Why do investors and entrepreneurs judge the same startup differently?
In this week's Research Spotlight, Professor Jacqueline N. Lane and PhD student Miaomiao Zhang found that focusing on customer problems reveals how expertise shapes evaluation.
Investors see risk, entrepreneurs see opportunity, and experts assess feasibility when judging the same venture.
Read more about their research at the link in bio!
#HBSResearch #ResearchSpotlight #ResearchPowersProgress
In early 2024, six months after the highly anticipated launch of Microsoft Copilot across the 62,000-person Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS) organization—one of the world’s largest sales organizations—the initial excitement had not yet materialized into widespread adoption and transformation. But, two years after initiating their AI transformation journey, the organization’s daily active usage of AI tools had reached over 60% and monthly active usage over 98%, significantly altering how sales professionals approached their work. The path to adoption had required Microsoft to evolve its approach based on early deployment insights.
The company had simultaneously developed autonomous sales agents capable of managing end-to-end customer interactions. Unlike Copilot, which acted as an assistant in the flow of work, Sales Agent could take action on its own: it was designed to automate the sales process under pre-specified constraints or guardrails. This innovation presented new and unique challenges.
In this episode of Cold Call, HBS Associate Professors Iav Bojinov and Shunyuan Zhang join Brian Kenny to discuss the case, “Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions: The Deployment of Copilot and Agents.” They explore the company’s journey to successfully mobilizing AI adoption within the sales process, the challenges it faces integrating autonomous sales agents, and what it takes to get thousands of employees to fundamentally change how they work.
🎧 Tune in at the link in bio!
Recovery after surgery should be the easy part.
2026 New Venture Competition Rock Business Track winner Goutam Gadiraju (MD/MBA 2026) breaks down what Serosafe Surgical is building to make that possible.
How can AI give entrepreneurs an edge? Associate Professor Rembrand Koning shares how it can shape ideas, reduce risk, and help you stand out. #ImpactBeyondTheory
In March 2026, during Senior Lecturer Christina Wallace’s visit to India, the HBS community in Delhi gathered for a dinner hosted by alumna Meghna Modi (MBA 2003). Drawing on her experience across business, technology, and the arts, Wallace shared perspectives on building multifaceted careers and navigating evolving professional paths and engaged alumni in an animated discussion on portfolio careers.
#HBSGlobal #HBSAlumni #Entrepreneurship
Our student sections are where lifelong learning becomes real. At HBS, we bring together a deliberately diverse group of students and ask them to do one thing, every day: learn from each other. Different industries. Different countries. Different ways of seeing the same problem.
In that environment, mutual learning takes hold. Ideas are tested. Perspectives expand. Judgment deepens. It compounds quickly, and it lasts. Alumni often say the same thing years later: their section is still one of the most important groups in their lives. A source of perspective, candor, and trust.
Section mates stay with you. For life.
MBA Program Chair Tsedal Neeley explains how the Section culture turns classmates into lifelong friends, colleagues, and network.
Can job training close opportunity gaps?
In this week’s Research Spotlight, Professor Kadeem Noray and his coauthor Namrata Narain found that training programs increase earnings, but not equally for all participants.
Initial job placement quality plays a key role in long-term success.
Read more about their research at the link in bio!
#HBSResearch #ResearchSpotlight #ResearchPowersProgress
HBS today announced that the Honorable W. Mitt Romney (MBA 1974/JD 1975) will be the featured alumni speaker at the School’s 2026 Class Day celebration.
Class Day is a longstanding HBS tradition that precedes Harvard University’s Commencement and brings together graduating students, their families, alumni, faculty, and staff. The event, organized by a committee of second-year MBA students, celebrates the achievements and community of the graduating class and features remarks from student leaders, faculty award recipients, and a distinguished alumni speaker.
Romney recently concluded his term as US senator from Utah (2019–2025) and has built a distinguished career spanning business, government, and public service. He is the cofounder of Bain Capital, former governor of Massachusetts (2003–2007), and leader of the successful turnaround of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games.
Over 26 years at the helm, Dimitri Papalexopoulos, fourth-generation CEO of TITAN Cement, has turned the company from a domestic player into an internationally diversified group and championed an AI-driven productivity leap, even while steering the company through multiple economic crises. As TITAN prepared for its next phase of growth, Papalexopoulos faced the consequential decision of whether to continue leading the company, promote a trusted insider, or become the first in the company’s history to recommend to the board appoint a non-family CEO. After a global search the board does decide to appoint Marcel Cobuz—ex-LafargeHolcim executive with deep innovation experience—as TITAN’s first non-family CEO.
In the latest episode of Cold Call, HBS Professor George Serafeim and TITAN former CEO Dimitri Papalexopoulos join Brian Kenny to discuss the case, “Transforming a Titan,” exploring digitalization, globalization, and succession planning of an established family business as well as how to accelerate low-carbon efforts in a carbon intensive industry.
Tune in at the link in bio!
Entrepreneurs encounter many obstacles. But are any of them common?
Senior Lecturer Jeff Bussgang identifies two challenges that entrepreneurs face when deciding to scale. #ImpactBeyondTheory
