CAMBRIDGE, MA – Harvard University’s commitment to translating groundbreaking research into tangible societal benefit has been underscored by the latest awards from the Harvard Grid Accelerator. This prestigious program, a key initiative within the university’s ecosystem for fostering innovation, has announced its 2025 recipients: three distinct research projects poised to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the world today – cardiovascular health, the escalating demands of data processing, and the frontier of quantum computation.
The Harvard Grid Accelerator provides critical support to academic ventures seeking to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and market readiness. The program offers a comprehensive package including vital funding, expert mentorship, and specialized venture development support. This structured assistance is designed to equip researchers with the resources and knowledge necessary to commercialize their emerging technologies effectively.
Bridging the Gap Between Lab and Market
The need for programs like the Grid Accelerator is paramount in overcoming the inherent challenges associated with moving complex, deep technologies out of the academic environment. University labs are crucibles of innovation, generating fundamental discoveries, but the pathway to developing a viable product or service, attracting investment, and navigating regulatory landscapes requires different expertise and resources. The Grid Accelerator, alongside the Office of Technology Development Physical Sciences and Engineering Accelerator, has a demonstrated track record of success in this endeavor.
Since 2013, projects supported by these accelerators have culminated in the launch of 19 startups. These new ventures, born from Harvard research, have collectively managed to raise nearly half a billion dollars, a testament to the commercial potential unlocked by this targeted support.
Innovations for Cardiovascular Health, Data, and Quantum
The 2025 cohort of award recipients exemplifies the breadth and depth of research underway at Harvard. Each project tackles a significant societal need with a novel technological approach.
One awarded project focuses on cardiovascular health, a global health priority due to the prevalence of related diseases. Led by postdoctoral students Adel Djellouli and Giovanni Bordiga from the laboratory of Professor Katia Bertoldi, this team is developing a soft, stent-like device. Unlike traditional rigid stents used to open narrowed arteries, this innovative device is designed to regulate blood pressure through mechanical interaction, potentially offering a new therapeutic avenue for hypertension and other vascular conditions. The emphasis on a “soft” material highlights a growing trend in medical devices towards greater biocompatibility and flexibility, potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing complications.
Addressing the surging global demand for data processing, particularly from advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, is another critical area. A second awarded project, originating from Professor Kiyoul Yang’s lab, is led by postdoctoral student Tianyi Zeng. This research focuses on developing an integrated chip-scale optical circuit switch and amplifier. The current infrastructure of data centers struggles to keep pace with the exponentially growing need for speed and efficiency. This technology aims to dramatically increase the data throughput and reduce energy consumption within AI data centers by utilizing light (optics) rather than electrical signals for routing and amplifying data, miniaturized onto a single chip.
The third project receiving support delves into the complex and highly competitive field of quantum computation. This research is specifically aimed at the fundamental challenge of unlocking scalable quantum processing. While quantum computers hold the promise of solving problems currently intractable for even the most powerful supercomputers, building and maintaining stable, scalable quantum processors remains a significant scientific and engineering hurdle. The Grid Accelerator’s support for this project signifies a commitment to advancing the foundational technology required to make practical quantum computing a reality.
The Road Ahead
For each of the three awarded projects, the Grid Accelerator’s support marks a crucial step on the long road from discovery to impact. The funding provides essential resources for prototype development, validation, and initial market analysis. The mentorship connects the academic teams with experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts who can offer guidance on business strategy, intellectual property, and fundraising. The venture development support helps shape the project’s trajectory towards forming a startup or licensing agreement.
These projects represent the vanguard of Harvard innovation, applying sophisticated technological solutions to urgent global problems. Their progress under the auspices of the Grid Accelerator will be closely watched as they work to translate their scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications that could significantly improve health outcomes, enhance digital infrastructure, and unlock new computational paradigms.
