BOSTON – Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) announced $1,042,882 to support three advanced manufacturing projects across the state through the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), a statewide manufacturing program focused on bridging the gap between innovation and commercialization in hardtech manufacturing.
“Massachusetts is home to the world’s leading innovation economy thanks to programs like M2I2, which invest in companies and talent that are translating groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao, Chair of the MassTech Collaborative Board. “We are pleased to invest in these companies as they grow their manufacturing capabilities and add jobs in our state.”
“These three companies exemplify the kind of innovation and collaboration that makes the Massachusetts manufacturing ecosystem so strong,” said CAM Director Lily Fitzgerald. “M2I2 has invested over $100 million in Massachusetts over its tenure. These investments help companies transition technologies out of the production floor and into the ecosystem, create new jobs and opportunities, and enable innovation to solve tough, real-world challenges.”
This round of M2I2 grant recipients include:
Apparel Robotics (Boston) – Apparel Robotics will use $275,107 to support the development of a robotic garment assembly system. Apparel Robotics invents material handling technology that can address a key bottleneck for the automation of clothing manufacturing as well as textile manufacturing for medical, automotive, and aerospace applications. This project is aligned with the Manufacturing USA’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM Institute) and will support an ARM Institute-funded project in collaboration with HanesBrands, MassRobotics, and other businesses. The company plans to add two jobs. Apparel Robotics will match MassTech’s grant with $1,013,987, which is in part sourced from the ARM Institute.
Fleet Robotics (Somerville) - Fleet Robotics will use $365,600 to construct its autonomous robotic systems for maritime maintenance. Fleet invented an innovative locomotion system that allows robots to stay attached to ships 24/7 and while the ships are in motion. Fleet’s product will lessen carbon emissions by proactively cleaning ships continuously, while detecting cracks and corrosion through ultrasonic sensors. With this grant, Fleet will build five robots and deploy those at the Port of New Bedford to construct and utilize a new in-water testing platform. Fleet plans to add up to three new jobs as a result of this project. This project is aligned with the ARM Institute.
florrent (Amherst) – florrent will use $402,175 to build out a pilot-scale facility to produce activated carbon from domestically sourced waste biomass, a core component of its supercapacitors. florrent's supercapacitors’ increased efficiency makes them well suited to disrupt the uninterruptible power supply markets, where lead-acid batteries currently dominate. The company’s technology leverages biomass waste sourced from historically underserved farmers, creating value for these communities while sequestering waste in a solid form. With this grant, florrent will outfit a pilot manufacturing facility in South Deerfield with equipment to mill, filter, and process waste biomass into a component of their supercapacitor. This project is aligned with the Manufacturing USA Institute BioMADE. The project is estimated to create up to five new jobs.
In 2024, the M2I2 program granted $11.76 million to manufacturing projects across the ecosystem.
M2I2 helps bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization across advanced manufacturing sectors, from electronics to climatetech, robotics, additive manufacturing, and others. The program provides funding to help Massachusetts organizations transition their technologies to manufacturing. Through M2I2, the state has invested over $90 million in business expansion and R&D centers in Massachusetts, helping to promote innovation and job growth statewide. The M2I2 program supports projects that align with the Manufacturing USA Institutes, a national network of facilities that help U.S. advanced manufacturers scale their operations. Learn more at cam.masstech.org/m2i2.
About the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
The mission of the Massachusetts Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) is to foster the most complete, collaborative, and agile manufacturing ecosystem to enable business growth from innovation through production. CAM is a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), a public economic development agency tasked with supporting business formation and growth in the Commonwealth’s tech and innovation sectors. CAM provides a path for manufacturing growth through a connected, accessible ecosystem that supports innovation, workforce development and a business-friendly environment. CAM managed programs include the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), the MassBridge manufacturing training program, and the massmakes.org portal. Learn more at https://cam.masstech.org/.