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LIDS Companies

Explore a selection of companies, both large and small, that have been founded or co-founded by LIDS alumni, faculty, and/or researchers. Together, they are an example of the breadth of activities of the LIDS community.

Celect, Inc.

Celect applied data-driven decision-making to retail, acquired in 2019.

Celect, Inc. was founded in 2013 by LIDS faculty member Devavrat Shah, together with Prof. Vivek Farias from the MIT Sloan School of Management. The mission of Celect is to bring the science of decision making to the art of retailing in a data-driven manner. Celect was acquired in 2019.

Celer Network

Celer Network develops layer-2 scaling for fast blockchain transactions.

Celer Network was co-founded in 2018 by LIDS alum Qingkai Liang (PhD ’18), and his colleagues Mo Dong, Junda Liu, and Xiaozhou Li. The company develops layer-2 scaling solutions that enable fast, easy, and secure transactions on blockchains.

DAtAnchor

DAtAnchor enhances data security with embedded, portable protection technology.

DAtAnchor was founded in 2018 by LIDS alum C. Emre Koksal (PhD ‘02), who is also a Professor at Ohio State University. DAtAnchor is a cybersecurity start-up that embeds security within data, allowing it to be moved and used safely, while mitigating potential loss.

Enuvis, Inc.

Enuvis developed urban GPS technology, later acquired by SiRF.

Enuvis, Inc. was co-founded in 2000 by a team that included LIDS alum Benjamin Van Roy (PhD ’98) and LIDS faculty member and alum John Tsitsiklis (PhD ’84). The company developed GPS technology for smart phones in urban environments, and was acquired by SiRF Technology, Inc., in 2003.

FastForward Networks

FastForward Networks pioneered video multicasting, later acquired by Inktomi.

FastForward Networks was co-founded in 1997 by LIDS alum Abhay Parekh (PhD ’92). The company built equipment for the first application-level network for multicasting video, and was acquired by Inktomi Corporation in 2000.

Immedia Semiconductor, Inc

Immedia Semiconductor developed Blink security cameras, later acquired by Amazon.

Immedia Semiconductor, Inc. was co-founded by a group of MIT graduates in 2008 including LIDS alum Daniel Grunberg (PhD ’86). Initially a semiconductor company making image processing chips, Immedia morphed into a consumer electronics company called Blink that sold a battery-operated security camera. Blink was sold to Amazon in 2017.

Optimus Ride

Optimus Ride develops self-driving technology for sustainable mobility.

Optimus Ride was co-founded in 2015 by an MIT team that included LIDS alum and faculty member Sertac Karaman (PhD ’12). The company develops self-driving technologies that enable efficient, sustainable, and equitable mobility systems.

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Polaran Ltd.

Polaran develops error-correction coding products using polar codes.

Polaran Ltd. was founded in 2011 by LIDS alum Erdal Arikan (PhD '86) who is also a professor at Bilkent University, Turkey. Polaran has been developing error-correction coding products and IP related to polar codes.

Signition LP

Signition LP applies machine learning to financial market predictions.

Signition LP, founded in 2015 by alum Shane Haas (PhD ‘03) and colleagues Ravi Chandler and George Zweig, is a systematic trading firm that uses ideas from statistics, information theory, and machine learning to make predictions in financial markets.

Sycamore Networks, Inc.

Sycamore Networks pioneered optical transport and intelligent networking solutions.

Sycamore Networks, Inc. was co-founded in 1998 by LIDS alum Richard Barry (PhD '93), Eric Swanson, and Desh Deshpande. An innovator in optical transport networks, Sycamore brought software intelligence, mesh networking, and long haul transport to the optical layer. At its peak, Sycamore employed over 1200 employees. In 2013, it was taken private and its switching division was rolled up with Tell Labs and Nokia Siemens Optical to form Coriant Networks. Sycamore Networks hardware and software continues to operate in major networks around the world.

Systems & Technology Research (STR)

STR develops advanced defense, intelligence, and security technologies.

Systems & Technology Research (STR) was founded in 2010 by a team that included LIDS alums Mark Luettgen (PhD ‘93) and Joel Douglas (PhD ‘95), along with Gil Ettinger, Eric Jones, Mark McClure, and Richard Wishner. STR specializes in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and homeland security applications, developing and delivering innovative sensors (RF, acoustic, and EO/IR) and information processing capabilities, as well as cyber, data analytics, and command & control.

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nuTonomy

nuTonomy developed driverless vehicle software for safer urban transportation.

nuTonomy was co-founded in 2013 by LIDS alum and former LIDS faculty member Emilio Frazzoli (PhD ’01), and is focused on improving the safety, efficiency, and accessibility of transportation in cities worldwide, through the development of software for driverless vehicles. nuTonomy was acquired by Delphi (now Aptiv) in 2017.