Rhode Island Startup Week to spotlight Brown faculty and student ventures

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - Hundreds of people from Rhode Island's business community will gather in September for the sixth annual Rhode Island Startup Week. Organized by RIHub, the celebration spotlights entrepreneurship and innovation across the state. From Sept. 18 to 26, the program will feature startup showcases, workshops, discussions and networking events, bringing together entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and industry leaders to connect and spark new ideas.

Among this year's highlights, multiple Brown University researchers, inventors and startups will be in the spotlight. Across a series of events, investors, founders and business leaders will get a look at technologies, ventures and bold new ideas from Brown's faculty, students and alumni.

RIHub Managing Director Annette Tonti said ventures that originate from research discoveries at Brown strengthen Rhode Island's standing as a hub of innovation and economic growth.

"Students from around the world come to Brown, and therefore, Rhode Island, to learn about and tackle the world's largest problems, and they're actively seeking ways to make a big impact," Tonti said. "This is a culture that Brown brings to our state and one that we are fortunate to have here in our midst. The types of entrepreneurial endeavors from Brown students, faculty and researchers are truly big, impactful ideas. We need more of that kind of thinking here in Rhode Island. Brown leads the way for us."

For the third consecutive year, the Innovation@Brown Showcase will culminate Rhode Island Startup Week. Hosted by Brown Technology Innovations, the event will feature dozens of commercial ventures in medicine, science, technology and engineering that have emerged directly from Brown research. With support from Brown Technology Innovations, the University's scholars are actively turning their discoveries into real-world technologies, which helped place Brown among the nation's top universities for securing U.S. patents in 2024.

Greg Hirth, Brown's vice president for research and a professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, said Rhode Island Startup Week offers Brown scholars a prime chance to make connections that bring new ideas to life.

"The Innovation@Brown Showcase is where Brown's cutting-edge research is introduced to the real world," Hirth said. "We've seen it grow into a vibrant, must-attend event, bringing over 300 investors and entrepreneurs to campus each year. These connections are vital for moving our innovations out of the lab and into the business community where they can make a difference, and we couldn't do it without our great partners at RIHub."

All Rhode Island Startup Week events are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule, visit https://www.ristartupweek.com. A few highlights featuring Brown community members are detailed below.

B-Lab Expo: Thursday, Sept. 18

6:30 - 8 p.m.
Brown University, Alumnae Hall
194 Meeting St., Providence

Brown University's Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship will host an expo showcasing 13 student-led ventures from its 2025 Breakthrough Lab cohort. B-Lab is an eight-week summer accelerator that supports student entrepreneurs in building high-impact ventures. The featured startups span industries including financial technology, medical devices, consumer products, food delivery and social enterprise. Attendees can engage with founders, explore their innovative products and see how their ideas developed over the summer.

From Lab to Launch: Monday, Sept. 22

3 - 3:45 p.m.
CIC Providence, Assembly Hall
225 Dyer St., Providence

Jeffrey Morgan, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Brown, will join Melissa Simon of Brown Technology Innovations for a fireside chat exploring his pioneering work in biomedical engineering. Morgan is advancing new approaches to treating heart disease, kidney failure and other chronic conditions by harnessing the therapeutic potential of the extracellular matrix (ECM) - the scaffolding material that organizes cells into tissues and organs. In 2022, he partnered with life sciences entrepreneur Frank Ahmann to launch Providence-based biotech company XM Therapeutics. Attendees will hear about that journey, including how Morgan leveraged local resources and funding to bring his research closer to patient impact.

Building Discovery: Danoff Life Sciences Laboratory Hard Hat Experience: Monday, Sept. 22

4 - 5 p.m.
Gather near Bagel Gourmet
222 Richmond St., Providence

Suffolk Construction and life sciences industry trade group RI Bio will guide a hard hat tour of Brown University's under-construction William A. and Ami Kuan Danoff Life Sciences Laboratories, a seven-story, 300,000-square-foot facility for life sciences research taking shape in the heart of Providence's Jewelry District.

Innovation@Brown Showcase: Thursday, Sept. 25

2 - 6 p.m.
CIC Providence
222 Dyer St., Providence

Brown University's third annual Innovation@Brown Showcase, hosted by Brown Technology Innovations, brings together investors, researchers, entrepreneurs and business leaders from across Rhode Island. The event highlights Brown scientists who are launching breakthrough technologies in health, life sciences and biotechnology, offering a forum for connection and collaboration. In addition to the annual venture showcase and networking session, this year's program features compelling talks on timely topics, including two panels, "The Importance of Innovation Ecosystems in a Changing World," and "Key Research and Design Consideration for Mental and Behavioral Health AI Assistants."