WESTBOROUGH, Mass. – A grant program that awarded more than $632,000 to southeastern Massachusetts businesses last year has opened applications for its third Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program.
The state-funded program, run by the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the MassTech Collaborative, announced its inaugural cohort in January 2022. In that funding round, the program awarded about $2.2 million throughout the Bay State to a cohort of 13 manufacturers, which included Marzilli Machine Co. and Klear Vu Corp. in Fall River, as well as North Easton Machine in Easton.
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In a second round, announced last September, the program awarded $147,500 to Davico in New Bedford, among 14 other Massachusetts manufacturers.
The program is designed to help manufacturers “address customer demands, increase efficiency and sales, and hopefully grow their workforce” through technologies that update production lines, said Yvonne Hao, secretary of the Mass. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
Demand for the funding has been strong throughout the state, said Christine Nolan, director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing.
“Manufacturing is increasingly driven by innovation, but high-tech tools can be cost prohibitive for smaller shops, which is the challenge the state is looking to solve through this program,” Nolan said. “With these new tools, our MMAP grantees will increase efficiencies, train and upskill their employees to more financially stable careers, and in turn be more competitive against global challengers.”
The program prioritizes manufacturers in the microelectronics, defense/aerospace, electrification technologies, additive manufacturing, and robotics and automation sectors, as well as projects that “broaden impact across regional, economic and racial boundaries.”
Those interested in learning more can attend a webinar on Feb. 8 at 11 a.m., accessible at https://cam.masstech.org/mmap. Full eligibility requirements and the application are also available on this web page.
Applications close at 3 p.m. on March 10.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
