NEW HAVEN, Conn., Sept. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FORGE, a nonprofit that connects hardtech startups with product development, manufacturing, and supply chain education and resources, today announced it has received new funding from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Manufacturing Innovation Fund (MIF).
FORGE is using this funding to bridge a critical gap for startups with physical products through non-dilutive product development grants in the range of $30,000 to $100,000, as well as continuing to offer manufacturing readiness education and facilitating right-fit connections to local manufacturers. FORGE aims to use these offerings to drive innovation, create new opportunities to engage with innovation for Connecticut suppliers, and increase advanced product development in the state.
FORGE publicly launched operations in Connecticut in February 2023 and immediately began providing services to local startups with physical products in sectors like cleantech and medical devices. The nonprofit has served more than 100 Connecticut startups and plans to start accepting applications for new product development grants early this fall.
Apply Now for First $30,000 Grant
To kick things off, FORGE has opened an application for its first $30,000 grant to be awarded November 14, 2024 at the CT Innovation Nights event in Stamford, CT Register here. The application deadline is October 4, 2024. Apply here.
FORGE Executive Director Laura Teicher said, “FORGE is grateful for the vision of the leadership in Connecticut, and the deep commitment to local innovation and manufacturing that this support underscores. This funding will allow us to continue and expand our work of supporting physical product innovation and manufacturing in the state.”
Paul Lavoie, Connecticut Chief Manufacturing Officer, said, “FORGE’s impact on Connecticut aligns with the Office of Manufacturing’s mandate to support innovation in the advanced manufacturing sector. We are proud to invest in FORGE’s pursuit of its mission in our state.”
DECD’s Jessica Dodge, who leads Connecticut’s Office of Innovation to support a healthy innovation ecosystem, said, “FORGE has collaborated with many Connecticut entrepreneurs, connecting them to our state’s wide range of exceptional manufacturers and innovation support resources. We look forward to the growth and innovation that will come from FORGE’s grants and continued startup support.”
About FORGE
Since its founding in 2015, FORGE has helped more than 800 innovators on their journey from prototype to production and scale. FORGE leverages deep knowledge of the innovation, supply chain and manufacturing spaces to create productive business relationships and foster creative, modern solutions to world problems.
FORGE’s support for startups creating physical products has yielded considerable success. A large percentage of the startup companies that engage with FORGE mature and thrive, supporting more than 7,000 innovation and manufacturing jobs. Learn more at FORGEimpact.org.
