The Ripple Fellowship is a fully-funded immersive social entrepreneurship program for young adults, ages 18 – 24. Fellows will have three domestic travel experiences; engage in a weekly online curriculum facilitated by a variety of experts and changemakers; be paired with a mentor, an individual successful in their career and knowledgeable about specific subject areas as it pertains to social impact entrepreneurship; construct a business plan that supports people and planet; and participate in a formal incentivized business pitch to The Ripple Center community at large. Applications are due February 15. More information here.
The 6th annual Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge aims to recognize new business ideas that leverage technology for social impact from early-stage entrepreneurs around the world. $1,000,000 USD in prize money will help accelerate the adoption of breakthrough technology, products, and services that drive economic development and/or solve social or environmental problems. Applications are due February 15. More information here.
Inspired by conversations at the 2013 MassTLC unConference, Unpitch is designed to facilitate connections between entrepreneurs and investors. It’s NOT about delivering an elevator pitch onstage, a “demo day” presentation, or trying to grab a few seconds with a venture capitalist in a conference hallway. Instead, Unpitch is a chance to have lunch with an angel investor or VC in a casual, no-pressure environment, discuss your business, get meaningful feedback on your ideas, and make connections that will help you get to the next stage. Applications are due February 15. More information here.
The M2D2 $200K Challenge is a global competition for early-stage medical device and biotech technologies. University spin-outs are welcomed and encouraged to apply. The $200K Challenge is being sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Asahi Intecc, Amgen, Boston Scientific, Hologic, MassMEDIC, Mintz Levin, MPR, Sarepta Therapeutics, Argenta Advisors, RQMIS Inc., BARDA DRIVe and Draper. Applications are due February 20. More information here.
The Blue Innovation Symposium (BIS) on February 22-24 is the premier event in New England for connecting the marine technology industry for education, networking and facilitating partnering opportunities. The conference brings together a broad spectrum of representatives of the marine technology industry from the US and beyond. The BIS has welcomed more than 300 attendees and nearly 40 sponsors for the three-day event, which included keynote addresses, panel discussions and a unique series of five-minute flash talks. More information here.
Mass Digital Health COVID-19 Recovery Challenge Innovations to Support Healthcare Providers – Startups, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs who are developing and validating digital health-based solutions that help health systems and healthcare providers recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and invited to apply for this challenge. Up to eight finalists will be selected for a three-month accelerator program and the winners will receive prizes worth up to $250,000. Applications are due February 25. More information here.
The SBIR Targeted Technologies (START) program helps Massachusetts-based start-ups convert research developed under SBIR and STTR contracts into businesses and jobs in Massachusetts. The START program plays an important role in powering Massachusetts’ Innovation Economy. Applications are due February 28. More information here.
Product Development Grant: Supply Chain Funding For Cleantech Startups – Are you a cleantech startup company struggling with global shortages and supply chain disruptions? Apply for FORGE’s Product Development Grant! This Supply Chain Disruption track will award between $5k-$25k in funding for redesigns, offsetting cost markups, building critical inventory, and/or other creative solutions to mitigating disruptions and their impacts. Applications are due March 4. More information here.
The 2022 Virtual Local Food Trade Show of New England is a dynamic space for local food producers and buyers from across of our region to connect. In this year’s online Trade Floor, producers will set up virtual booths that buyers will be able to browse, initiate conversation, and establish sales connections. In addition to the Trade Floor, they will also be offering other opportunities to ensure quality connections with producers. Applications are due March 8. More information here.
MassCEC’s Catalyst and Diversity in Cleantech – Early-Stage (DICES) Programs provide grants of up to $65,000 to researchers and early-stage companies looking to demonstrate initial prototypes of their clean energy technologies. Applications are due March 18. More information here.
The 10G Challenge is powered by CableLabs in collaboration with industry experts to inspire innovators to leverage the emerging 10G network. The Challenge is designed to support developing technologies, services and applications that rely on the network of the future. The challenge will award up to $100K to innovators developing new services, applications or technology that will need higher bandwidth or lower latency. Applications are due July 1. More information here.
Techstars Boston Accelerator – With over a decade in the books, this program focuses on the most promising startups in this vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Techstars Boston is excited to accelerate companies that save lives, save the planet, and transform the way we live and work. Application Deadline is July 28. More information here.
FinTech Sandbox is a nonprofit which enables financial technology entrepreneurs to build robust products by providing access to critical data, development tools and a curated network of customers, entirely for free. FinTech Sandbox is open to all startups innovating in financial services that can use financial data products we offer for product development and testing. The spirit of the program is to offer data to start-ups that could not otherwise afford it. More information here.
The NAACP Power Forward Small Business Grant is available for Black-owned businesses with one to 25 employees located in New England (Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and select areas of Connecticut (more details in the application). $25,000 in grants are available on a rolling basis. More information here.
Eligible Massachusetts businesses of any size may apply for training grants through the Workforce Training Fund’s Express Program. The Express Program offers cash grants to businesses to cover up to 50% of the cost of training employees, up to $3,000 per employee per course. Additional limitations apply. More information here.
The Seed Investments Program is a two-stage investment program that provides up to $250,000 in convertible notes to pre-seed or seed-stage clean energy startups. The program exists to support companies as they advance and commercialize clean energy technologies and business models. More information here.
Venture Lane will be piloting a new virtual membership in Q2 called Venture Lane Connect. The membership will enable B2B startup founders based in Boston to tap into Venture Lane’s curated network, weekly programming focused on go-to-market strategy, $400K in perks like AWS and Microsoft Azure and other resources for early-stage growth. Interested B2B startup founders and their teams can sign up for the private beta here.
Created as a key pillar of KKR’s COVID-19 Relief Effort, KKR Small Business Builders (SBB) aims to support entrepreneurs and their small businesses around the world. The grants are designed to help business owners sustain their enterprises, maintain or create jobs, and spur economic opportunity as they respond to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and recover from its resultant economic dislocation. More information here.
P&G Ventures is an early stage startup studio within Procter & Gamble that partners with entrepreneurs to accelerate billion dollar ideas that improve consumers’ lives. Focus areas include nontoxic home and garden, women’s health, anti-aging, daily wellness, and cleaning/sanitizing. More information here.