
The Challenge: Advance Research-Stage Technologies to Commercial Viability
A key step in advancing a new technology beyond the research stage is to develop and demonstrate a prototype. Funding for prototyping is often difficult to obtain.
About Catalyst
The Catalyst Program provides grants of up to $75,000 to researchers and early-stage companies looking to demonstrate initial prototypes of their clean energy technologies. Catalyst is jointly administered by MassCEC and MassVentures with a goal of stimulating the commercialization of clean energy technologies developed in the Commonwealth. Specifically, the program is designed to demonstrate the feasibility of transforming new ideas from the research stage to commercially viable technologies to increase industry and investor interest. All awardees gain access to a vast network of partners, expert local market and policy insights, and mentoring from MassCEC and MassVentures, while all finalists receive complimentary pitch coaching and business mentoring.
About "Diversity in Cleantech - Early Stage" (DICES)
In parallel with Catalyst, MassCEC and MassVentures will award up to three additional grants of up to $75,000 each for projects led by eligible (certified or certifiable) women-owned or minority-owned early-stage companies, to demonstrate initial prototypes of their clean energy technologies.
Funding Schedule
Proposals are due on October 27, 2023 for the Fall 2023 round of Catalyst and DICES. The full timeline presented is subject to change, at MassCEC's discretion.
Process Step | Timing |
---|---|
Application period opens |
September 13, 2023 |
Optional Webinar |
September 28, 2023 |
Deadline to submit questions |
October 6, 2023 |
MassCEC posts responses to questions |
October 11, 2023 |
Applications due |
October 27, 2023 |
Applicants notified of finalist status |
December 4, 2023 |
Finalists' presentations |
Week of January 8, 2024 |
Finalists notified of award status |
February 2024 |
Who's Eligible
Catalyst and DICES are for technologies that are at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2-4, according to the TRL Calculator developed by the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority.
Eligible applicants include principal investigators at Massachusetts-based nonprofit research institutions or Massachusetts-based early-stage clean energy companies.
For DICES, applicants must also verify that they are eligible as a woman- or minority-owned startup. More information about this process can be found in Section V of the Catalyst Request For Proposals (RFP).
For full Program details, please refer to the Catalyst RFP.
Apply
Application Process
This Program invites participation in a two-part application process:
- Submit your application between August 24 and October 20, 2023 via our online platform.
- If selected, pitch to a panel of program judges.
For full Program details, please refer to the Catalyst RFP.
For any questions, please email companycatalyst@masscec.com.
Request for Proposals
Learn About DICES and Catalyst
The Catalyst & DICES/Amplify Mass webinar will be hosted on September 28th at 1 pm. This webinar includes a brief overview of MassCEC and MassVentures' technology to market and investments programs, followed by more detail about DICES and Catalyst.
Presented by Leslie Nash, Program Director at MassCEC, Maddy Zeliff, Program Coordinator at MassCEC, and Priya Yadav, Vice President of Investment at MassVentures.
FAQs
Recent Awardees
Since program inception, Catalyst has awarded nearly $8.5 million to 157 awardees, who have gone on to raise more than $449 million in follow-on funding and submit 159 patent applications. One out of every four university awardees has created a new company.

Lithios
Lithios is developing an environmentally friendly, low-cost electrochemical process, Advanced Lithium Extraction (ALE), which aims to revolutionize global lithium production by enabling access to untapped, low-grade brine resources.

Aloft Systems Inc.
Aloft Systems Inc. is developing a self-contained Wind Propulsion Unit that will provide energy for ship propulsion without modifying the ship.

Stepwise
Stepwise is developing an electromechanical box that bypasses a costly electrical panel service upgrade via energy management, which will help enable residential electrification.

Carbix Corporation
Carbix Corporation is developing an advanced photo-bio reactor, the Carbix X-2, that captures point source emitter CO2 and transforms those emissions into raw materials, which can be used in a wide range of products, specifically building materials.

Prisere LLC
Prisere LLC is developing software to assess the reduction in insured risks to residential and commercial buildings caused by climate related events.

LumaSort
LumaSort is developing a robot that uses AI to efficiently sort glass from debris and by color. High speed cameras are used along with high precision air jets to select glass a single piece at a time, as desired by the glass manufacturer customer.

University of Massachusetts Amherst (PI Lackner)
University of Massachusetts Amherst (PI Lackner) is developing the Wind Trawler, an autonomous, unmoored floating wind turbine.

Arrakis Materials
Arrakis Materials Inc. (DICES) is developing a geo-inspired carbon dioxide sequestration process to produce carbon-negative concrete aggregates with olivine, a cheap and abundant mineral

Florrent
Florrent (DICES) is developing ultracapacitors that pair with batteries which will enable utilities to reliably deliver power from renewable sources.