BOSTON–The Venture Development Center at University of MAssachusetts (VDC) announced its collaboration with TiE Boston Angels, as well as VC firms Glasswing Ventures, Innospark Ventures, and Tola Capital, to host the TiE Boston AI VC Forum event on UMASS Boston’s Dorchester campus.
The AI VC Forum event will take place on March 25, 2025, and invites Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A software companies leveraging AI and with valuations under $20M to participate. The event will be held at the VDC. VC firms, Glasswing Ventures, Innospark Ventures, and Tola Capital, and TiE Angels will evaluate applicants for due diligence and investment consideration.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to support the State of Massachusetts’ focus on nurturing AI ecosystem development, further establish the Commonwealth as an epicenter for AI innovation, as well as to help to bolster the vision of TiE Boston to serve as a not-for-profit leader in Boston’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” shares Shubhro Sen, PhD, the Executive Director of the VDC. UMASS Boston has invested heavily in AI, including establishing the The Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute (PEAAII) as the nation’s first university-based institute dedicated to optimizing and democratizing the use of AI tools across a broad range of professions.
TiE Boston is one of the largest not-for-profit organizations focused on helping entrepreneurs. It also provides an independent platform for TiE Boston Angels members to review startup opportunities for investment. TIE Boston Angels is a network of 100+ serial entrepreneurs and business executives and is the local chapter of the global TIE Angels community. TiE Boston Angels offers angel funding and operating guidance to entrepreneurs seeking to address US market needs. Glasswing Ventures, Innospark Ventures, and Tola Capital are three leading Boston area venture capital firms focused on AI with a combined AUM of over $1B and an investment portfolio of 150+ companies. Founders can sign up to participate in this exciting event through the TiE Boston Angels website. The last date to register for consideration is March 13, 2025. It’s best to apply early! The participating VCs and TiE Boston Angels Leadership Team will select companies to present on Mar 25, 2025.
Upon investment, the VDC will sponsor up to three AI VC Forum funded companies by providing a year-long access to co-working space and complimentary membership to the center, which includes 24/7 secure access, high speed internet, conference rooms & other facilities, an active entrepreneur community and access to rich knowledge capital at UMASS Boston for mentorship and networking. For the selected startups, the VDC will also provide subsidized access to its high-performance computing core for AI startups with a custom configuration based upon the nature of the work envisaged. One example: two virtual machines with 170 GB RAM, 2x A100 40GB GPUs, 24 CPU Cores and 100GB storage plus setup/training @40% of the cost for a comparable configuration on Google Cloud.
“At TiE Angels, we leverage our relationships with VCs, our TiE network of serial entrepreneurs and seasoned executives, and our successful programs to support entrepreneurs and startup companies. My co-program lead, Rahul Chandra, and I are very excited about this opportunity to work with Glasswing Ventures, Innospark Ventures, Tola Capital and UMass VDC to invest and support leading AI companies,” said Alok Prasad, TiE Boston Angels Chairman and member of the TiE Boston Board of Directors.
“This event is part of a series of initiatives TiE Boston is launching to be a leader in the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Purnanand Sarma, President of TiE Boston. “We are thrilled to be working with UMass Boston VDCS and leading VCs, an area of high relevance for the present and the future.”
Founded in 1997, TiE Boston connects tomorrow’s founders with today’s entrepreneurs, executives and venture capitalists, in its mission to foster entrepreneurship. Operating for 27 years now, TiE Boston’s unparalleled network of successful, serial entrepreneurs are deeply engaged and committed to giving back to the community by providing mentorship, tactical advice, and expertise to rising entrepreneurs through signature programs such as TiE Angels. TiE Angels is a group of accredited investors who provide funding and support for early-stage companies.
UMass Boston is a public US-based research university and the third-largest campus in the five-campus University of Massachusetts system. Home to over 15,000 students at the spectacular Harbor Campus in South Boston, UMass Boston’s 6 academic colleges offer more than 200 degree and certificate programs, including top-ranked programs in nursing, business and public policy. With a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio and world-class faculty committed to student success, UMass Boston offers small class sizes and a dynamic classroom experience. The campus provides a dynamic research environment with over $80M in research funding received in 2024 as well as a rich ecosystem for translational research and innovation. International students make up a significant portion of the student body.
Since its founding in 2009, the Venture Development Center (VDC) at UMass Boston has provided essential support to launch and grow innovative technology and life science companies. The VDC offers its members a broad range of support to accelerate their companies’ access to business advisory services, scientific and technological expertise, state-of-the-art instrumentation, cutting-edge laboratories, well-equipped office space, and additional resources. One of its key offerings since 2015 is the Global Entrepreneur in Residence [GEIR] program. The VDC is the pioneer and market leader of this vanguard program that provides visa support for talented foreign-born entrepreneurs with disruptive and scalable ideas to grow their ventures in Massachusetts. It has helped launch 116 GEIR companies in MA, creating over 1750 full-time jobs and raising $ 1.6 billion in capital.
