Microvitality Wins 2026 TiE Boston Women Finals
BOSTON — Microvitality, a biotechnology startup led by founder Zoe Watson, took first place at the 2026 TiE Boston Women Finals, emerging as the top company from a competitive field of women-led startups.
Dottir Labs, led by Nili Persits, was named first runner-up, while RevivBio, led by Fatemeh “Aileen” Mastouri, PhD, earned second runner-up honors.
The three companies were among five finalists selected for this year’s competition. Aegis and Sensible rounded out the Top Five.
The TiE Boston Women program highlights women entrepreneurs and provides founders with opportunities to develop their businesses through mentorship, networking, visibility and access to capital. This year’s finalists represented a range of industries, including biotechnology, synthetic biology, personal safety technology and women’s health diagnostics.
Biotechnology startups take top honors
Microvitality, the first-place winner, is developing a swallowable capsule designed to collect uncontaminated samples from the small intestine. The technology aims to give researchers and clinicians better access to an important but difficult-to-study portion of the gut microbiome.
Dottir Labs, led by Nili Persits, earned second place, while RevivBio, led by Mastouri, took third.
RevivBio combines protein engineering, microfluidics and artificial intelligence to develop biologics and high-performance enzymes for applications spanning healthcare, agriculture, animal health and environmental uses.
The other two finalists brought innovations to personal safety and women’s health.
Aegis, led by Tamika Vantifflin, is developing a personal-safety app that allows users to discreetly request emergency assistance while sharing information such as their location, medical information and emergency details, as well as available audio or video.
Sensible, led by Nandini Kanthi, is developing a smart patch that attaches to menstrual pads and analyzes menstrual blood for biomarkers. The company says its technology could eventually provide personalized health insights and support earlier, less invasive detection of conditions including endometriosis and cervical disease.
Judges bring entrepreneurship, investment and life-sciences expertise
The five finalists were evaluated by a panel of judges with backgrounds spanning entrepreneurship, venture development, life sciences, corporate strategy and global business. They are:
Emily Weiner, founder and CEO of The Connectors, brought more than 25 years of experience helping individuals and organizations build relationships, establish strategic partnerships and connect people and ideas to drive innovation and impact.
Dr. Shubhro Sen, assistant vice provost and executive director of the Venture Development Center at UMass Boston, is a serial entrepreneur, educator and strategist. He has co-founded and led multiple ventures, including five companies that achieved successful exits, and has extensive experience in entrepreneurship, marketing and global business.
Dr. Tiffany Walther, program manager for Scientific Innovation and Strategic Investments at the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, contributed expertise in life-sciences investment, pharmaceutical strategy and commercialization. Her previous experience includes advising biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies at McKinsey & Company and conducting research in diabetes and metabolism.
Sanjay Aggarwal, senior vice president and head of Corporate Strategy at EXL, brings extensive experience in corporate strategy, growth, innovation and emerging business opportunities. At EXL, he leads enterprise-wide strategic planning and long-term value creation across AI, data and digital transformation.
Dr. Partha Ghosh, a strategy and policy advisor and former McKinsey & Company partner, has advised companies and governments around the world. He is the founder of Partha S. Ghosh & Associates, has chaired several startups and has served as Professor of the Practice at Tufts University’s Gordon Institute.
Supporting women entrepreneurs beyond the competition
TiE Women organizers emphasized that the program is intended to be more than a pitch competition, with the broader goal of strengthening the ecosystem available to women entrepreneurs.
“TiE Women is about much more than a competition,” organizers said, describing the initiative as an ecosystem designed to connect women founders with mentorship, networks, visibility, capital and a community committed to their success.
Program chairs Sumeit Aggarwal and Preeti Tandon helped lead this year’s Boston competition. Organizers also thanked the judges, mentors, sponsors, Charter Members, volunteers and members of the TiE Boston community for supporting the participating founders.
The 2026 competition received additional support from the UMass Boston Venture Development Center and the Subu Kota Foundation.
While Microvitality, Dottir Labs and RevivBio took the top three spots, TiE Boston emphasized that the program’s mission extends beyond the final rankings.
“The competition may have winners, but our commitment is to support every founder who walked through the door,” TiE Boston said.
The 2026 TiE Boston Women Finals highlighted the breadth of women-led entrepreneurship in the region, with finalists developing technologies and businesses aimed at addressing challenges in healthcare, biotechnology, personal safety and women’s health.
