MassCEC, MTTC Announce Funding Available for Early-Stage Innovations (USA)

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center (MTTC) have launched the sixth solicitation for the MassCEC Catalyst Program, which is aimed at commercializing the game-changing clean energy technologies coming out of Massachusetts.

“These grants support Massachusetts clean energy innovations and help to expand the Commonwealth’s growing clean energy sector, which employs 72,000 workers at 5,000 firms across the state,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.

“We’re proud to work with the MTTC to help clean energy innovators take their ideas from the research lab into the global marketplace,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton.

The MassCEC Catalyst Program, which is funded by MassCEC and managed by MTTC, awards early-stage researchers grant awards up to $40,000 to help demonstrate the commercial viability of their clean energy technology.

“The funding provided through MassCEC’s Catalyst program really helps entrepreneurs at very early stage companies and researchers at Massachusetts universities show the commercial viability of their technologies,” said MTTC Director Abi Barrow. “We’re pleased to help distribute these grant awards to move these projects forward.”

Recipients must use funding for projects that move their technologies towards commercialization. This includes gathering initial data to demonstrate proof of concept, how the technology compares to existing technologies and competitive advantages of the technology or to develop a prototype for the technology. The goal of the MassCEC Catalyst Program is to help technologies progress along the development curve to a point where additional commercialization funding can be obtained.

To be eligible for an award a researcher must be a principal investigator, the technology must be disclosed to a researcher’s host institution and the host institution must be in Massachusetts.

[mappress]

Press release, March 15, 2013