News

In the News: MassTech's Mentorship Grantees Making Headlines Statewide

In the second half of 2018, the Innovation Institute at MassTech managed the successful launch of several Entrepreneur Mentoring grants awarded under a procurement started early last year. Several of these grantees have been highlighted in media outlets across the state, putting a spotlight on the exciting work they’re doing to grow small businesses and to develop innovative startups.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces New $100,000 Grant to Catalyze Entrepreneurship on Cape Cod

YARMOUTH – October 22, 2018 – Today, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash announced a $100,000 grant to a new partnership formed by Cape Cod Young Professionals, a Barnstable-based non-profit, and the Cape Cod branch of Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) to foster entrepreneurship on Cape Cod. EforAll is a non-profit which has had enormous success in driving inclusive entrepreneurship in mid-sized cities across Massachusetts. Over the next year, the grant will fund the launch of a new accelerator for the Cape region, a multi-week program designed to nurture the development of new businesses, and pitch events aimed at providing seed funding to founders with ideas for new businesses or social impact organizations.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces $450,000 in Grants to Bring the ‘Internet of Things’ to State’s Blue Economy

SCITUATE – The Baker-Polito Administration announced the winners of the inaugural Seaport Economic Council Grand Challenge, awarding over $450,000 in grants to three organizations that will deploy Internet of Things, or ‘IoT’, technologies to boost economic development in the state’s marine economy.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces $80,000 Grant to Worcester Roots to Boost Co-Op Development, Job Growth

WORCESTER – Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash announced an $80,000 grant to the organization Worcester Roots yesterday, an award that will support the development of cooperative businesses and non-profits in the region. The grant was awarded as part of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Entrepreneurship Mentoring Grant program, an effort that aims to develop strong mentorship ecosystems across the Commonwealth.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Grants to Boost Entrepreneurship in the Pioneer Valley

Springfield, MA - Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash announced $160,000 in grants to support entrepreneur mentoring programs at two organizations in the Pioneer Valley, Springfield’s Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) and SPARK in Holyoke. These grants were made under the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Entrepreneurship & Mentoring Program, which aims to develop strong mentorship ecosystems in regions across the Commonwealth.

State Grants Aim to Boost Berkshire County Startups

North Adams, Mass. — During an event today at Greylock WORKS, Berkshire County startup incubator Lever, Inc. announced that it secured $450,000 in new funding and launched two new challenge programs which aim to boost entrepreneurs and innovative startups in the region. The new programs will award a total of $150,000 in seed grants for manufacturing and health startups in the Berkshire region over the next three years, awarding six $25,000 grants to startups that participate in Lever’s new Challenge programs.

New WHOI Test Facility Aims to Boost Mass. Marine Robotics Sector

WOODS HOLE, MASS. - July 19, 2018 - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s (WHOI) Center for Marine Robotics kicked off its 4th Annual Entrepreneur Showcase and Leadership Forum today with the official opening of a new pressure test facility that will help researchers and companies better develop innovative marine technologies. The new facility will allow WHOI to replicate the pressure of the deep ocean in an onshore facility which will more than triple the project capacity of its existing manually-operated system, allow for unattended 24/7 operations, and expand the ability of researchers and private firms to test their marine robotics and sensor systems.

Governor Baker Announces $7 Million in New Advanced Manufacturing Awards and Celebrates Opening of UMass Lowell’s Fabric Discovery Center

LOWELL, MA - July 12, 2018 — Today, Governor Charlie Baker joined leaders from UMass Lowell, national manufacturing institutes and the Massachusetts advanced manufacturing community to officially open the Fabric Discovery Center at UMass Lowell, a unique research and development facility. The center will drive innovation in textile research and provide a foundation for collaboration between university research, students, and companies from across the Commonwealth.

The WBJ 2018 Manufacturing Summit & Excellence Awards

On Thursday, April 26, 2018 the Worcester Business Journal presented the third annual 2018 Manufacturing Summit & Excellence Awards. The event included panel discussions, networking with industry leaders, and a celebration for the 2018 Central Mass “Manufacturing Excellence Award” honorees.

AFFOA & MIT Launch Advanced Fabrics Entrepreneurship Program

Cambridge-based AFFOA has partnered with MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) to foster a new program that "aims to prepare the next generation of smart-fabrics entrepreneurs," housed at facility supported by the Commonwealth's M2I2 Advanced Manufacturing grant program.