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THE MIT SANDBOX MENTORS

JINANE ABOUNADI

Jinane Abounadi is Executive Director of the MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund Program. She brings a unique combination of experiences, from academic research to senior operational and strategic roles in start-up companies and large businesses. After completing her graduate work, she worked as a research scientist at BBN and as a postdoctoral lecturer at MIT, and advised undergraduate and graduate students. She held
leadership roles in two of the most successful local Boston area start-ups, ITA Software and Kayak, where she gained deep knowledge about the travel technology sector. Most recently, she ran a global portfolio of 3rd party products for Travelport, giving her the opportunity to establish partnerships with companies across the globe and to advise and evaluate a number of start-ups in the travel sector.

AFARIN BELLISARIO

Afarin's professional life has revolved around commercializing nascent technologies in a variety of roles: as a technologist (MIT, BBN), strategist (Analog Devices, Intel, Shawmut), investor (Intel Capital), evaluator (Transtrategy), licensee (Intel) and licensor (MIT TLO), teacher (Madrid and IAP workshops), as well as through nurturing startups as a catalyst/mentor/advisor (Deshpande, VMS, TLO, Sandbox, MIT Water Prize). This lifetime of experiences along the technology development and distribution pipeline has shaped her understanding of the commercialization process and what affects its success or failure.

MAUREEN BOYCE

Maureen has 25 years of experience developing strategies for early stage tech companies and new business units within Fortune 100 companies. She created strategies for seven start-ups while Partner at Ignition Ventures, enabling Series A funding or acquisition. Created Asian market entry strategies for SABMiller while living in Hong Kong. Built internet strategies for 20+ companies while Associate Partner in IBM’s Strategy & Change practice and at Mainspring, an internet strategy consulting firm. Led IBM’s Institute for Business Value Strategic thought leadership for four industries. Early career at Bain & Company in strategy consulting provided analytical toolkit, financial framework, and capability to operationalize strategy. International experience working and living in HK, Australia, Fiji, and England. Since 2016 she has been a cofounder and managing partner at Good Growth Capital Investing in 30 early stage technology-based startups.
She is a mentor for MIT’s Sandbox Fund.

MARILYN DAVISON

consulted with teams based throughout Europe the Middle East, and in China. Her areas of specialization were large-scale change management programs (ERP), Team Mediation and the introduction of Organizational Learning into executive teams. As a French Business Angel she coached entrepreneurs, making them investment ready as well as judging competitions. As an adjunct professor in three MBA Entrepreneurial programs in France she taught Leadership courses, coached students in business plan development, and judged student competitions. Marilyn’s current entrepreneurial coaching projects include serving as MIT Sandbox Mentor, Tufts Fletcher School of Diplomacy Entrepreneurial Coach, ChangeLabs Egyptian Accelerator Mentor and Hult Prize Global Competition,Team Wellness Coach.