The Dana-Farber Accelerator

The Dana-Farber Accelerator helps catalyze the delivery of world-class therapies and diagnostics to patients by supporting the development of promising technologies. We invite you to learn more about its history, its structure and the technologies in its portfolio

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About the Accelerator

Launched in 2010 as the Herzstein Accelerator Fund, the Accelerator program at Dana-Farber was entirely supported by philanthropic donors. It had the goal of providing much needed financial support to translate Dana-Farber intellectual property into new treatments and diagnostics for patients. After more than a decade of growth, our donors continue to make substantial contributions to the Dana-Farber Accelerator, which has enabled the translation of a broader range of technologies from bench to bedside.

The Dana-Farber Accelerator helps bridge the gap between discovery and clinic by:
  • Providing dedicated funding to enable tool compounds & animal experiments for proof of concept
  • Mentoring investigator teams on project strategic and operational aspects (milestone development and execution, market analysis, business development & IP strategy, pitch deck development etc)
  • Facilitating connections to additional sources of funding and to partnership opportunities

Accelerator Scientific Symposium

The Dana-Farber Accelerator Scientific Symposium is an annual event put on by the Accelerator team. The symposium aims to highlight ground-breaking translational science developed at the Institute and bring together thought leaders in the scientific and business communities dedicated to the advancement of cancer care. 

For the 2026 Scientific Symposium, the day will have two sessions. The morning session will be an educational forum aimed at outlining the foundations of starting a new company. In the afternoon, Dana-Farber researchers will highlight their ground-breaking translational science in various fields, such as immunotherapy, RNA therapeutics and small molecule degraders. 

If you are interested in attending the 2026 Accelerator Scientific Symposium please reach out to us – DFCI_Accelerator@dfci.harvard.edu.

Accelerator 2023/2024 Portfolio

Accelerator Request for Proposals

Accelerator projects are sourced via RFP’s and are selected through rigorous scientific and business reviews. If selected for the Accelerator portfolio, project investigators receive funding to reach clear and key project goals. The Dana-Farber Accelerator team works closely with each project team to leverage diverse perspectives and insights and bring technologies to the clinic through partnerships with industry or the formation of startups.

Current RFP Status

The Diagnostics RFP is now CLOSED.

The next Therapeutic RFP will open in 2026.

Accelerator Team