Instructor Interview
Below, Hanna Adeyema, Director of Immersive Program Innovation at MIT Open Learning, describes the structure and purpose of the Substance Use Disorder Ventures program.
OCW: Who were the participants in the SUD Ventures program? What was their background?
Hanna Adeyema: Our participants come from a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds, but they share a common commitment to addressing substance use disorders (SUD). Each cohort brings together researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and individuals with lived experience. Many are biomedical or behavioral scientists, experienced medical professionals, or policy and technology experts working in the SUD space.
This diversity is intentional—we look for complementary expertise so that teams can tackle challenges from multiple perspectives. In past programs, 34% had entrepreneurship experience, either working in the space of SUD or exploring entry into the field; 18% were doctors or medical professionals; and 9% had engineering backgrounds, including mechanical, electrical, software, and data science. Each year, we also award 15 fully funded fellowships, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the NIH, to outstanding U.S.-based researchers and clinicians working in SUD. The uniting parameter for all of our participants is their interest in and commitment to innovating for solutions in the substance use disorder space.
OCW: How and why was the program first conceived and developed?
Hanna Adeyema: The program began in 2022 through a partnership between MIT Open Learning and NIDA. NIDA recognized a critical gap: while extraordinary research exists in SUD, too few of these advances are translated into market-ready solutions. An NIH funding call encouraged entrepreneurship and product development training for addiction researchers, with an emphasis on intellectual property, regulatory processes, reimbursement pathways, and commercialization strategy.
We designed SUD Ventures to meet that need, drawing on the MIT Bootcamps model to train in entrepreneurship and personal leadership skills. Working in collaboration with NIDA, Brown University, and other experts, we tailored the program to the unique challenges and opportunities of venture-building in the SUD space.
OCW: How was the program structured, in terms of the frequency and length of the online sessions in the fall and of the intensive in-person sessions in the spring?
Hanna Adeyema: SUD Ventures follows a blended-learning format:
From October through December, participants engage in pre-recorded modules and about ten live online sessions. These cover foundational topics such as SUD 101, intellectual property, technology transfer, FDA regulations, and entrepreneurship fundamentals.
In mid-January, participants meet at MIT’s Media Lab for a five-day, intensive Bootcamp. Days run roughly from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., combining workshops, expert panels, case studies, and extended team work time. The week culminates in a judged pitch event, where teams present to a panel of investors, clinicians, and regulatory experts.
This structure allows participants to build a common knowledge base during the online phase, then apply and deepen that knowledge in a highly immersive, collaborative environment—fostering both skill development and community.
OCW: What educational benefits does the Bootcamp model offer, compared to a traditional course in which class sessions are more widely spaced?
Hanna Adeyema: Compared to a traditional course with weekly class meetings, the MIT Bootcamps model offers a level of immersion that accelerates learning. Long, consecutive days create rapid feedback loops: teams can get input in the morning, revise in the afternoon, and test ideas the same evening. The format also builds trust and rapport quickly, which is critical when tackling complex, interdisciplinary challenges. By the end of the week, participants have not only advanced their venture concepts but also formed lasting professional connections and a shared vocabulary for innovation in SUD.
OCW: How do you go about assembling an instructional team for a program like this?
Hanna Adeyema: We build the instructional team to reflect the full journey from research and ideas to early commercialization in the SUD space. Alongside MIT faculty and Bootcamps teaching staff, we bring in experts in what we call “the business of SUD,” who help participants quickly get up to speed on the complexities of the U.S. healthcare market in this area. We also bring NIDA experts, investors, and entrepreneurs. We include case studies with founders of SUD startups so participants can learn directly from real-world examples.
A key element of that design is our MIT Bootcamps coaches. Coaches are experienced entrepreneurs who work directly with participant teams throughout the program, offering real-time feedback, helping navigate strategic and technical decisions, and pushing teams to refine their value propositions. This diversity of instruction ensures that participants receive both rigorous academic grounding and practical, applied insights.
OCW: What would you like to share about the SUD Ventures program that we haven’t yet addressed?
Hanna Adeyema: What has struck us most about SUD Ventures is the energy that comes from putting committed people in the same room and giving them the tools and support to move their ideas forward. That dynamic is hard to capture via OCW, but we look forward to releasing more program materials in the near future.
