Governor Charlie Baker’s Office announced $1,205,000 in grants on Tuesday, December 22, aimed at strengthening community-based innovation and entrepreneurship across Massachusetts.
Twenty-six organizations in 18 communities in the state received grant awards, including six in Worcester and another in Leicester.
The organization awarded grants are:
The WorcShop, Leicester – $65,000
The WorcShop is a makerspace and business incubator that is currently relocating from Worcester to a 52,000-square-foot facility in Leicester’s Rochdale Village. The organization will use this grant to fund infrastructure improvements and buy equipment for the new facility.
Black Seed Farmers Market, Worcester – $50,000
Black Seed Farmers Market is a collaborative workspace for immigrant and refugee youth and adults and an incubator for immigrant women-owned startup food businesses. The organization will use this grant to fund flooring and plumbing improvements, kitchen and bathroom renovations, and other improvements to the storefront and commercial kitchen space.
MBI StartUp & ScaleUp Centers at 17 Briden Street, Worcester – $45,000
MBI StartUp & ScaleUp Centers at 17 Briden Street is a life sciences incubator providing private laboratory suites and services to early-stage entrepreneurs. This grant will be used to buy an emergency power system to provide back-up power for freezers, incubators, and other safety equipment.
Technocopia, Worcester – $50,000
Technocopia is 10,000-square-foot nonprofit, membership-based maker and workspace. The organization offers rental bays, a variety of tools, training classes and workshops, and access to complete wood, metal, glass, and laser cutter shops, a 3D printer station, CNC router, electronics bay, and textile and design studios. The organization will use this grant to fit out its recently added shops and improve safety needs at the facility.
Worcester Idea Lab & Accelerator, Worcester – $1,855
Worcester Idea Lab & Accelerator is a collaborative workspace that provides office space for a variety of organizations, including nonprofits, high-tech startups, and universities. The organization is transforming a former restaurant into an additional collaborative workspace, and will use grant funds to buy furniture for the facility.
WorcLab, Worcester – $22,134
WorcLab is a collaborative workspace that provides the space, programs, training, and mentoring entrepreneurs need to propel their ideas into the market by offering 10,000 square feet of private offices, desks, conference rooms, event space, a kitchen, and prototyping lab equipped with a 3D printer. The organization will use this grant to further fit out the prototyping lab with new equipment.
Worcester Regional Food Hub Union Station Shared Commercial Kitchen, Worcester – $100,000
The Worcester Regional Food Hub is a shared commercial kitchen currently located in the Greendale People’s Church that provides food business entrepreneurs access to professional-grade cooking, baking, and cold-storage equipment as well as training certification and business planning assistance. The organization will use this grant to fit out its new headquarters in the lower level of Worcester’s Union Station, including buying equipment for two shared commercial kitchens.
