MassChallenge: Big ideas start small.
What is MassChallenge?
Founded in 2009 in Boston, MA, MassChallenge’s mission is to equip bold entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change.
MassChallenge connects startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and economies. They do this work because “entrepreneurship is a uniquely vigorous force in driving progress against humanity’s greatest challenges, creating opportunity for individuals, and generating jobs for our economy.” MassChallenge works across sectors to drive a stronger future through collaborative innovation, and support all founders whether they fit or break the traditional venture mold.
Giving back and supporting small businesses is at Prodct’s mission-driven core. Since it’s inception, Prodct has been volunteering our services pro bono and sharing our experiences with dozens of medical device and healthtech start-up finalists in MassChallenge, a global accelerator for innovators who are working to solve massive challenges.
We support MassChallenge in a variety of ways but the most impact we have had is mentoring finalists in their programs, many of whom we remain in touch with as they continue to advance their companies and products toward launch.
A FEW OF THE COMPANIES WE’VE MENTORED
MassChallenge Alumni Spotlight
Beken Bio (known originally as CellSpring when we mentored them through the MassChallenge Switzerland program in 2019) is a great example of our long-term commitment to MassChallenge and its program alumni.
Beken Bio develops minimally invasive diagnostics for early cancer detection. Their liquid biopsy tests target novel exosomal biomarkers that are the earliest tumor-derived analytes found in patient plasma. Beken focuses on cancer types that are routinely diagnosed late, which are linked to poor prognosis, with the goal of meaningfully affecting patient outcomes for these high-mortality indications.
Not only did Devon, Prodct founder, stay in touch with CellSpring and continue providing mentoring and advisory services long after their time with MassChallenge, but ultimately Devon ended up serving the team as a member of their Board of Directors.
Devon and Chris Millan Ph.D., Beken Bio CEO and co-founder at their lab in La Jolla, CA (2022)
