Mike Jiang, a PhD student from the Viral Communications group, was among five finalist teams to present at the 2026 MIT Arts Startup Incubator showcase on April 30 at the MIT Welcome Center. His venture, Neural Notes, was awarded a $2,500 semi-finalist prize.

Jiang's project, Neural Notes, is an AI-powered music platform that transforms isolated practice time into interactive jam sessions, inspiring musicians to persevere and improve. "I knew this idea had an interesting research element — applying AI to jazz improvisation," says Jiang, who is also a former youth swimming and chess champion in Switzerland. "But I didn't know if what I had built would help people learn to improvise. Through this incubator, I was able to conduct market research, to talk to people I might not otherwise have reached. It helped put the focus of the platform on the end user."

The MIT Arts Startup Incubator encourages students to build the support systems that are vital for the arts. "This program applies just the right amount of pressure to compel students to think through their ideas for an art-based business," says Melissa Castro, a Boston-based real estate professional who has mentored teams over the past two years.