History & Mission
The Berkshire Innovation Center will provide a catalyst to accelerate the innovation and growth of existing companies in the Berkshire Region — primarily small to medium sized manufacturing companies (SME’s) in Life Sciences and the Life Sciences Supply Chain — with the ultimate objective of spurring economic growth, jobs, and investment in the region.
With the approval of over 80 regional stakeholders in the private sector, government, and academia, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center awarded the City of Pittsfield a $9.7 million capital grant in the May of 2014. The grant was for the development of a 20,000 square foot innovation center in Pittsfield’s William Stanley Business Park, the former site of General Electric.
The Berkshire Innovation Center, which officially opened in 2020, provides regional manufacturers and STEM businesses with advanced R&D equipment, state-of-the-art lab and training facilities, and collaboration opportunities with BIC's renowned research partners, as well as internship and apprenticeship programs for local students. Operationally, the BIC is a membership model designed to be self-sustainable and private sector driven.