Day 82 of 100 · Biotech

Moderna

It began with a Harvard stem-cell researcher's experiment with modified mRNA.

Started atHarvard / MIT research
Founded2010
FoundersDerrick Rossi, Robert Langer, Kenneth Chien & Noubar Afeyan
CountryUSA

How it started

A decade of academic work made a vaccine possible in months when the world needed one.

The lesson for your campus Basic research looks slow until the day it saves millions of lives.

Why every campus needs an Innovation-Hub

Why we are telling this story

The next company on a list like this one has not been founded yet. Right now it is a student in a lecture hall with an idea nobody has asked about, and no room to build it in. Innovation-Hub is that room: a permanent space inside your institution where students from every department explore, experiment, collaborate and prototype.

See how to start one on your campus →

Ask the Founder

Pick a question — or write your own — and get a grounded answer about how Moderna was actually built.

Opens ChatGPT in a new tab with your question ready. Answers are generated by AI from publicly reported information — they are not statements by the founders. Always check anything important against an original source.

← Day 81: Wobot / Vahan Day 83: BioNTech →

The next one comes from your campus

Innovation should not be an annual event. It should be a permanent room where students are allowed to build. Bring an Innovation-Hub to your institution.

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