By Ben Sosne
Last year, in an effort to increase access, expand our partnerships, and activate more of the connections that we have built across the Commonwealth, the Berkshire Innovation Center (the BIC) launched the “Stage 2 Accelerator Program,” a 35-week hands-on and results-oriented program designed to serve early-stage tech startups. Firms accepted to the program receive a free membership to the BIC, full access to our labs, advanced equipment, educational programming, and digital media expertise, as well as broad and curated support from the BIC team.
Entrepreneurs in the cohort also have access to the BIC Manufacturing Academy (BMA), an initiative built in partnership with MIT and local industry partners with funding support from the US Department of Commerce and MassTech Collaborative, which is gaining national and international attention. The BMA is directed by the BIC’s Chief Learning Officer, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, who witnessed during the last cohort the value of the program both to the new firms and our existing industry partners.
“The program is an ideal way to provide technical problem-solving and human skills simulations to Stage 2 Accelerator companies before their actual process, systems, culture and decision-making about internal processes are set,”
Dr. Rebelo explained. “Entrepreneurs are ripe for learning through the BMA, and their perspectives provide added rich learning for our member companies already engaged in the Academy.”
In addition to the BMA and the BIC’s facilities, equipment and software packages, firms in the program get extensive access to the vast network of experts that engage with the BIC regularly. Among the mentors supporting the entrepreneurs and guiding the growth of the program is Sam Russo, co-founder of Dive Technologies, a firm that leveraged BIC resources to build their autonomous underwater vehicle prior to acquisition by Anduril Industries in 2022. Russo, a Pittsfield native, noted
“I learned a tremendous amount as we advanced our product and grew our firm, and I am eager to continue to share my experiences with a new group of entrepreneurs, hopefully helping them grow their businesses right here in the Berkshires.”
In our 2023/2024 cohort, we welcomed six young firms – two making medical devices, two in the clean tech space, a biotech firm, and a firm focused on cybersecurity for quantum computing. These firms brought a burst of new energy into the BIC and fully enmeshed themselves in our BIC member community. When the program ended this past June, nearly all of the firms were eager to stay involved and are continuing to leverage the BIC to help bring their products to market.
It is clear that this program presents a unique opportunity to strengthen our regional economy and fuel the growth of new firms and new jobs in sectors prioritized by the Commonwealth. As such, we are thrilled to announce and welcome our 2024/2025 cohort of entrepreneurs into the experience. Firms accepted into Cohort 2 of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator are:
Revvit builds low-cost and simple electric vehicle charging at commercial, multi-family, fleet parking and public properties. The company’s mission is to provide all communities with hyper-convenient EV charging to propel adoption of electric transportation in currently underserved locations. Revvit’s electric vehicle charger utilizes the popular Level 1 (120 volt) charging mode - https://www.revvit.net/
Ethos Admissions focuses on college and career readiness, helping to prepare the next generation of climate-tech workers. Their program makes a deep connection and commitment to equity with a focus on postsecondary readiness and youth workforce development for marginalized and underserved students in rural and gateway communities - https://www.ethosadmissions.org/
Solid State Marine manufactures solid state lithium batteries for electric watercraft. Their composition eliminates the use of highly unstable liquids, greatly reducing thermal runaway conditions that cause typical lithium batteries to ignite. They are 30% smaller than the leading lithium-ion batteries, enabling big boat electronics in all vessels - https://solidstatemarine.com/
Clear Waterways Group, LLC has developed a self-contained device that clarifies large bodies of water. The device was developed to mitigate and remediate adverse effects of toxic algae blooms caused by nutrient pollution, and remove and prevent invasive species such as zebra mussels, from spreading in lakes, ponds, and rivers.
SuryaTech integrates battery storage with solar power, and enables faster and more consistent EV charging by storing solar energy for on-demand usage. This stored power can also be fed back into the grid during peak demand, enhancing grid stability and efficiency. This system leverages renewable energy to facilitate rapid charging while reducing reliance on non-renewable power sources. Overall, it promotes a more sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure, supporting the broader adoption of electric vehicles - https://suryatechpower.com/
Magnetworks is a community-driven job referral platform and modern job feed that leverages technology and word-of-mouth to transform regional hiring. With automated referral tools and local rewards for successful hires, Magnetworks turns the job search into a collaborative, community-focused effort. The platform empowers employers with simple, automated tools to engage their networks and reward referrals with what the community values most - https://www.magnetworks.co/
Recover Hospitality is making travel more enjoyable and accessible for individuals who prioritize mental health and well-being. As healthier lifestyles and mindful choices gain momentum, hospitality environments that cater to the non-drinking and sober-curious population can make a significant impact. Recover Hospitality helps unlock the potential of this sizable market through the CXN Hotel Collection: a curated selection of hotels supportive of mental wellbeing - https://recoverhospitality.com/
The partners providing support for this program include: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Mill Town Foundation, 1Berkshire, Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds, Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp., MassMEDIC, Altium, MathWorks, and SolidWorks.
We thank all of our partners for their support of this initiative and look forward to introducing the new firms to our community.