IMPACT from M2D2 is a 12-week accelerator program that uses a unique 1:1 approach and is created to connect startups with resources needed for commercialization. Selected companies will have the opportunity to engage with sponsors’ specialized research calls to help advance their business. Applications deadline extended to March 29. More information here.
MIT Hacking Medicine Grand Hack – Interested in disrupting healthcare? Join MIT Hacking Medicine at the annual flagship event in Boston! This is the weekend to brainstorm and build innovative solutions with hundreds of like-minded engineers, clinicians, designers, developers and business people. Within the multi-theme event, there is sure to be a healthcare challenge for everyone! Applications are due March 25. More information here.
Boehringer Ingelheim’s Boston Innovation Prize recognizes the challenge and dedication it takes to start a new company by supporting the innovation process and celebrating life-science entrepreneurs. This award facilitates research programs, allowing recipients to focus on developing their scientific programs, while connecting and learning from others in the life-science ecosystem. The award also provides an opportunity to show-case ideas and projects from entrepreneurs and start-up organizations. Applications are due March 28. More information here.
2022 Emerge MA Candidate and Campaign Manager Training – Emerge MA is the premier political leadership training program that centers around the experience of self-identified women, trains self-identified women and encourages trans women to apply. Their mission is to identify, educate, and inspire Democratic women who want to pursue a career in politics. Applications are due March 31. More information here for Candidate training and Campaign Manager training.
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.
New Applicant Grant Program – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has made $25,000,000 available to support small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 that have not previously received financial relief from MGCC’s COVID-19 Relief Grant Programs. MGCC will administer grants up to $75,000 for eligible small businesses. These funds were appropriated through the state’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act. Application closes April 4, 2022 at 11:59 pm. More information here.
Is your startup working on an IoT/sensor solution that could improve productivity, product lifecycle management, infrastructure operations, sustainability, or consumer engagement? Enter the UMass Lowell Innovation Hub Sensor Challenge for a chance to advance your solution. If selected, you’ll pitch your technology to a panel of potential customers, investors & partners interested in your solution. They will present up to three winners with vouchers worth thousands that can be redeemed for office space or research facility usage for your startup. Apply by April 13th. 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. Application Deadline Extended to April 15. More information here.
ODSC EAST 2022 In-Person and Virtual Conference, April 19-21 – Want to keep up with the latest AI developments, trends, and insights? Dealing with the build or buy dilemma to grow your business? Seeking to interact with data-obsessed peers and build your network? Look no further: The ODSC AI Expo & Demo Hall is the right destination for you. Showcase your startup or attend ODSC East and meet the founders, investors, speakers, and teams powering some of the world’s leading AI and machine learning startups. More information here.
Calling all innovative startups! MassChallenge is looking for founders who want to transform their ecosystem by solving massive challenges. Apply today for the 2022 early-stage program to leverage support from the MC global network of innovators to grow and scale your business. Applications due April 20 at 12 pm ET. More information here.
The Capital Network Own Your Raise – Are you a Female Founder/CEO of a New England-based startup looking for your first outside capital in the next year? Are you looking for a supportive community of mentors and fellow founders who are going through the same journey? Are you looking to expand your network of investors? Look no further! The Capital Network understands the challenges female founders are facing. They know female founders need access to knowledge, resources, connections, confidence and a support system. That’s they we created the Fellowship for female founders: to help you OWN YOUR RAISE! Applications are due April 20. More Information here.
MassCEC seeks applications to its Commonwealth Hydro Program to facilitate greater energy production and reduced environmental impacts from hydropower facilities that are eligible for the MA RPS. Commonwealth Hydro provides grant funding of up to $300,000 per project. Through the provision of this support, Commonwealth Hydro seeks to increase the output, longevity, and ecological acceptability of hydropower facilities that are qualified for the MA RPS, or have a strong likelihood of attaining qualification, as further explained herein. Applicants’ facilities must also be licensed by FERC, have an order from FERC indicating that they are non-jurisdictional to FERC, or have a determination from FERC that they are a “qualifying conduit hydropower facility” in accordance with FERC Order 800. Applications are due April 29. More information here.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is introducing a Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Support Program in climate critical fields. The program is an overarching initiative aimed at the exploration, development, innovative support, and training opportunities for Massachusetts-based MWBE companies. This solicitation aims to support the entry, creation, and expansion of MWBEs into fields that are critical to meeting the Commonwealth’s ambitious climate goals of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Proposed support and training initiatives may be aimed at facilitating certifications from the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (MSDO), or certification from the Massachusetts Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) or other certifications for new MWBEs, creation of new MWBEs, as well as supporting existing MWBEs to grow and excel in clean energy and climate critical fields. All applicants are encouraged to partner with other support programs for small businesses in Massachusetts if applicable. Applications are due April 29. More information here.
Food Edge on May 3-5 is a B2B, intimate summit designed to spark conversation and catalyze strategic connections that will transform the food industry. The summit brings together the industry’s leading innovators across the value chain to discuss the cutting-edge trends and developments that are shaping a sustainable future of food. More information here.
TECHSPO Boston, two-day technology expo returns June 13th-14th, 2022 to the luxurious Westin Copley Place Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. TECHSPO Boston brings together some of the best developers, brands, marketers, technology providers, designers, innovators evangelists looking to set the pace in our advanced world of technology. Watch exhibitors showcase the next generation of advances in technology & innovation, including; Internet, Mobile, AdTech, MarTech SaaS technologies. Be prepared to be inspired, amazed educated on how these evolving technologies will impact your business for greater growth. 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.
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.