As an Air Force Academy graduate, the Challenger disaster was a pivotal moment for Chris Rohe, HKS ’02, reshaping his understanding of the risks in space exploration. What began as an era of boundless optimism has evolved into one marked by growing concerns, where the rapid expansion of space exploration now faces significant challenges from orbital debris and congestion.

GuardianSAT™ emerged to meet this urgent need. Their patented technology autonomously detects and responds to threats in real time, protecting our space environment.

Chris was eager to be part of the Accelerator to propel GuardianSAT’s trajectory. Once accepted, Chris seized the opportunity to gain valuable tools, insights, and connections—ultimately winning first place at 2024 Demo Day and earning a spot to compete at this year’s Startup World Cup and a $1M investment. For Chris, the Accelerator was “the single most important thing we did last year.” It was the first time, he and his team were part of a community of like-minded innovators driven to tackle world-changing challenges and make a real impact.

Prior to the Accelerator, GuardianSAT had 2 patents and had secured over a quarter million dollars from the National Science Foundation. Yet he credits the Accelerator’s mentors, faculty, and resources for helping them strategically advance their goal of a secure and resilient space environment.

The Harvard AE Accelerator proves to be the perfect launchpad for founders like Chris—those ready to tackle big challenges, connect with a supportive community, and turn bold ideas into reality.

Key Successes

• 2024 HarvardAE Accelerator Demo Day Winner

• 2 Global Patents valued at $250M

• NSF Award: Verification/Validation of Solutions/Patents

• Over $8 million in near term orders and development contracts

• 8  Space industry Sponsors/Partners (non-exclusive)

• Certified government contractor with approved clearances

Michelle Frye, HSPH ‘99, founded Kedi Labs after selling her veterinary practice, driven by a desire to help rescues and underserved communities struggling with rising veterinary costs.

Distressed pet owners were struggling to afford even basic diagnostics. Michelle believed, “All pets deserve love,” and cost shouldn’t stand in the way of that. Kedi Labs brings the vet to the pet, offering convenient and affordable at-home diagnostics to ensure pets receive the care they need.

Joining the HarvardAE Accelerator  was “the single most critical thing [they] did to move from a startup to a small business.” Under their mentor’s guidance, Michelle refined Kedi Labs user experience and market research strategy for a responsive and impactful business model. Facing challenges in communicating the importance of diagnostic testing, she reworked the approach: Simplify and categorize tests by symptoms. This switch improved customer understanding and experience.

As a result of the Accelerator, Kedi Labs saw explosive growth of 3000%, scaling from 25 tests a day to 200-300, with over 1700 vet clinics involved. Expanding their offerings, pet owners can receive results within 24 hours, often before their first vet visit.

Today, Kedi Labs is thriving, partnering with telemedicine clinics and major retailers like Chewy, PetSmart, and Petco. With plans to launch home testing kits and expand into new online markets, Kedi Labs is on track to process over 2000 tests a day.

Michelle’s passion, innovation, and relentless drive are at the core of Kedi Labs’ success. We knew she would be a trailblazer destined for great things.

Key Successes

• Working with Chewy.com, PetSmart, and PetCo

• Explosive growth of 3000%, scaling to 200-300 tests per day

• Healthy Paws Pick in Modern Dog magazine Winter 2023

Imagine a store where you can shop anytime, anywhere, without ever waiting in line. Welcome to Autonomo Technologies.

Founder James Sutherland, HBS ’14, recognized AI’s potential to optimize retail. Instead of spending $1M on a one-time improvement, he saw AI continuously achieving similar efficiency gains every week. James introduced his concept with Autonomo.

Autonomo’s fully staff-free stores use AI for a seamless, hassle-free experience. AI tracks inventory, including what you pick up, and charges your card as you leave. Just tap your card, grab your items, and go.

For his semi-final interview, James gave us a tour of his model store, impressing everyone. Thinking the call had ended, we shared our excitement —unbeknownst to us, James heard it all.

By applying Accelerator insights, Autonomo won 2022 Demo Day, earned a spot at the Startup World Cup, and secured $5M in pre-seed funding. He credits his achievements to the mentorship and guidance from the Accelerator and the role it played for Autonomo.

With stores open in Germany, Autonomo secured £2M from investors for expansion into Europe and the UK. Major players like Aldi, Edeka, Delivery Hero, and Apple also recognized Autonomo’s disruptive potential. As did Scotland, naming Autonomo the 2024 Equity-Backed Startup of the Year.

James’ leadership is redefining the future of retail, constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We’re proud to have recognized his potential early on—a testament to our ability to spot game-changing innovators who make a real impact.

Key Successes

• 2022 Accelerator Demo Day winner

• Startup World Cup Finalist

• Secured $5 million

• Stores in Germany, UK and Europe backed by VC and angels

• Scotland Equity-Backed Startup of the Year 2024

• Doubles retail profit and shopper satisfaction (NPS)

We’ve all experienced the frustration of clicking on an interesting article, only to be blocked by a paywall. Those days, however, might be over.

Enter Zette, the “Netflix for journalism,” founded by Yehong Zhu, ‘18. For just $10 a month, Zette grants users access to a wide range of premium news sources without hitting paywalls—no hacks or workarounds needed.

Yehong saw it firsthand while writing for Forbes. Paywalls were creating frustrating barriers for both readers and journalists seeking out quality journalism.

From the start, we resonated with Zette because we, like many, crave seamless access to news. Yet, Yehong wasn’t just addressing a frustration; she is tackling a growing need in the digital era: accurate, easily accessible information. Zette was the perfect fit for our Accelerator—an innovative company with massive potential.

The Accelerator pushed Yehong to expand her vision for disrupting the news industry. This led to her acquiring an AI company that adds context to news stories—bridging the gap between reading the news and truly understanding it.

Her vision didn’t stop there. Zette’s mission to democratize information has evolved with plans to license high-quality news data to AI companies. Yehong’s journey has led to her raising nearly $2.7M in funding to support Zette’s growth.

More than just a disruptor in journalism, Zette is set to transform how we access and engage with digital content. We saw that potential from the start.

Key Successes

• 2023  Accelerator Demo Day Winner

• Acquired Below the Fold to create AI-generated context for news

• Raised to date $2.7million