Rhett Smith

Rhett Smith is the Chief Operating Officer at The Engine, an incubator built by MIT and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In this executive role, he oversees operations, financing, and logistics for more than 113 resident startup teams operating within a 150,000 square foot facility equipped with wet labs and prototyping spaces. Prior to joining The Engine, Smith served as the Director of Operations and co-leader at Roxbury Prep Charter School, where he managed budgeting, enrollment, family engagement, and staff culture. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Sewanee: The University of the South and earned a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University in 2017. His current focus centers on supporting early-stage founders who are developing scientific and engineering breakthroughs to address global challenges in human health, climate change, and advanced systems.