Comments on: Innovation 101: Perspectives from a Humble MIT Undergrad

By: Rajat Suri

Rajat Suri — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:14:09 +0000

Nice article Albert – as another student, I think you hit the nail on the head!

By: Karen Lilla

Karen Lilla — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:19:03 +0000

Albert, thanks for taking the time to put your thoughts into writing — especially at the end of the semester. It’s always refreshing to hear the insight of a college undergrad, and to Frank Moss’ point…give yourself a little credit! You and your MIT colleagues play an important role in Boston’s thriving tech community.

By: Bilal Zuberi

Bilal Zuberi — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 03:54:06 +0000

Albert-very useful thoughts. I have hired MIT interns during the summer and the IAP periods for all 4 years of my startup venture’s life in the Boston area. It has been a rewarding experience, certainly for my company, and I hope also for the interns. The process is fairly simple, as Christine can explain, but the real success comes only when the internship/externship sponsors put just a little bit of thought into designing the projects for the students so they learn simultaneously about the technology, business strategy, startup/venture issues, and public presentation/interfacing.

Speaking of which, I better go prepare for my IAP interns for 2008….

By: Jim Aylward

Jim Aylward — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:48:34 +0000

Great job, Albert. As we discussed at the Xconomy event, it is important for investors to understand what students are thinking – you are our next generation of innovators and business leaders. I firmly believe that we need to connect our networks to maximize the talent and ideas coming from MIT and other universities around Boston to cultivate regional and national growth companies. I agree that a mentor program / internship would be great – that will require mentors to tie students into their networks. This is a long term (lifetime) relationship building program. Since these networks are often heavily local to the Boston area, one could only hope that the students who get tied into them stay in Boston and prosper here!

By: Christine Tempesta

Christine Tempesta — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:08:00 +0000

Interesting comments Albert. The MIT Enterprise Forum is fertile ground for students, tech entrepreneurs and VCs to connect up and meet. Everyone is welcome. In addition, any MIT alum VCs out there are welcome to contact me for participation in the Student/Alumni Expternship Program run by the Alumni Association.

By: Frank Moss

Frank Moss — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:21:58 +0000

Albert, nice piece. Your suggestion that the investor community provide internships to students could be a really excellent piece of the puzzle. I would add that in addition to these internships being at the firms themselves, it would be great if they would be in real portfolio companies – this would make the connection not only with the VCs but the entrepreneurs themselves. As to your question “I’m just an undergrad – and what do I know?” , I think the answer is clear from your piece – a helluva lot.