Discovery tool, not advice. Every figure is the published rule, not a decision on your case.

Grants

MassVentures START Program

MassVentures START Program (SBIR Targeted Technologies)

Status

Status not published

Annual application window. MassVentures states 'The application window will reopen February 1st, 2027.'

Check with the funder

Amount

$500,000

Three rounds. In the most recent cycle MassVentures made '16 "Round 1" grants of $100,000 each', '7 "Round 2" grants of $200,000 each to the most promising Round 1 winners', and Round 3 provides 'up to $500,000 each of seed capital in a commercial spinout'. Since 2012 the programme has distributed '$46.2 million to 157 companies that have gone on to raise more than $5 billion and employ more than 3,400 people'.

Funder

MassVentures (Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation), funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

ppp · regional

Deadline: annual_call — Annual application window. MassVentures states 'The application window will reopen February 1st, 2027.'

Your odds

Not published

This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.

Effort

moderate

Moderate — a form and supporting documents.

Who can apply

Up to 500 employees
Sectors: deeptech, health, climate, manufacturing, ai
Stage: seed, series_a
R&D activity required
Locally registered entity required

Restricted to Massachusetts-based companies that have completed or hold a federal SBIR Phase II contract - it is explicitly a bridge from federal R&D funding to commercialisation. This is a state grant so no SAM.gov registration or UEI is required for START itself, but the qualifying federal SBIR Phase II award does require SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity ID.

How to apply

Win a federal SBIR/STTR Phase II award as a Massachusetts-based company.
Apply to START during the annual window (reopens 1 February 2027). — link
Round 1 winners ($100,000) may compete for Round 2 ($200,000) and then Round 3 (up to $500,000 of seed capital in a commercial spinout).

What you will need

Evidence of a federal SBIR/STTR Phase II award
Commercialisation plan
Massachusetts operating and job creation information

Apply on the funder's site

Source. https://www.mass-ventures.com/start-program-info — checked 2026-08-14

"16 "Round 1" grants of $100,000 each ... 7 "Round 2" grants of $200,000 each to the most promising Round 1 winners"