SUD Ventures
Online & In-Person @ MIT
Jan. 19, 2026 - Jan. 23, 2026
According to the CDC, one in seven adults in the United States will experience a substance use disorder (SUD) during their lifetime. If you live in the US, you likely know of a friend, family member, or colleague who has been affected by SUD. At the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Ventures program, our goal is to fuel the next generation of innovation in this space.
SUD Ventures is an intense and immersive hybrid program. Consisting of pre-recorded materials, ~10 live online sessions from October through December, and culminating in a five day Bootcamp at MIT in January 2026, our goal is to spark the creation of innovative ventures in the SUD space, a notoriously challenging problem area.
During the program, you will work with a diverse team of exceptional individuals, including SUD researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Together, you will come up with high-impact, fast scaling ideas to launch a scalable venture in one of the three areas: evidence-based prevention innovations, innovations supporting long-term recovery treatments, and research and data innovations that inform policy and decision-making at federal and state levels.
You’ll receive advice from entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, and leaders working in this space. You’ll be immersed in the dynamic and high-energy environment unique to MIT Bootcamps and walk away with a community of innovators and a support system.
Understand the unique challenges of the substance use disorder space
Identify the most scalable opportunities for impact
Dive into case studies that dissect the challenges and opportunities in the SUD space. Learn how to navigate the complex system with practical advice from entrepreneurs and translate research into innovative health applications all while practicing MIT’s innovation toolkit. Check out the sample schedule.
Connect with co-founders, mentors, and industry experts
Learn from MIT’s top innovation, entrepreneurship, and health experts
You’ll be exposed to an ecosystem of diverse backgrounds: engineering, entrepreneurship, SUD research, policy, and more. You’ll work with motivated, exceptional individuals with commitment to bring change to the space. All of your work will be focused on challenges rooted in key focus areas. Meet the teaching team for 2025.
Launch a venture with peers you meet at the program
Walk away with an innovation toolkit and system of support to take the next step
Your cohort peers, coaches, investors, experts, and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) team will support the ultimate creation of a new venture, or the acceleration of an existing one, with new knowledge and connections from the program.
“Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a multidisciplinary challenge with huge personal and societal impacts — this is about saving lives.” – Cynthia Breazeal, Dean for Digital Learning at MIT and Professor, MIT Media Lab
What to expect
This program is selective, but we are looking for individuals with multidisciplinary backgrounds to join the program. If selected, you’ll be placed into small teams and work together in one of the following areas: a) evidence-based prevention innovations, b) Innovations supporting long-term recovery treatments, or c) research and data innovations that inform policy and decision-making at federal and state levels
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Who is this program for?
- Researchers (PhD, postdoc, faculty) who would like to study the craft of technology commercialization, especially those with inventions and technologies relevant for substance use disorders
- Engineers and data scientists (especially mechanical, electrical, and software) who would like to work on a diverse team and contribute their expertise by helping to fast prototype and test novel technologies
- Doctors and nurses who would like to study entrepreneurship, build a diverse network, and apply their expertise
- Business professionals with passion for the problem and desire to build a diverse technical and clinical network
- Graduate students with relevant skills and passion for the problem as well as demonstrated interest in the biomedical field
- Investigative journalists interested in the space of SUD
- Entrepreneurs already working in the space of SUD or considering entering this space. Social entrepreneurs encouraged to apply.
- Public policy experts and thought leaders
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What are the key focus areas?
- Teams will work on problems related to one of the following areas:
- Evidence-based prevention innovations
- Innovations supporting long-term recovery treatments
- Research and data innovations that inform policy and decision-making at federal and state levels
- Teams will work on problems related to one of the following areas:
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Will I be working in a team? Will our team have a coach?
Each team will have a designated coach, a seasoned, MIT-trained entrepreneur, who will push you and your team toward success at the Bootcamp.
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Will there be a final pitch?
On the final day of the program, you’ll pitch to a panel of judges, including local investors, entrepreneurs, and instructors, and receive guidance on how to submit for SBIR grants from program officers.
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What happens after the program?
Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a certificate from MIT Bootcamps. After the program, you'll join our amazing network of MIT SUD Ventures graduates, get exclusive access to content, and meet even more people to build your venture with.
How to Apply
Admissions
Our admissions team will review applicants in two stages. The first stage includes a resume submission and short video interview in which you will record your answers to a set of questions. If selected to move to the second stage, we will coordinate a live video interview with one of our team members. We expect the application process to be very competitive, especially due to the small size of the cohort.
Location
Online & Cambridge, MA, USA
Build rich connections with fellow researchers and entrepreneurs, enhance your network, and take advantage of being in-person at MIT.
Bootcamp Dates
Online Fall 2025 & In-Person January 19–23, 2026
A hybrid program consisting of online courses and webinars during Fall 2025 and an immersive five day in-person program on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus and the Boston startup ecosystem.
Tuition
$1,080 USD
The program fee covers tuition, access to all program materials, and meals during the in-person programming in Cambridge, MA. This fee does not include transportation or accommodation during the program.
SUD Ventures will award 15 fully funded fellowships to outstanding US-based biomedical and behavioral researchers and experienced medical professionals in SUD. These fellowships, financially provided by NIDA, cover tuition, travel, and accommodation.
Program Community
Intent on building a community of domain expert entrepreneurs, the SUD Ventures program brings together innovators to solve acute problems in the substance use space. The goal is to nurture the community of innovators brought together by this program, enabling them to bring their ventures to life and create meaningful impact to society. Hear about how the program has impacted learners and their ventures.
This MIT Bootcamp shook everything upside down and has given me the spirit of innovation and what it looks like to be able to work in a big way, and to be able to think in an even bigger way.-Melissa “Dr. Mo” Dittberner
“The program has been totally exhausting, totally energizing, and totally inspiring. I have made great relationships that I know will be enduring — personally and professionally. I’m energized to search for novel solutions, not only commercially, but in my clinical research and practice, too.”
"One of the things MIT Bootcamps does really well is bring multiple disciplines to innovate together. We have seen a lot of silo innovation happening [in health care]. We have also seen problems being solved in piecemeal. How can we come together as a collective force — clinician and entrepreneur, a technologist, someone who has gone through this experience themselves — to build a solution?"