Climatetech Growth-Stage Startups in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), a state economic development agency committed to expanding the clean energy sector and climate solution innovation in Massachusetts, has released its Fiscal Year 2026 CriticalMass Program Request for Proposals (RFP). This initiative seeks to fund growth-stage Climatetech startups aiming to conduct their first commercial deployment in partnership with a project host. MassCEC’s mission is to accelerate clean energy technologies that deliver measurable climate benefits, support job creation, and provide long-term economic advantages to the Commonwealth. The CriticalMass program is designed to support startups with technologies at or beyond Technology Readiness Level 8 (TRL 8), and that have completed at least one successful pilot deployment. It targets companies with between $4 million and $25 million in prior capital raised and 10–50 employees, although exceptions are possible. Eligible applicants must propose a deployment project located in Massachusetts and partner with a Project Partner such as a university, nonprofit, corporate, municipality, or utility. These Project Partners serve as deployment hosts but do not receive direct funding. The program emphasizes technologies aligned with clean energy and climate resilience, including solar, wind, hydrogen, geothermal, energy storage, sustainable agriculture, resilient infrastructure, and zero-emission transportation. Grants of up to $1,000,000 are awarded on a milestone and deliverable basis, with a requirement that at least 25% of the project be supported by cost share from the applicant. Of that, at least 20% must be cash. MassCEC will receive 10% of the awarded grant amount as warrant coverage in exchange for potential future equity rights. The grant is disbursed in stages, with deliverables such as a project workplan, site visit, emissions reduction analysis, and final report required for completion. A Support Advisor, the Alliance for Climate Transition (ACT), will provide grantees with technical and strategic assistance, including access to Experts in Residence (EIRs). The application process follows a two-stage structure. Interested startups must submit concept papers to their chosen Project Partners (if listed in the RFP) by August 20, 2025. Final applications are due to MassCEC by September 22, 2025. Finalists will be notified the week of October 20, 2025, and invited to pitch their project the week of November 10, 2025. Awards will be announced by December 2025, with contracting beginning in February 2026. Projects are expected to last approximately 2–3 years. Evaluation criteria include technical merit, commercialization and deployment potential, clean energy and climate impact, team qualifications, project feasibility, and regional diversity, with bonus points available for projects sited in public benefit locations like Environmental Justice communities or Gateway Cities. Applications must include a detailed project workplan, letters of commitment from project partners, budget estimates, prior pilot case studies, and TRL and Adoption Readiness Level (ARL) assessments. The application must be submitted as a single PDF with a separate Excel copy of the workplan. All questions must be submitted by July 30, 2025, and responses will be posted by August 1, 2025. Concept papers are required only when working with a listed Project Partner. Applicants proposing their own partners may bypass the concept paper phase. Submissions should be emailed to criticalmass@masscec.com, with “CriticalMass Application – [Company Name]” in the subject line.

Highlight strong commercialization plan and alignment with MA climate goals.