home About Us Mission and Support ACTION Our Members

Mission and Support

Our Members

Technology business incubators are dedicated to accelerating the success of early-stage companies engaged in the development of technology products, or services. These incubators typically provide support to a portfolio of entrepreneurs and emerging companies that may include:

  • Business mentoring and professional services
  • Lab facilities
  • Access to state-of-the-art R&D facilities, equipment and instrumentation
  • Office space and administrative support
  • Business education and training
  • Industry/government networking opportunities
  • Access to university resources & faculty
  • Legal assistance with regulatory compliance and intellectual property strategy
  • Prototyping and testing facilities and advanced manufacturing support
  • Access to grant opportunities and investor funding
  • Warehousing and light manufacturing space

Our current members support startups in the industry sectors of life science, healthcare, cleantech/decarbonization, robotics, advanced materials, marine/maritime, aerospace, and other convergent technologies. The breadth of our incubator network offers entrepreneurs a diverse hub of knowledge, experience, and resources that is most often unavailable from a single incubator.

ACTION Incubator Members:

Mansfield Bio-Incubator — Mansfield, MA

Mansfield Bio-Incubator is a non-profit biotech, pharma, life science, and medical device business incubator facility. We were created to nurture entrepreneurial and economic development in the community. We aim to do this by maintaining affordable lab and office space and making cutting-edge technology, services, training, mentoring, and a network of professional advisors available to small biotechnology companies and health-related start-ups. Accepting applications now. For more information visit www.bioinc.org.

  • Incubator Space
  • Dedicated laboratories, including a prototype and machine shop, environmental chemistry, and life sciences, with full-time staff.
  • Specialized Equipment - (including a scanning electron microscope)
  • Access to UMass Dartmouth faculty, researchers, and students.
  • Entrepreneurial programming through a partnership with the Southern New England Entrepreneurs Forum (SNEEF)

Umass Dartmouth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Fall River, MA

The UMass Dartmouth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) is an incubator for technology-driven companies to build their exciting ideas. Located in the South Coast Research and Technology Park, near the intersection of Routes 195 and 24 in Fall River, the center is housed in a 60,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility. The goal of the CIE is to provide advanced technology and manufacturing solutions, through industry and university partnerships, to meet current and future business needs. www.umassd.edu/innovate

  • Flexible manufacturing/office space
  • Partnership program to facilitate getting to market
  • Knowledge transfer and mentoring

Collaborative Innovation Works – Amesbury, MA

CI Works is a business ecosystem that focuses on creating energized collaborative manufacturing environments for scaling entrepreneurial businesses.

Our facility is 100,000 sq. ft. space currently at 90+ % occupancy and will grow to over 160,000 square feet of renovated mill buildings with incredible building functionality: A place for collaboration & innovation! CI Works is currently opening an expansion location in Methuen, MA at IndusPAD including an additional 88,000 sq. ft. of available Class A manufacturing space. CI Works offers flexible working space layout, favorable and flexible lease terms, modern amenities, expansive business network, loading dock access, free parking and 24x7 access. www.ciworks.us

Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology – E. Hartford, CT

The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. helps private and public entities to apply innovative tools and practices to increase efficiencies, improve workforce development and boost competitiveness. CCAT functions as a unique economic development organization that combines expertise in cutting-edge technology with specialized centers of excellence in manufacturing, education, training, energy and entrepreneurialism. Throughout these efforts, we promote partnership between industry, academia and government to create a new collaborative framework for addressing 21st-century economic challenges. www.ccat.us

Environmental and Energy Council of Maine – Portland, ME

The Environmental and Energy Technology Council of Maine (E2Tech) believes that the greatest potential for Maine’s future economic growth is in the “clean tech” sector led by environmental and energy technology businesses. E2Tech acts as a catalyst to stimulate growth in this sector by facilitating networking, serving as a clearinghouse for objective information through events and forums, conducting special projects, and leading efforts to promote the sector. The member-based organization seeks to build Maine’s environmental and energy technology economy and includes renewable power companies, environmental engineers, emerging entrepreneurs, innovators and designers, as well as government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations and businesses that see the economic promise of clean tech for Maine. www.e2tech.org

Fraunhofer TechBridge, Cambridge, MA

Fraunhofer TechBridge supports the commercialization of early-stage clean energy technologies by providing R&D services, by connecting innovators with experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and strategic partners; and by forging connections with a network of incubators. This innovative approach helps reduce technology risk and accelerates commercialization at the critical early stages of venture formation. http://cse.fraunhofer.org/

Innovacorp Demonstration Centre:

  • Industrial site for demonstration projects
  • Access to port and wharf
  • Proximity to fibre

Innovacorp – Halifax NS

Innovacorp’s mission is to find, fund and foster innovative Nova Scotia start-ups that strive to change the world. Early stage venture capital is at the core of our business model. We also give entrepreneurs access to world-class incubation facilities, expert advice, and other support to help them accelerate their companies.

Innovacorp manages three incubation assets. The Technology Innovation Centre targets companies in clean technology, while the Innovacorp Enterprise Centre focuses on companies in the life sciences sectors. The Innovacorp Demonstration Centre is an industrial demonstration facility for bioresource innovators. The facilities offer much more than just space and infrastructure. They also provide on-site support, flexible leasing, and corporate credibility – things emerging companies need to grow stronger, faster. www.innovacorp.ca

The facility includes dedicated offices, shared workspace, a prototyping/fabrication laboratory, as well as these common resources:

  • Reception area and administrative support
  • Phone Booths
  • Kitchen / Cafe
  • Open Work Space
  • Copy / Print resources
  • Board Room
  • Conference Room
  • Breakout Spaces

UMass Lowell Innovation Hub – Lowell MA

The UMass Lowell Innovation Hub provides startup programming and access to the UMass Lowell's faculty and research resources, as well as collaboration with mentors and sponsors.This space addresses the needs of "open innovation" startups by offering them needed work and laboratory space and access to office resources in the short term, rather than long-term, expensive business leases. Located in downtown Lowell's vibrant Hamilton Canal District, UMass Lowell's Innovation Hub provides access to dedicated office and desks, coworking spaces, meeting and event locations, a prototyping and fabrication lab, support services and much more.  www.uml.edu/Innovation-Hub/

  • MBI offers private and secure labs and offices, lease what you need - grow when you want.
  • “All About our Companies” model of service. We consider the MBI Team as an extension of each company within our facilities.
  • MBI provides new business support helping companies reach their milestones.

Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives – Worcester MA

MBI is a private, independent economic development organization that serves as a catalyst for life science and healthcare innovation. We help start biomedical companies and create jobs within the Biotechnology, Medical Device, Informatics, and Biomanufacturing industry by providing secure, clean bench and sink surface, staff trained and fully licensed laboratory space for usage by “seed stage” companies. Building and maintaining collaborative affiliations and partnerships are essential to our success.

Through its Incubator facilities located in Worcester, MBI lowers the barriers to success for emerging companies by providing cost effective, high quality laboratory and support services.  www.massbiomed.org

Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority / TechPlace – Brunswick, ME

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) is a public municipal corporation by State law established by the Maine State Legislature to implement the NASB Reuse Master Plans for both NASB and Topsham's Annex as they have been set forth by both the Brunswick Local Redevelopment Authority (BLRA) and the Topsham Local Redevelopment Authority (TLRA). The Reuse Master Plans for NASB and the Topsham Annex represent a unique opportunity to establish a vibrant live, work, learn, and play environment, Centers of excellence for technology innovation, environmental sustainability, and "green" community development, a variety of corporate, business, academic, recreational, and community services, and a strong sense of place based on smart growth principles. www.mrra.us

  • Composite Layup Facility
  • Shared Bio-production Lab
  • Shared Shops – woodshop, metal shop, welding booth, 3-D printer

TechPlace supports the small business development needs of early-stage companies in a collaborative environment in the heart of Maine’s midcoast region. TechPlace gives entrepreneurs a place to network with other innovators, research and develop ideas, build prototypes, test products, assemble, grow, learn, and become successful manufacturing and technology companies. techplacemaine.us.

Northeastern University – Boston, MA

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university built on a tradition of engagement with the world, creating a distinctive experiential approach to learning and discovery. The university offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools, and select advanced degrees at campuses in Charlotte, N.C., Seattle, Silicon Valley, and Toronto. Major research campuses in Burlington, MA, and Nahant, MA, pursue advancements in homeland security and coastal sustainability.

Northeastern University provides access to its Experiential Network (XN) Program and the Level Data Analytics Program to ACTION Innovation Network’s incubator members and resident startup companies, in addition to the university’s other talent acquisition & workforce development programs.

  • Wet lab space for biotech and cleantech companies
  • Mentoring and advising
  • InnoVentures University business training programs

North Shore InnoVentures – Beverly, MA

Cleantech InnoVenture Center (CIVC) is business incubator to nurture innovative early-stage cleantech companies and support sustained economic growth in our region. NSIV is a non-profit, supported in part by state and federal grants as well as corporate sponsors, which helps subsidize the facilities and services we offer. Collaboration is at the heart of our model. We bring shared physical resources, sponsor services, experienced entrepreneurs and investment advisers together with promising young companies. Together we help them conserve capital, make good decisions, build strong teams and achieve development and funding milestones. www.nsiv.org/

OrbisEnergy – Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK

With the southern North Sea emerging as the international proving ground for large-scale offshore wind farms. OrbisEnergy is the flagship for businesses keen to capture the economic benefits from offshore wind, wave and tidal technologies. OrbisEnergy is driving local regeneration, offering tenants, visitors and investors directed access to dedicated offshore renewable business network. www.orbisenergy.net

Polo Meccatronica – Rovereto TN, Italy

The Mechatronics Cluster brings together representatives of the worlds of production, education and research in areas related to mechatronics: a new form of engineering combining information technology, electronics, mechanics, hydraulics and pneumatics.

The coexistence of different companies, secondary schools, university departments, research centres and industrial accelerators supported by the valuable services of Trentino Sviluppo creates the ideal conditions for experimentation and production of innovative processes and products.

The Cluster is the most recent expression of Trentino’s natural inclination for mechanics and mechatronics. This is in fact the sector employing the majority of workers in manufacturing industry (almost 10,000), with about 800 active enterprises, making an important contribution to Trentino’s exports.

In this business hub, research centres and educational institutions perform their functions while at the same time responding to local demand for innovation, contributing to the social and economic development of the district of Rovereto and to production throughout Trentino. www.polomeccatronica.it

Progetto Manifattura – Rovereto TN, Italy

Progetto Manifattura - Green Innovation Factory is an initiative of the autonomous Province of Trento to transform a former tobacco plant into a cluster for cleantech innovation. With over 100,000 square feet of floor space situated on roughly 22 acres of land, the space will be used to host private enterprise in three main sectors: green building, renewable energy and environmental technologies, with research labs, training facilities, and public uses designed specifically to promote the cluster concept. Participating companies will benefit from an innovation ecosystem unique in Italy, with assistance programs for starting and growing new businesses. www.progettomanifattura.it

  • Entrepreneurial community
  • Mentoring and advising
  • Startup Incubator
  • Angel investment group

SeaAhead — Boston, MA

SeaAhead is a bluetech startup platform and benefit corporation, located at the Cambridge Innovation Center, with the mission of supporting venture innovation for the ocean. Our open innovation platform supports startups seeking a community that is driven to have a positive, sustainable impact on the ocean. SeaAhead helps build companies through its BlueSwell incubator, facilitates investments through the Blue Angels Investment Group, and sparks innovation through competitions like the BlueGreen Innovation Challenge. Our ecosystem includes startups, investors, corporations, governments, and other ocean stakeholders that are coming together to create impact in areas including greener shipping and ports, seafood systems, offshore alternative energy, resilient waterfronts, scalable solutions to marine plastic pollution, and ocean-centric approaches to the challenges of climate change.

  • Furnished labs and offices
  • Large and small conference rooms
  • Full kitchen and lunch room
  • Machine shop and clean room for prototyping and pilot production
  • Technical equipment for mechanical, electrical, biomedical and optical engineering

Southbridge Tech Incubator — Southbridge, MA

Southbridge Tech Incubator (STI) is a privately held collaborative workspace with a mission to provide an environment where tenants can create, build, interact, and share ideas and resources. The mission is supported by a network of consultants, mentors and suppliers that contribute a wide variety of skills and experience to tenants’ teams. STI’s newly refurbished building is ideal for the development and pilot production of medical devices and other technology products.

  • Networking and business to business services
  • Marketing & communications
  • Management, advisory and mentoring
  • Co-working, office and prototyping space

WORC + LAB – Worcester, MA

WCTI is a clean tech oriented business incubator located at 44 Portland Street, in the heart of downtown Worcester. Its mission is to nurture and foster the growth of entrepreneurial enterprises that will address the most pressing issues of our time. WCTI provides access to the physical, network, and capital resources companies need to propel ideas to market – to bring products to market cheaper and faster. In addition to space, we provide in-house advising, mentorship, networking support, and external services (i.e. legal services) to entrepreneurs and startups. worclab.org

 

Benefits of ACTION Membership

All of our incubator Members share the goal of accelerating the success of their portfolio companies, strengthening the cleantech sector in New England, and growing green jobs. ACTION provides its Members with opportunities to leverage administrative information, administrative functions, and knowledge across its comprehensive network. ACTION creates, collect, and make available commonly needed documentation. In addition to the sharing of documents, ACTION also consolidates and shares industry sector best practices and operational procedures that can be used by our Membership.

ACTION serves as a lead generation resource for all ACTIONetwork incubators. We connect with network and cleantech ecosystem resources to offer a point of contact for emerging companies and entrepreneurs. We also help coordinate educational programs that provide functional knowledge to the portfolio companies of our Membership.

The cleantech sector encompasses a wide array of sub-sector industries and business models. ACTION maintains a directory of the companies that are working out of affiliated incubators. We actively make introductions and connections between the executives running those companies. ACTION is a valuable resource helping to match incubated companies that operate in common sub-sectors.

ACTION also maintains a centralized database of mentors and advisors who volunteer their time to work with incubated companies. The database benefits incubated companies by matching them with advisors who have specialized knowledge that can help them create and execute their business plans.

ACTION is a centralized organizing body working with cleantech-focused startups, incubators, and industry groups. Therefore ACTION serves as a common point of communication allowing interested parties to establish contact with cleantech incubators and their portfolio companies.

ACTION may facilitate introductions for incubated companies to a range of potential investors. Additionally, we may provide a mechanism for investors to make connections with start-ups for potential investments.