Bits to Bytes (part of Accelerating Research through Collaboration (ARC) Awards)

Bits to Bytes (part of Accelerating Research through Collaboration (ARC) Awards) is sponsored by Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. This program provides grants for scientific projects that generate and analyze large datasets using Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML) to address pressing life science questions, and to attract and train data scientists in Massachusetts.

Accelerating Research through Collaboration (ARC) Awards - MLSC Accelerating Research through Collaboration (ARC) Awards The application period will run from Aug. 17 – Nov. 6, 2026 at 1 p.

m. EST. The Accelerating Research through Collaboration (ARC) Awards support partnerships between Massachusetts not-for-profit research institutions and life sciences companies to advance promising discoveries toward commercialization.

The ARC Awards build upon the success of three previous Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) programs: Bits to Bytes, Novel Therapeutics Delivery, and Women’s Health Collaboration. By bringing these initiatives together under a single funding opportunity, ARC supports innovative research projects across all areas of the life sciences that address important scientific, technical, and product development challenges.

To support workforce development and ensure dedicated personnel are available to execute the project, the company partner must fund a newly hired postdoctoral researcher who will gain experience working across both academic and industry environments.

By combining academic expertise with industry experience, ARC helps strengthen the Commonwealth’s innovation ecosystem while supporting the development of life sciences technologies and addressing unmet patient needs. Why is the MLSC Investing The MLSC created the ARC Awards to accelerate the commercialization of promising life sciences innovations while strengthening Massachusetts’ research and economic development ecosystem.

The program is designed to: Advance technologies, therapies, diagnostics, devices, and data-driven solutions toward commercialization Foster meaningful collaborations between academic researchers and life sciences companies Support the acquisition of shared scientific infrastructure and resources Create workforce development opportunities through the hiring and training of postdoctoral scientists By combining capital investments with industry-supported scientific talent, ARC helps ensure that funded resources are actively utilized to advance high-impact projects and generate long-term value for the Commonwealth.

Partner Roles and Responsibilities Both applicant and company partners play an active role in ARC projects and are expected to contribute scientific, technical, and strategic expertise throughout the collaboration.

Maintain a presence in Massachusetts Support the salary and fringe costs of at least one newly hired postdoctoral researcher for project duration Participate in project planning and execution Provide a commitment letter describing cash, in-kind, or other contributions to the project Commits in-kind scientist time to train the postdoctoral researcher Additional contributions often include: equipment/devices, algorithms, samples, protocol development, commercial expertise, product development and market access insight Commits to lead experiments Commits to train and support the postdoctoral researcher Often brings access to patient populations, specialized research techniques, institutional resources Maintain a presence in Massachusetts Support the salary and fringe costs of at least one newly hired postdoctoral researcher for project duration Participate in project planning and execution Provide a commitment letter describing cash, in-kind, or other contributions to the project Commits in-kind scientist time to train the postdoctoral researcher Often also contribute: equipment/devices, algorithms, samples, protocol development, commercial expertise, product development and market access insight Maintain a presence in Massachusetts Support the salary and fringe costs of at least one newly hired postdoctoral researcher for project duration Participate in project planning and execution Provide a commitment letter describing cash, in-kind, or other contributions to the project Commits in-kind scientist time to train the postdoctoral researcher Often also contribute: equipment/devices, algorithms, samples, protocol development, commercial expertise, product development and market access insight Commits to lead experiments Commits to train and support the postdoctoral researcher Often brings access to patient populations, specialized research techniques, institutional resources Maintain a presence in Massachusetts Support the salary and fringe costs of at least one newly hired postdoctoral researcher for project duration Participate in project planning and execution Provide a commitment letter describing cash, in-kind, or other contributions to the project Commits in-kind scientist time to train the postdoctoral researcher Often also contribute: equipment/devices, algorithms, samples, protocol development, commercial expertise, product development and market access insight This track supports collaborative projects that aim to improve the discovery, technical innovation, and/or analysis of datasets to answer pressing life science questions around women’s health.

It incentivizes translational projects that develop novel solutions to treat conditions that solely or disproportionately affect women or have a different presentation between genders. Register for Info Session Register for Info Session Register for Info Session Application Period Begins External Review Period Begin Frequently Asked Questions What does MLSC fund through this program?

The ARC Awards invests capital funding in equipment, datasets, software, research resources, and other capital assets at Massachusetts nonprofit institutions that enable a collaborative translational research project.

These resources allow project teams to generate critical data, validate technologies, advance product development, and accelerate the translation of discoveries into products, therapies, diagnostics, devices, and other life sciences innovations. Visit our Eligibility Requirements for more details on what qualifies as a capital expense. What types of projects are competitive?

The MLSC is particularly interested in projects that demonstrate a clear pathway toward commercialization and economic impact in Massachusetts.

Competitive projects may: Generate data needed to validate a technology or product Advance the development of novel therapies, diagnostics, medical devices, digital health tools, or research platforms Develop datasets, algorithms, or analytical tools that have the potential to support commercialization or broad adoption Establish shared equipment or research resources that enable broader scientific and commercial impact Address technical barriers that currently limit product development or adoption Successful applications will include measurable milestones, meaningful industry engagement, and a well-defined plan for translating project outcomes into real-world impact.

What is meant by “pathway towards commercialization”?

The following are some examples that the MLSC would consider as a pathway to commercialization: Filing/licensing/optioning intellectual property Validation data for a product Supporting regulatory advancement Enabling product development Facilitating adoption by company partners Projects must be conducted through collaborations between a Massachusetts nonprofit research institution (Applicant) and at least one Massachusetts life sciences company (Company).

How much funding is available over what time frame? Each award is anticipated to provide approximately $750,000 in capital funding over a project duration of 2-3 years. How do I know if I’m eligible to apply?

View our full list of Eligibility Requirements . Why must the Company partner commit to funding the salary of a new postdoctoral researcher? A central goal of the ARC Awards is to support both innovation and workforce development in Massachusetts.

Because MLSC funding for this program is restricted to capital expenses (which does not include salary), company partners are required to support a newly hired postdoctoral researcher who is jointly mentored by the project partners and can utilize the funded resources to help execute the project.

This requirement creates high-quality life sciences jobs, provides valuable cross-sector training, and helps ensure that the capital assets funded through the award are actively leveraged to advance project goals. ARC Post-award Deliverables, Confidentiality, and General Conditions R. E.

D. (Research Equipment Database) D. A.

T. A. (Databases, Algorithms, Tools, and Analyses) Repository Applicants must first create an account in our application portal and submit an application.

Over the past seven years, the MLSC has awarded $52. 4 million in capital funding through the historic tracks of the ARC Awards (Bits to Bytes, Novel Therapeutics Delivery, and Women’s Health Collaboration).

Approximately $750,000 in funding per project has gone to 72 cross-sector projects focused on imaging, cancer, neuroscience, medical devices, drug discovery/delivery, Women’s Health, and many other healthcare sectors that develop capital assets, data resources, and novel algorithms to address a myriad of health issues.

The success of these projects has led to over $200 million in follow-on funds, over 300 publications, and 47 patents filed. Additionally, these projects train the next generation of postdoctoral scientists. The nonprofit and company partners on these projects have contributed more than $82 million in matching funds.

Learn more about our prior awardees from 2019 , 2020 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 , 2024 , 2025 , and 2026 including the principal investigator, company partners, and their innovative projects. If you have any questions regarding the application process, e-mail: mlscindustryprograms@masslifesciences. com .

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