over $10 million in in-kind support in the MassChallenge competition. Quad Technologies will pitch its product to a panel of startup executives from companies like ZipCar and Kayak.
Applications for the 2014 MassChallenge open in February 2014. The accelerator takes place from June to October. You can find more details here.
