Babson College AI Showcase
Discover the Future of AI at Babson
April 29, 2025, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Knight Auditorium
Get excited for the Babson College AI Showcase—a dynamic event featuring transformative AI projects developed by ten exhibitors from the Babson Community. Experience firsthand how innovation and entrepreneurship come together to reshape technology.
This is your chance to see cutting-edge ideas in action, gain new insights, and be inspired by the creative energy of Babson’s brightest minds.
Event Agenda
| 4:30 p.m. | Welcome Address by Trond Undheim, ED, Metropoulos Institute |
|---|---|
| 4:45 p.m. | Intro of the 10 Exhibitors |
| 5–6 p.m. | Walk-Around of the Exhibit |
| 6 p.m. | President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA '92, Ph.D. to Announce Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place) |
| 6:15 p.m. | Special Announcement of the Metropoulos Institute's Brand New Flagship Program, the Scaling Accelerator: Babson Tech 10 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the AI Showcase taking place?
The Babson College AI Showcase will be held on April 29, 2025, from 4:30–6:30 p.m. in Knight Auditorium. You are welcome to join for as long or little as your schedule permits. Light food and beverages will be provided.
What is the AI Showcase?
The AI Showcase is a dynamic event featuring transformative AI projects developed by exhibitors from the Babson community. It provides an opportunity to experience firsthand how innovation and entrepreneurship come together to reshape technology.
Who is eligible to exhibit?
Babson community members (student, faculty, staff, or alumni) who have an AI project in any stage of development they deem worthy of showcasing to the community. Eligible alumni must either be working on their project independently, or as part of their work as an early-stage startup or company founder.
While the event initially targeted those who used Azure AI credits, it is now open to all AI projects regardless of which platform was used.
What types of projects are suitable for the showcase?
We encourage you to apply with your AI project, whether in education, research, or innovation. Applications are short and easy to complete.
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is April 8, 2025.
When will I be notified if my application is accepted?
By end of day April 10, 2025.
Who will be attending the event?
The event is open to the entire Babson community as well as anyone interested in the new C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship. Special invitations are extended to the Blank School network with its seven Centers & Institutes, and all Babson pitch competitors past and present.
What are the benefits of applying?
Exhibitors have the opportunity to:
- Showcase work to a diverse audience of innovators and entrepreneurs
- Network with AI and technology business leaders and employers
- Compete for awards judged by distinguished technology leaders
- Obtain significant Azure credits for future development
- Potentially gain eligibility for additional API access to various cloud providers and AI tools through the Metropoulos Institute partnerships throughout 2025
What are the Azure AI Grants?
Babson’s AI Grant provides students, faculty, or staff with “seed funding” to execute projects using state-of-the-art AI services available on Microsoft Azure. Upon acceptance of proposals, students are entitled to USD $1,000 in Azure credits in case they need more to prepare their presentations.
How are grant requests evaluated?
Grant requests are reviewed and approved based on the level of innovation, feasibility, impact, scalability, sustainability, and ethics.
How long can the grants be used?
These grants can be used until the end of the 2025–2026 academic year.
Are these grants still available?
Yes, $1,000 USD Azure grants are still available until the April 8 application deadline.
Who will be judging the showcase?
The jury consists of distinguished professionals including:
- Phil Ahn, Senior Director, Data Analytics & AI, CIO Office
- Tom Davenport, Metropoulos Institute, Faculty Director
- Alex Howard '20, Product Manager, Microsoft 365 Copilot
First, second, and third place awards to be announced by President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA'92, Ph.D.
What is the Metropoulos Institute?
Founded in 2024, Babson's C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship represents Babson's commitment to shaping the future of business by integrating advancements in emerging technology and AI with entrepreneurial education.
What is the Metropoulos Institute's focus?
The Metropoulos Institute focuses on scaling innovation across the industrial tech ecosystem, including consumer goods, manufacturing, retail, IT, and finance. It fuels breakthroughs in fields like CleanTech, Cybersecurity, FinTech, HealthTech, Industry 4.0, QuantumTech, and other emerging technologies.
How does the Metropoulos Institute support the Babson community?
The Metropoulos Institute supports innovation through various initiatives including Babson Tech 10, AI Stack benchmarking, The Generator, R&D, spinout activity, IP-strategy advising, scholarship programs, entrepreneurs-in-residence, faculty tech course accelerators, distributed tech labs across campus, and build-a-thons.
Who should I contact for more information?
For more information about the AI Showcase or Azure AI Grants, please reach out to the Metropoulos Institute directly at metropoulosinstitute@babson.edu
