TNT backs the best founders from MIT with capital, credits, mentors, and a direct line to top VCs. We work alongside MIT's programs to take you from building to raising.
MIT produces more startup founders than almost any university in the world. But the resources on campus are fragmented: Sandbox for exploration, delta v for summer, the $100K for competitions, and dozens of lab-specific programs that don't talk to each other.
TNT is the connective tissue. We're embedded across MIT's labs, centers, and student organizations, and we connect MIT founders to Harvard's ecosystem, Boston's investor community, and a cohort of peers who are building at the same intensity. We run during the semester, complement every existing MIT program, and provide the infrastructure that none of them do: cloud credits, dedicated mentors, weekly VC office hours, and Demo Day.
Every team receives credits from AWS, Google Cloud, Anthropic, NVIDIA, Cloudflare, Vercel, Stripe, DigitalOcean, ElevenLabs, and 25+ other partners. This is the largest credit package of any pre-seed accelerator in Boston.
Custom-matched founders, operators, VCs, PhDs, and industry executives. Not a list of names on a website. Each team gets a dedicated mentor who meets with them weekly throughout the program.
Weekly investor sessions during the cohort with partners from top-tier funds. Direct introductions when you're ready to raise. Our teams have raised from firms including Y Combinator, General Catalyst, and more.
Present to 300+ attendees including investors, operators, and potential customers. Sponsored by Orrick and J.P. Morgan. Our Spring 2026 Demo Day is during Boston Tech Week.
TNT is the only organization that connects MIT and Harvard founders in a single cohort. A CSAIL PhD meets an HBS MBA. An MIT undergrad meets a Harvard SEAS engineer. This is how the best teams form and the strongest networks build.
Incorporation, SAFEs, and IP protection through our legal partners. Enterprise pilot introductions through McKinsey and our industry network.
TNT is independent and not officially affiliated with MIT. We complement what already exists on campus. Many of our founders participate in MIT programs at the same time.
| Program | Best For | Timing | What You Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| TNT | Founders ready to build and raise | Spring and Fall semesters | Credits, mentors, VC intros, Demo Day |
| MIT delta v | Full-time summer commitment | Summer (June to September) | Up to $75K stipend, co-working space |
| MIT Sandbox | Exploring an idea | Rolling (fall, spring, summer) | Up to $25K non-dilutive funding |
| MIT $100K | Competition-driven founders | September through May | Up to $100K in prizes |
| MITdesignX | Design-driven ventures | IAP + Spring semester | $10K grant, course credit |
| START.nano | Hard-tech using MIT.nano facilities | Rolling | Discounted fab access |
Common path: Start with Sandbox to test your idea. Join TNT when you're building and ready to raise. Apply to delta v for a full-time summer. Compete in the $100K for visibility. These programs stack. TNT is the one that connects you to capital, mentors, and the broader ecosystem beyond MIT.
Inference infrastructure for agents that manage their own context. Spun out of MIT CSAIL research.
Factory-built nuclear reactors for AI data centers. Y Combinator alum.
Quantum cameras for earth and space intelligence. Roughly 1,000x more effective than current satellite imaging.
TNT selects 10 to 15 teams per cohort from 200+ applications. We back AI, deep tech, and frontier companies from MIT and Harvard founders. Applications for Fall 2026 are open now and close September 27.
Apply to TNT