Today, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) welcomed investors, stakeholders, and industry leaders to Takeda for the 2026 Massachusetts Next Generation (MassNextGen) Showcase, celebrating underrepresented entrepreneurs and fostering meaningful connections across the Commonwealth’s life sciences innovation ecosystem.
Nine MassNextGen entrepreneurs took the stage to pitch their early-stage life sciences companies, highlighting groundbreaking innovations and opportunities for growth. Building on these presentations, the afternoon featured a panel discussion exploring the role of diverse representation, entrepreneurship, and strategic partnerships in advancing Massachusetts’ innovation economy.
Moderated by Rhonda Pacheco, Takeda’s president of the U.S. Business Unit and U.S. Country Head, the discussion brought together Zenobia Moochhala, Undersecretary of Business Strategies at the Executive Office of Economic Development; Liz O’Day, Founder and CEO of Olaris, Inc. and a former MassNextGen awardee, and Liz Graham, Interim President and CEO of the MLSC. Together, the panelists shared perspectives from government, industry, and entrepreneurship on creating pathways for emerging innovators and strengthening the Commonwealth’s life sciences ecosystem.
Throughout the afternoon, attendees participated in interactive digital poster sessions and engaged directly with the entrepreneurs, learning more about their technologies, and exploring potential partnerships.
“The MLSC is committed to building a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable life sciences ecosystem by removing barriers to funding, mentorship, and other critical resources for innovators of all backgrounds,” said MLSC Interim President and CEO Liz Graham. “Through the MassNextGen Initiative, we are helping promising entrepreneurs access the support and opportunities they need to advance their innovations, scale their companies, and contribute to Massachusetts’ continued leadership in the life sciences.”
The MassNextGen Initiative is designed to support underrepresented entrepreneurs by providing them with non-dilutive grant funding, year-round coaching sessions with serial entrepreneurs and subject matter experts, and in-kind incubator lab bench space.
To date, the MassNextGen portfolio includes 39 companies that have collectively raised over $401 million in follow-on funding, with 19 companies securing seed or Series A financing rounds.
The MLSC is grateful to our MassNextGen sponsors, with a special thanks to Takeda, the program’s Anchor Platinum Sponsor and host of this year’s showcase, for helping make the event possible.
2026 MassNextGen Showcase Entrepreneurs:
- Akeyna – Karen Cronholm, CEO & Co-Founder
- Cellens – Jean Pham, Co-Founder & CEO
- DoriNano – Claire Zeng, Co-Founder, CEO & CTO
- EntoCellular – Sophia Letcher, Co-Founder & CEO
- Gelectric Medical – Leah Borden, CEO & Co-Founder
- General Prognostics – Sean Matsuoka, Co-Founder & CEO
- InnoTech Precision Medicine – Roya Khosravi-Far, President & CEO
- PhagePro – Minmin Yen, CEO & Co-Founder
- RedPoint Oncology – Mengdie Wang, Co-Founder & CEO
