WESTBOROUGH – On Friday, October 30th, a panel of expert judges declared Industrial Polymers and Chemicals of Shrewsbury the winner of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Health & Safety Challenge, a competition focused on developing innovations that will help Massachusetts slow the spread of COVID-19. The Challenge featured pitches from executives at eight established Massachusetts companies, who pitched their designs and business plans aimed at addressing the ongoing public health challenge. Watch the official announcement of the award on YouTube.
WESTBOROUGH, MASS. — Eight companies from across Massachusetts have been selected as finalists for the COVID-19 Health & Safety Challenge, the third in a series of innovation pitch competitions organized by the Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) and Lever, Inc. to identify and grow innovations to slow the spread of COVID-19.
WESTBOROUGH – On Friday, August 21, a panel of expert judges declared CareAline Products of Danvers the winner of the second COVID-19 Intrapreneur Challenge, a competition focused on companies developing innovations that will help Massachusetts in its reopening processes. The Challenge featured pitches from nine established Massachusetts companies, who pitched their designs and business plans aimed at addressing the ongoing public health challenge.
CareAline Products is producing a line of reusable, FDA registered hospital gowns for Level 1 and 2 usage. CareAline received a $25,000 award to support their goal. The reusable nature of the gowns will help reduce the amount of waste generated by the increase in PPE use during the pandemic. The company has also begun production of a line of masks.
BOSTON — The Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, together with key thought leaders from the region, have launched a new training program on blockchain technology targeted at government innovators, demonstrating the Commonwealth’s commitment to supporting the blockchain revolution.
WESTBOROUGH - On Friday, July 24, 2020, a panel of expert judges declared Speakeasy Travel Supply of Cape Cod the winner of the first COVID-19 Intrapreneur Challenge, a competition focused on companies pivoting operations to produce general-use face masks. The Challenge featured pitches from 11 established Massachusetts companies, who pitched their designs and business plans aimed at addressing the ongoing public health challenge.
WESTBOROUGH, MA – Today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts launched a new project to boost the number of homegrown companies able to manufacture personal protective equipment or PPE, a critical need in the response to the COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 Intrapreneur Challenge will be managed by Lever, a North Adams-based business accelerator and innovation support organization that will activate, connect, and focus companies as they pivot production capabilities to produce the materials necessary to combat the pandemic. The new effort will be supported by a $250,000 grant from the Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the organization managing the Massachusetts Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (MERT).
BOSTON - May 21, 2020 —Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced more than $9.5 million in grants to boost production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical materials needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Reopening Massachusetts plan. The new awards were made through the Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT) to 15 grantees, including Massachusetts manufacturers, that are producing needed items such as masks, gowns, ventilators, swabs, and testing materials, and the capacity to test them.
SPRINGFIELD — Today, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito joined Assistant Secretary of Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship for the Commonwealth Damon Cox, MassTech Executive Director Carolyn Kirk, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Senator Eric Lesser, Representative and Chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus (MBLLC) Carlos González, and other state and local leaders to announce the inaugural grant recipients from the Tech Talent Diversity Initiative, an effort aimed at boosting diversity in the Commonwealth’s technology and innovation sectors. The two competitive grants, totaling $469,234, were awarded to Tech Foundry of Springfield and to the New England Venture Capital Association’s Hack.Diversity program based in Boston, both of which are programs with track records of success in training and advancing diverse candidates into technology jobs.
WORCESTER – January 14, 2020 – Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy and Worcester Polytechnic Institute President Laurie Leshin joined leaders from across Central Massachusetts and the healthcare technology community to officially open the new PracticePoint facility at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The new research and development facility is located at WPI’s Gateway Park. Today’s event included a ribbon cutting, tours of the four innovative healthcare test beds housed in the facility and an industry-focused panel featuring companies that are members of the new center.
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.