MassCEC Catalyst
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) / MassVentures
Up to $75,000
Up to $75k for Massachusetts climatetech startups and researchers; Fall 2026 deadline Sep 30, 2026.
Catalyst provides grants of up to $75,000 to researchers and early-stage companies developing climatetech and clean energy technologies in Massachusetts. The program funds prototype development, testing, and feasibility work for technologies between Technology Readiness Level 2 and 4. The Fall 2026 round was opened August 18, 2026 and closes September 30, 2026 at 5:00PM EDT.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $0 – $75,000
- Realistic amount
- $40,000–$75,000 for selected projects
- Deadline
- September 30, 2026 at 5:00PM EDT
- Status
- active
- States
- MA
Who qualifies
- Principal Investigator at a Massachusetts-based research institution, OR
- Massachusetts-based early-stage climatetech company with four or fewer full-time equivalent employees and under $2.5M in combined debt, equity, grant funding, and revenues over past five years, OR
- Student-led team with a faculty/researcher PI
- Project must be at Technology Readiness Level 2–4 and address climatetech commercialization
- Primary operations (headquarters, sales, R&D, manufacturing) in Massachusetts
Who is not eligible
- Student-led teams without a faculty/researcher PI
- Companies with more than four FTE employees
- Companies with $2.5M or more in funding/revenue over the past five years
- Projects outside climatetech or clean energy
- Basic or fundamental research
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Prototype development
- Testing and data collection
- User testing and design refinement
- Third-party validation
- Project-specific equipment
- Personnel costs (including intern stipends and PI summer salary)
Ineligible expenses
- Basic research
- Marketing and publicity
- Business formation legal fees
- General overhead, rent, utilities
- Conference travel
- General-purpose computers or equipment
How to apply
-
1
Review RFP and eligibility
Confirm TRL 2–4, climatetech focus, and Massachusetts presence.
~2 hrs
-
2
Submit written application
Apply through the online portal by September 30, 2026 at 5:00PM EDT.
~10 hrs
-
3
Finalist pitch
Selected finalists receive pitch coaching and present to independent judges.
~4 hrs
Finalists receive complimentary pitch coaching. Academic applicants should seek overhead waivers; companies should articulate clear commercialization potential and climate impact.
Deadline & timing
Catalyst offers funding twice per year. The Fall 2026 round was opened August 18, 2026 and closes September 30, 2026 at 5:00PM EDT.
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Required documents
- Online application form (max 11 pages)
- Technology Readiness Level calculator
- Adoption Readiness Level assessment
- Resumes of team members
- Project budget
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