InnovateMass

2. What qualifies as a Massachusetts-based company?

Please refer to section III. Eligibility of the RFP for complete eligibility requirements. To qualify as a Massachusetts-based company, the company currently has and will maintain throughout the course of the Project a majority of the following in Massachusetts (i.e., if four (4) apply, then three (3) must be in Massachusetts, and if three (3) apply, at least two (2) must be based in Massachusetts): company headquarters (primary executives located in Massachusetts); primary research and development operations; primary manufacturing operations; and primary sales & marketing office.

3. May entities submit more than one Application?

Applicants may submit up to two different projects per round, with different project partners.

4. How many letters of support does a typical applicant have?

At least one letter from a committed Demonstration Partner is required. Applicants usually provide a total of 1 to 3 letters of support. These are typically from project partners, such as a manufacturing partner or investor.

5. What role does the third-party technical support from MassCEC play?

The Technical Consultant will meet regularly with awardees to review workplans, discuss and resolve technical and other project-related barriers, and review performance monitoring and evaluation plans. They act as the day-to-day project managers representing MassCEC. MassCEC meets with the TA on a monthly basis to get a project status update on each awardee.

6. If a company has won an InnovateMass grant previously, is it eligible to apply again?

Previous InnovateMass Awardees may apply to the Program only if they are proposing a technology that is new and distinct from that in the previously awarded project. In the Application, the Lead Applicant must explain how the project and product in this current proposal are meaningfully different than the previous InnovateMass product and project (from a technology and/or market perspective) and how these additional InnovateMass funds will be critical to the company’s overall success and the commercialization of the product moving forward. In addition, the previous InnovateMass project must be completed before applying for a different InnovateMass grant.

7. What is a “Total Addressable Carbon” analysis?

The TAC is an estimate of the potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions or the avoidance of future GHG emissions achievable given widespread use of the technology/innovation.

While addressing the greenhouse gas mitigation potential, it is recommended that applicants reference MassCEC’s Total Addressable Carbon (TAC) analysis or other credible public data sources such as the United States Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Emissions Inventory (especially for greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide), the EPA's Greenhouse Gases Equivalencies Calculator, and others. You may also use MassCEC’s Emissions Reduction Analysis instructions and the corresponding template as tools, in order to quantify the GHG emissions that can be reduced, avoided, or remediated. Other quantification methods include but are not limited to potential megawatt-hours of clean energy generated, tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided or captured, energy savings compared to existing or alternative technology(ies), efficiency improvement over existing technology(ies). Applicants are encouraged to quantify and/or describe of the potential to mitigate impacts of climate change through adaptation and resiliency (A&R), and consider environmental sustainability (for example, using indicators across social, economic, and environmental impacts). MassCEC acknowledges that quantifying A&R is an emerging field, and we recommend utilizing the 2023 ResilientMass Plan, as well as the World Economic Forum and FEMA’s BCA Toolkit etc. for toolkits and guidance."

Further information can be found in section VI. Of the application form.

8. What is a Public Benefit Site (PBS) and what are the PBS requirements?

"Public Benefit" Project Sites are defined as any of the following:

• Massachusetts publicly owned facilities
• Low/moderate income (LMI) buildings in MA
  • Single-family residential homes that are owned by residents that meet less than sixty percent (60%) and have deed restriction and/or fuel assistance verification
  • • Multifamily affordable housing buildings that have an eligibility letter from the Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN)’s Low-Income Multifamily (LIMF) Energy Retrofits Program; or A deed restriction that explicitly states the development has reserved at least fifty percent (50%) of the units for households earning eighty percent (80%) or less of state median income
• o A site that is physically located in a MA-based Gateway City or Environmental Justice community or is in an underserved geographic region (i.e., such as Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, or Cape Cod).

"Public Benefit" Project Sites are eligible for a reduced cost share of 25%. Please refer to Section I. of the RFP for more details.

9. Are visuals allowed in the application? 

Yes, visuals are allowed in the application. Please note that if you add images, the page limit requirement still needs to be met. 

10. Are hardware and software technologies evaluated differently? 

No, hardware and software technologies are evaluated using the same criteria and InnovateMass funds both types of technologies. In the application, please make it clear the challenges you face in developing and commercializing either type of technology. 

11. Is the funding amount and employee count guideline a strict eligibility requirement?

No, this is a suggested guideline for best fit for the program, but companies are welcome to apply if they do not fit into the suggested guidelines.