First-of-its-kind student-run event where teams of 3-5 built functional AI-powered products in a single day. Mentors, industry leaders, and sponsor-provided prizes.
View on LumaTNT organized the first-ever MIT x Harvard MBA Startup-athon at the Microsoft NERD Center in Cambridge. The full-day event brought together students from MIT Sloan, Harvard Business School, and the broader MIT and Harvard communities to build AI-powered startup prototypes from scratch.
Teams of 3-5 participants ideated, designed, and built functional products over the course of a single day. The event was structured to mirror the intensity and pace of a real startup — from idea validation in the morning to a working prototype and pitch by evening.
Mentors and industry leaders circulated throughout the day, offering guidance on product design, technical architecture, and go-to-market strategy. The event culminated in pitch presentations to a panel of judges, with prizes provided by sponsors.
Microsoft NERD Center (New England Research & Development Center) is located at 1 Memorial Drive in Cambridge, overlooking the Charles River. It's one of Boston's premier tech event spaces and a hub for the local developer and startup community.
TNT's Startupathon events are hackathon-style competitions focused on building real startup prototypes. Unlike traditional hackathons, the emphasis is on business viability and product-market fit, not just technical execution. Teams explore how AI can solve real business problems and compete for prizes and accelerator spots.