MIT Accelerator Gets $6M to Launch Student Startups

Ed Hallen and Andrew Bialecki turned their MIT classroom project into Klaviyo, a customer relationship management company that went public in 2023. Now they're paying it forward in a big way.

The duo just gave $6 million to MIT's delta v accelerator, the university's flagship program for student entrepreneurs. The funding comes at a perfect moment, as artificial intelligence is creating an explosion of new startup opportunities for students ready to build.

The money will make a real difference for student founders. Teams accepted into delta v can now earn up to $75,000 in equity-free funding, up from $20,000 in previous years. That's real runway to test ideas, build prototypes, and find customers without giving up ownership or taking on debt.

But the cash is only part of the story. Delta v is also bringing in heavyweight mentors, including successful founders from companies like Kayak, plus C-suite executives and early-stage investors who know what it takes to scale a business.

"In the early days of Klaviyo, we learned almost everything by building, testing assumptions, making mistakes, and figuring things out as we went," Hallen explains. The accelerator creates that same learning environment, but with experienced guides to help students avoid costly mistakes.

The timing couldn't be better. MIT student startups using AI are already seeing explosive growth. Companies like Cursor and Delve have attracted huge customer bases, while delta v alumni ventures like Klarity and Reducto are building successful AI-powered platforms.

Students are launching ventures across every sector imaginable: healthcare, climate solutions, finance, and the future of work. The AI revolution means they can build faster and reach further than ever before.

Applications for the summer 2026 cohort open March 1 and close April 1, with teams announced in May. For students with big ideas and the drive to build them, this could be their launchpad.

The Ripple Effect

This gift represents more than funding for a few dozen startups. It's an investment in Boston's position as a global innovation hub and a signal that the city's tech community takes care of its own.

When successful founders reinvest in the next generation, they create a virtuous cycle. Today's students become tomorrow's entrepreneurs, who eventually fund the next wave after them. MIT has produced countless world-changing companies, and this accelerator is the engine that helps more students take that leap.

The partnership model also means students get real-world guidance from people who've actually built and scaled companies, not just theoretical knowledge. That experience is priceless when you're trying to figure out product-market fit or navigate your first major hiring decision.

Students with solutions to global challenges now have a clearer path from classroom idea to company that matters.