Dear Colleague,
As winter thaws, the Massachusetts deep tech ecosystem is heating up. February, March and April bring a strong lineup of opportunities for early-stage companies to accelerate their growth.
Whether you're looking for funding and business guidance or ways to expand your network, we've pulled together the latest programs and events to help you start the year strong.
Programs & Grants
Internship Programs – Did you know? Startups in Massachusetts may be eligible to hire interns at a subsidized rate through one of the programs run by MassCEC, MLSC or MassTech Collaborative. Visit each organization’s website for details and deadlines.
M2D2 $200K Challenge – This annual start-up competition focuses on identifying disruptive companies in the medical technology and biotechnology industries. Applicants compete for $200K in funding and in-kind services. Apply by February 15th.
Climatetech Tax Incentives Program (CTIP) - Administered by MassCEC, this program offers tax incentives to help Massachusetts climatetech companies grow, hire, and invest in new or expanded facilities. Apply by February 18th.
RoboBench - A new capital grant opportunity, this program supports the development of shared robotics-related infrastructure across Massachusetts to enable cross-sector robotics commercialization. Submit Concept Papers by February 19th.
MassVentures START Grants – MassVentures’ SBIR Targeted Technologies "START" Program provides grants ranging from $100K to $500K along with business guidance to Massachusetts-based SBIR Phase II companies. Apply by February 23rd.
Applied AI Models Innovation Challenge – Issued by the Massachusetts AI Hub, this program will award AI model development projects that address critical societal and industry challenges across key sectors of the Massachusetts innovation economy. Apply by February 27th.
SPARK Mentorship Program – Administered by Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI), SPARK pairs early-stage life science startups with expert one-on-one mentors to solve a specific business challenge. Apply by February 27th.
LabCentral Servier Golden Ticket – Life sciences startups can win a $50K credit towards lab space and services. Apply by March 2nd.
LabCentral AI BioHub Sprint 2026 Accelerator – In partnership with C10 Labs, this program supports early-stage founders focused on impacting human health. Rolling application. (Note: The cohort is expected to start mid-March)
MassCEC InnovateMass – This program provides up to $350,000 in grant funding and technical support to teams deploying new clean energy technologies or innovative combinations of existing technologies with a strong potential for commercialization. Apply by March 9th.
Greentown GOMake 2026 – This program is for startups TRL 3-8 that are developing process technology and catalytic innovations for low-carbon fuels, low-carbon gases, CO2 removal, and sustainable chemical manufacturing. Apply by March 10th.
Catalyst & DICES – Administered jointly by MassCEC and MassVentures, this grant program offers up to $75,000 to help Massachusetts-based researchers and early-stage companies develop and test prototypes at TRL 2–4. Apply by March 13th.
Blueprint by The Engine Spring 2026 – This 8-week program is designed to help graduate students, postdocs, researchers, and their teams explore the translational potential for their breakthrough research and innovations. Apply by March 13th.
Life Sciences Tax Incentive Program – Administered by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), this program provides incentives to companies looking to expand their efforts by creating new, long-term jobs in Massachusetts. Apply by March 31st.
Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2) Grants - Administered by MassTech Collaborative, M2I2 provides grant funding to help Massachusetts innovators who are ready to begin manufacturing their hardtech technologies. Submit Concept Papers by April 6th.
CleanTech Open Accelerator – This annual accelerator offers hands-on training, mentoring and prizes. Apply by April 6th.
CriticalMass – Administered by MassCEC, this program provides up to $1,000,000 in grant funding, specialized services, and partner matchmaking to growth-stage startups TRL 8+. Apply by April 7th.
Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP) – Administered by MOBD, this program offers companies state tax credits in exchange for full-time job creation, job retention, and private investment commitments in Massachusetts. Apply by May 6th.
NEMC Propel – This program offers grants to companies prototyping microelectronics. Rolling application.
Cyber Resilient Massachusetts Grant Program - Administered by the MassCyberCenter, this program provides grants to small businesses in Massachusetts to fund Managed Detection and Response (MDR). Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
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