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Jumbos Showcase Ventures at TechStars Boston Accelerator Demo Day

Three startups founded by Tufts community members participated in Techstars Boston Accelerator Demo Day on Aug. 10, 2022.

Entrepreneurial Jumbos made another splash in the Boston startup scene this week when three innovative ventures, launched by Tufts community members, showcased their work at Techstars Boston Accelerator Demo Day.

The ventures were part of TechStars’ summer cohort of 12 early-stage companies. Through the program, participants received support and mentorship to grow their startups. The three Jumbo-fueled teams are: 

  • Hera Health Solutions, co-founded by Idicula Mathew, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Derby Entrepreneurship Center
  • LegacyShift, co-founded by Sandra Babu-Boateng, F21
  • MarkIt Social, co-founded by Jonathan Chang, E20, and Brawner Quan, E23

While gaining further visibility in the field, the cohort is also inspiring budding entrepreneurs and sharing valuable insights from their experiences. This year’s Tufts Venture Accelerator participants were among those in attendance at the House of Blues Boston, where the Demo Day took place. The participants learned from and connected with their fellow Tufts entrepreneurs.

View photos from the event & more:

Tufts Venture Accelerator participants visit TechStars’ Boston Accelerator Demo Day in Boston, Mass. on Aug. 10, 2022.
Tufts Venture Accelerator participants visit TechStars Boston Accelerator Demo Day in Boston, Mass. on Aug. 10, 2022.
From left: Tina Weber, Idicula Mathew, Elaine Chen, and Mia Palomba meet at the Aug. 10 Demo Day.
From left: Tina Weber, Idicula Mathew, Elaine Chen, and Mia Palomba meet at the Aug. 10 Demo Day. Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Derby Entrepreneurship Center, Idicula Mathew is also Co-Founder and CEO of Hera Health Solutions, which “produces a pharmaceutical biodegradable device that provides long-acting dosing by combining existing drugs in combination with FDA-approved structural materials.”
Markit Social takes the stage at Techstars’ Boston Accelerator Demo Day on Aug. 10, 2022.
Markit Social takes the stage at Techstars’ Boston Accelerator Demo Day on Aug. 10, 2022. “Markit has built a Tinder-style event discovery platform to connect independent artists and performers with people looking for local in-person experiences. Event creators use Markit to promote to new audiences and engage their previous event attendees. It’s fun, it’s social and makes finding things to do simple.”
"LegacyShift presents at TechStars' Demo Day on Aug. 10, 2022."
LegacyShift is a “market network platform that smart-matches members with experts for skills training, mentorship, and career support, and offers on-demand video MentorClasses from industry leaders.”
From left, Elaine Chen, Director of the Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts, and Gregory Raiz, Managing Director at Techstars.
Elaine Chen — Director of the Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts and Cummings Family Professor of the Practice in Entrepreneurship — takes a selfie with Greg Raiz, E98, Managing Director at Techstars.
Tufts community and friends take a picture in at Techstars' Boston Accelerator Demo Day
Joined by Tufts University Board of Trustees Member Diane Hessan, J76, A11P, (front - center), and the Markit Social Team — Tufts Venture Accelerator participants and staff took a trip to experience Demo Day and learn about the innovations happening in the Boston area.