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 TODAY, 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 UMass Lowell Innovation Hub Haverhill has partnered with Essex County Community Foundation to present the Digital Equity Challenge. This is a pitch contest style event where we are seeking ideas and projects that address digital equity. Do you have a program, project, service, or any idea that increases digital capacity for any community in Essex County or the county at large? Apply now to the Challenge! Top applicants will be invited to Pitch live before Judges and win a share of $10,000 in cash prizes and other support, including a pipeline with ECCF for further grant funding. Applications are due March 23. More information here.
The Innovation Institute seeks to encourage the development of entrepreneur-led economic development strategies through its Strong Entrepreneur Ecosystems Solicitation. Entrepreneur-led economic development strategies put successful local founders at the heart of development initiatives to understand their unique needs and align Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) and resources in the community around a common mission of helping more local entrepreneurs succeed. These strategies are meant to create feedback loops between entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders, and other local decision-makers that ensure local entrepreneur ecosystems address the needs of founders and foster conditions for entrepreneurial success. The Strong Entrepreneur Ecosystems Solicitation intends to aid ESOs in their efforts to enhance collaboration and connectivity among stakeholders in their local startup communities and regional entrepreneur ecosystem. Applications are due April 1. 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.