alumni

The Crystal app helps users learn about the personalities of others to communicate better. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

From jobless and sharing a carton of McNuggets to the Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ list

An app that tells you anyone’s personality from their online profile. A company that developed a new type of composite 3D printing. Business savviness that has resulted in more than $150 billion in sales for Uber, Slack, and Netflix. And tiny robots that can accomplish tasks too tricky for human hands. Forbes has recognized the Northeastern graduates behind these trailblazing ventures.

by Khalida Sarwari December 17, 2019

Gearflow is the first online marketplace for buying, selling, researching, and repairing construction equipment and parts, says Ben Preston, the Northeastern graduate who co-founded the company. Illustration by Hannah Moore/Northeastern University

Ordering household items is easy with websites like Amazon. But what if you need a bulldozer?

Northeastern graduate Ben Preston has co-founded Gearflow, the first online marketplace for buying, selling, researching, and repairing construction equipment and parts.

by David Harbeck June 5, 2019

From left to right: Soudy Khan, Chris Marciano, Ryan Matthew, Matt Stoner, Michelle Stoner, Lucia Marciano, and Mark Munroe of Neuron. Photo courtesy of Neuron.

Designing software and smartphone apps with an architect’s touch

Armed with architecture degrees from Northeastern, four alumni founded a startup that takes a unique approach to the navigation of websites, apps, and other platforms.

by Khalida Sarwari March 7, 2019

‘It’s just such a rush of adrenaline performing in front of a crowd that I absolutely love’

By night and weekend, Kelsey Zimmerer practices and performs as a New England Patriots cheerleader. By day, she is the marketing director at a Boston-based startup that designs custom clothing for men. She’ll be cheering on the field on Sunday when the Patriots face the Los Angeles Chargers in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

by Greg St. Martin January 11, 2019

The Northeastern entrepreneurs behind Mobile Pixels have created a secondary screen that attaches to your laptop to make you more productive on-the-go. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Two Northeastern startups win MassChallenge awards

Mobile Pixels and Boston Materials, which were founded by members of the Northeastern community, have received a total of $150,000 from MassChallenge, a global business accelerator program for companies in the early stages of development.

by Greg St. Martin October 18, 2018

A Starbucks employee sells coffee from the Starbucks bike on Snell Quad on September 13, 2018. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

A cafe on wheels puts a whole new spin on Starbucks coffee

The Starbucks Cold Brew bike holds nine gallons of cold brew coffee, which is sold at some of the busiest spots on Northeastern’s Boston campus. The bike was built by Coaster Cycles, which was founded by 2005 graduate Ben Morris.

by Greg St. Martin October 10, 2018

Angelina Choy, who studied chemistry at Northeastern, said she never expected to work in a cider house. Here, she stands among the company's 15 fermentation tanks. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

The right chemistry makes hard cider look easy

“This is not what I expected to be doing when I was thinking about jobs in college,” said Angelina Choy, an assistant cidermaker at Downeast Cider House and a Northeastern graduate who studied chemistry. “But, I love this. I love what I do.”

by Molly Callahan September 27, 2018

A close-up of marijuana. Photo by iStock.

What do cannabis and cryptocurrency have in common? Meet Helene.

Northeastern graduate Helene Servillon works for Orthogonal, a holding company that invests in businesses in the cannabis and cryptocurrency industries. “There’s a lot of stigma about cannabis that we have to be open to unlearning,” she said.

by Kristen Coyne - contributor August 29, 2018

Graphic by Greg Grinnell/Northeastern University

Will fake social media followers derail the booming influencer marketing business?

Celebrities, social media stars, and other online personalities have taken a hit to their credibility in recent months, as millions of their followers have been exposed as fake or bought. But a machine-learning algorithm developed by three Northeastern graduates is giving marketers a way to regain consumer trust and keep their advertising real.

by Christine Regan Davi - contributor August 22, 2018

Northeastern student Erin Burba developed an inventory tracking system during her co-op at Sikubora Limited. Photo courtesy of Erin Burba.

She got over her culture shock and helped bring solar power to Tanzania

Northeastern student Erin Burba developed an inventory tracking system during her co-op at Sikubora Limited, which provides a range of solar-powered home systems to help Tanzanians overcome the shortage of electricity in their country. “This experience has shown me that I don’t have to be nervous about being daring and trying new things,” she said.

by Greg St. Martin August 6, 2018