Healey-Driscoll Administration Invests $2 Million to Support Climatetech Business Development

Mass Clean Energy Center funding supports 10 organizations advancing early-stage climatetech startups from research to commercialization and scaling

BOSTON - The Mass Clean Energy Center today announced over $2 million in awards through its Innovation Ecosystem Program (IEP) to 10 Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) in six communities across the state. The funding will help accelerators, incubators, universities, and other business development organizations expand hands-on programming that moves early-stage climatetech startups from idea to market, strengthening business readiness, sharpening commercialization pathways, and accelerating growth within Massachusetts' innovation ecosystem.

"Massachusetts has always led by bringing together bold ideas and the people who can turn them into real-world solutions," said Governor Maura Healey. "These investments help ensure that entrepreneurs have the support they need to grow here, create jobs here, and deliver technologies that make life better."

"From lab to market, startups need a strong support system to succeed," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "These organizations are helping local entrepreneurs navigate that path every day, and this funding strengthens the infrastructure that makes Massachusetts a top destination for innovation."

The IEP is designed to support ecosystem business development activities that advance climatetech startups through their commercialization life cycle. The program invests in ESOs, such as accelerators and incubators, that provide critical technical assistance, mentorship, and networks that improve both the likelihood and the speed of startup success. These organizations play a critical role in helping early-stage companies pressure-test ideas, refine technologies, validate market fit, and clear early commercialization hurdles faster.

"Massachusetts is building a strong innovation pipeline where research, entrepreneurship, and industry reinforce one another," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "These awards help ensure that promising ideas do not stall early but instead move forward into deployment and impact."

"These investments help founders move from concept to company faster and with stronger support behind them," said Ben Downing, Mass Clean Energy Center CEO. "These organizations are embedded in the work of building climatetech companies every day, and we are investing in their ability to scale that economic impact across Massachusetts."

In addition to operational expense funding, these awards include targeted fellowship funding at select organizations to support Entrepreneur Fellowship Grants that translate research into climatetech businesses, products, and jobs across the energy, transportation, and buildings sectors. The awardees are:

• Activate Global (Cambridge, MA) - $120,000 plus $600,000 in fellowship funding
• Berkshire Innovation Center (Pittsfield, MA) - $120,000
• FORGE (Somerville, MA) - $120,000
• Greentown Labs (Somerville, MA) - $120,000 plus $300,000 in fellowship funding
• InnoVenture Labs (Beverly, MA) - $60,000
• Leading Cities (Boston, MA) - $100,000
• MassChallenge (Boston, MA) - $120,000
• MassRobotics (Boston, MA) - $110,000
• The Engine (Cambridge, MA) - $120,000
• UMass Lowell (Lowell, MA) - $120,000

For more information on the Innovation Ecosystem Program, visit masscec.com/program/innovation-ecosystem-program-iep.

About the Mass Clean Energy Center

The Mass Clean Energy Center is a state economic development agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the clean energy and climatetech sector across the Commonwealth to spur job creation, deliver statewide environmental benefits, increase affordability, and secure long-term economic opportunities for the people of Massachusetts. Since 2010, MassCEC has awarded $990 million in programs and investments and attracted $3 billion in private and public funds.

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