# Benjamin Downing

> Benjamin Downing is a startup investor at The Engine (Boston). See 0 investments, check sizes, portfolio. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: Angel Investor
- Fund: [The Engine](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/the-engine)
- Location: Boston, United States
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamindowning

Benjamin Downing is a startup investor at The Engine in Boston. Benjamin Downing is the Vice President of Public Affairs of The Engine. He is a former VP of New Market Development at Nexamp. He attended Providence College and Tufts University.

## About The Engine

VC Fund · Cambridge, United States

The Engine, which was publicly announced on October 26, 2016, was built by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).Prioritizing breakthrough ideas over early profit, The Engine represents an exciting new system for startup support, one that shortens the time from idea to investment, and from investment to impact.To fuel The Engine,MIT is seeking to attract hundreds of millions of dollars of support and to provide hundreds of thousands of square feet of space for entrepreneurs in Kendall Square and nearby communities, starting with 26,000 square feet in its Central Square headquarters.The Engine provides a physical space where an idea can begin to take shape. It also streamlines the legal processes and agreements required to get products to market. And it links entrepreneurs to “patient capital” from investors who share their vision of addressing big challenges with big ideas.The Engine will eventually support up to 60 locally based startups concurrently; these companies will participate in the accelerator for up to 12 months. The Engine will make meaningful investments that will allow participating startups to get off the ground quickly and operate long enough to prove their concepts’ viability. It will also provide business planning, legal, and administrative support.The Engine will require less equity than is typical, allowing founders to maintain more control over their companies and the ideas they’ve created.Through the Engine Room, The Engine will provide access to a wide network of lab space, specialized equipment, business guidance, and other resources, at MIT and beyond.

5 contacts available at The Engine.

| Name | Title | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Benjamin Downing | Vice President of Public Affairs | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/benjamin-downing-5ecc |
| Bettina Metais | VP Investor Relations and Operations | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/bettina-metais |
| Chloe Holzinger | Associate | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/chloe-holzinger |
| Dax Kepshire | Founder and Advisor | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/dax-kepshire |
| Dulcie Madden | Partner and Head of Partnerships | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/dulcie-madden |

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