SOMERVILLE, Mass., March 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FORGE, the nonprofit that helps bridge the gap between startups and manufacturing, today announced the opening of a new grant for cleantech hardware startups.
The latest edition of the FORGE Product Development Grant program will award non-dilutive funding to cleantech startup(s) to support the development of a physical product in partnership with Woka Foundation. The application deadline is Mar. 17, 2023. Winners of the $3,000 to $10,000 grants will be announced in April.
Grant winners will use the funding to address a specific product development challenge critical to the startups’ ability to scale or reach the marketplace. Successful grant applications will identify that challenge and articulate how the startup will use the funds to overcome it. In addition to funding, winners will benefit from free follow-on product development consulting from industry experts in the FORGE network.
“FORGE focuses on creating connections to help innovators with physical products grow and scale,” said Laura Teicher, FORGE executive director. “With this product development grant and the consulting from our network, we get to help cleantech innovators build and scale their environmentally beneficial physical solutions.”
Eligibility
Applicants must have at least an early-stage physical prototype. Cleantech refers to a wide variety of environmentally-friendly practices and technologies. The cleantech sectors eligible for the FORGE Product Development Grant include building and energy efficiency; energy generation/storage/distribution; chemical and advanced materials; robotics and process efficiency; smart cities; water tech; agriculture, and waste industries.
Apply and find more information here.
About FORGE
FORGE is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit that helps startups go from physical prototype to commercialization and impact at scale. FORGE identifies gaps and accelerates the path to market for startups with manufacturable products by making right-fit introductions to industry expertise, combined with the training and support needed to ensure readiness to manufacture. FORGE programming and resources prepare startups and manufacturers to work effectively together, driving local manufacturing contracts from initial prototyping through to full-scale production.
FORGE’s mission to identify, support and build resources for startup companies has yielded considerable success. More than 87 percent of the almost 600 startup companies that have engaged with FORGE have matured and thrived. FORGE has helped to add more than $34 million to the local economy and supported more than 5,000 innovation and manufacturing jobs. Learn more at FORGEimpact.org
About Woka Foundation
The Woka Foundation is a grantmaking organization currently focusing on reversing climate change and building a durable biosphere through innovation, regenerative agriculture, gender equity, and education. Learn more at wokafoundation.org.
