Climatetech Testing & Demonstration Assets (TDA) Program

Climatetech Testing & Demonstration Assets (TDA) Program is sponsored by Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Provides capital grants to Massachusetts-based Entrepreneur Support Organizations to build shared equipment and facilities for Climatetech companies.

Climatetech Testing & Demonstration Assets (TDA) Program | MassCEC Climatetech Testing & Demonstration Assets (TDA) Program MassCEC / Tech to Market / Funding / Climatetech Testing and Demonstration Assets FY28 RFP opens December 1, 2026. Awards are expected in early summer 2027. FY27 Full Applications (invited applicants only) remain due November 13, 2026; the FY27 award range of $1M - $5M still applies.

TDA provides capital grants between $500K - $5M to Massachusetts-based Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs)—such as startup incubators, core facilities, and testbeds—to build the shared equipment, facilities, and real-world testing environments Climatetech companies need to prove their technologies work and bring them to market. Projects can range from equipment purchases and installations to larger infrastructure buildouts.

The program is designed to: Advance Climatetech Commercialization: provide catalytic capital for testing and demonstration facilities, expand shared access to these facilities, and accelerate commercialization of early-stage climatetech. Address Climate and Energy Challenges: address key climate and energy challenges as directed by the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2050 and deliver cost-savings to Massachusetts ratepayers.

Drive Economic Growth and Competitiveness: position Massachusetts as a global leader in climatetech innovation and manufacturing, create high-quality jobs across the Commonwealth, increase tax revenues, and attract additional investment to the state.

Strengthen Entrepreneur Support Organizations: strengthen ESOs’ capacity to deliver programming, technical assistance, and infrastructure that Climatetech startups need to grow and scale in Massachusetts. Promote Equitable and Place-Based Development: broaden access to Climatetech equipment, infrastructure, and careers for individuals or communities from Gateway Cities or Burdened Areas.

Operating expenses (OpEx), including salaries or wages of grantee staff, are not eligible for funding.

Support for OpEx is available through MassCEC’s Innovation Ecosystem Program Massachusetts-based nonprofits, public/nonprofit universities, or public agencies, with a minimum operating history of: 3 years for requests up to $2M 5 years for requests above $2M Equipment purchases and installations, and/or infrastructure buildouts that support the testing and validation of Climatetech and help bring new technologies to market.

Projects must be: Commissioned within 1-3 years of grant execution Built for a useful life of 10+ years Shared and Publicly Accessible (e.g., online booking, fee-for-use, fee-for-service) Climatetech refers to technologies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, replace or reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources, or help communities and infrastructure adapt to climate change.

Priority will be given to projects supporting: Enabling Solutions (e.g., software platforms, surveying equipment) Capital expenses only. Costs must be incurred after the Grant Agreement is signed and will be reimbursed by MassCEC. Applicants must be able to cover costs up front until reimbursed.

Operating expenses, including salaries or wages of grantee staff, are not eligible for funding. Support for OpEx is available through MassCEC’s Innovation Ecosystem Program" Minimum 25% (≥20% cash); reductions available via request." Once per year as funding is available."

FY27 Concept Paper Deadline Friday, September 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET FY27 Full Application Deadline Friday, November 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET FY28 Round Opens December 2026 Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 12 PM ET ( register ) Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 12 PM ET ( register ) Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 12 PM ET ( register ) Tuesday, August 25, 2026, by 11:59 PM ET Questions and Answers posted to MassCEC's Website Rolling.

Final questions posted Friday August 28, 2026 Friday, September 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET Invitation to Submit Full Application Tuesday, September 29, 2026 Friday, November 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET Finalist Interviews (as applicable) Wednesday, December 9, 2026 – Wednesday, December 23, 2026 Contracting Concludes/Projects Begin All submissions are made through Submittable: masscec. submittable. com/submit.

Request for Proposals – TDA FY27 Attachment 1 – Authorized Applicant Signature and Acceptance Form Attachment 2 – Concept Paper (Example) Attachment 3 – Full Application (Example) Attachment 4 - Project Budget Template_Amended 9. 24. 26.

xlsx Attachment 5 – Sample Agreement An informational webinar was held on Thursday, August 6, 2026. View the recording. Download the webinar slides.

The Engine is MIT’s nonprofit startup incubator and accelerator for Tough Tech companies, providing entrepreneurs with lab space, equipment, mentorship, and investor connections to help transform breakthrough science and engineering innovations into real-world solutions.

Upgraded their lab space with modernized shared equipment (e.g., electrolyzes, thermal recovery systems, etc.) Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute (GMGI) is a nonprofit research and education organization that uses marine genomics to address ocean, environmental, and human health challenges.

Through scientific research, workforce training, and innovation programs, GMGI advances ocean technologies and supports Massachusetts' blue economy. Ocean sensing and climatetech incubator, prioritizing eDNA monitoring and a harborside demonstration station. Greentown is a nonprofit climatetech incubator that supports startups developing climate and clean energy solutions.

Through lab space, mentorship, industry partnerships, and investor connections, Greentown helps entrepreneurs accelerate innovation and bring new technologies to market. Pilot-scale battery manufacturing and testing facility, paired with a statewide technician program. UMass Lowell Innovation Hub (iHub) supports startups developing climate, energy, and sustainability technologies.

Through workspace, mentorship, university resources, and industry connections, the iHub helps entrepreneurs advance innovations from research and development to commercialization. Climate-resilient housing testbed, including new-build and retrofit pilot sites and a specialized makerspace.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a research university that advances technology commercialization through applied research, entrepreneurship, and industry partnerships. WPI supports innovators with mentorship, maker spaces, startup resources, and pathways for turning discoveries into market-ready solutions.

Lab-to-pilot incubator focused on critical mineral recovery and carbon-sequestering material development. Questions regarding the RFP must be emailed to innovationecosystem@masscec. com with the subject line “Questions – RFP TDA FY27” by Tuesday, August 25, 2026 by 11:59 PM ET.

Responses to all questions will be posted in the FAQ below by Friday, August 28, 2026. Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is an Entrepreneur Support Organization (ESO)?

Eligible ESOs provide ongoing services or resources that directly support Massachusetts-based climatetech startups and innovators, such as mentoring, training, access to labs or equipment, networking, and/or funding. 2. What qualifies as climatetech?

Climatetech refers to technologies that reduce Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) emissions, replace or reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources, or help communities and infrastructure adapt to climate change. Priority will be given to projects supporting: Renewable Energy & Grid Modernization: increasing renewable energy generation and modernizing the grid.

High-Performance Buildings: improving energy and heating efficiency, transitioning to renewable sources, and implementing sustainable construction practices/materials. Clean Transportation: transitioning to zero-emissions vehicles, enhancing public transit, and promoting alternative fuel options.

Clean Manufacturing & Industry: adopting carbon reducing technologies and processes, sustainable production practices through a circular economy, and carbon capture related technologies. Sustainable Agriculture & Water: adopting sustainable farming and forest management practices and leveraging nature-based solutions.

Climate Resilience & Adaptation: implementing climate-smart planning, strengthening infrastructure, and promoting nature-based solutions to reduce vulnerability to climate change. Enabling Solutions: utilizing software/hardware that enables the mitigation of emissions and/or furtherance of adaptation and resilience solutions (i.e., platforms, marketplaces, surveying solutions, etc.). 3.

Does the 5 year eligibility requirement include once the grant begins? What if we hit 5 years once the grant begins? Organizations must be 5 years or older as of the date of application submission.

See eligibility criteria in Section IV (p. 7) of the RFP. 4.

Can Letters of Interest come from organizations outside of MA? 5. Is there a place where interested but ineligible organizations can express their interest to partner on this if they have something an eligible ESO might need, like office space, coworking space, lab space, etc.?

While consortium/collaborative applications are eligible, there is not a dedicated place for organizations to express their interest in partnering on TDA applications. 6. For organizations that were previously awarded, can they apply again?

Yes, previously awarded organizations can apply again, provided that the project/scope of work of the new project is separate from the previously awarded one. See Section IV (p. 7) of the RFP for more detail.

7. Whether non-Massachusetts technology companies may participate as users/industry partners in a TDA proposal led by an eligible Massachusetts ESO. Yes, with a few conditions.

They can join by submitting a letter of support, but only at the Full Application stage, not with a Concept Paper. Finalists are invited to submit a Full Application on September 25; see Section VII (p. 14) for more details on the two-phase process.

Non-Massachusetts technology companies can't be Co-applicants, since Co-applicants must be Massachusetts-based and meet 5 of the 6 criteria in Section IV (p. 8). They can, however, use the funded assets once installed, under a service agreement set by the Grantee.

8. Whether letters of interest, use cases, technical requirements or prospective utilization commitments from technology companies can strengthen an ESO's concept paper. Not at the concept-paper stage.

Concept Paper applicants can't submit letters of support. But they matter later: Full Applicants must include 5 - 10 letters of interest from potential users, as noted in Section VII (p. 14) of the RFP.

9. Whether MassCEC can point us toward eligible ESOs currently developing water, infrastructure-resilience, grid or municipal testbed concepts for the September 4 concept-paper deadline. We can't point you to applicants, but you can check the Mass Founders Network's ESO directory to find providers relevant to the equipment you're after.

10. Whether there are separate MassCEC programs better suited to an international TRL 7–8 company seeking a Massachusetts real-world pilot and commercialization pathway. Unfortunately not.

There are no other MassCEC programs for international companies seeking Massachusetts pilots. 11. Can my funding request change between the concept paper and full application?

12. How much detail is needed in the project budget for the concept paper? Provide as much as you can.

We understand that you may still be gathering quotes or understanding what equipment / construction is needed for your project. If you can't provide a specific line item, you can provide a generalized cost (e.g., microscope fit out - $10,000). It's okay that project budget you'll submit with your Full Application is different than the one you submit with the concept paper.

Full Application budgets will need to be as specific as possible. 13. May TDA funds be used to complete unfished or shell space within an applicant's existing facility if the space will be dedicated to shared climatetech testing and demonstration?

Yes. For more detail on eligible costs, see Section V (p. 10) in the RFP.

14. May TDA funds be used to acquire an existing building that would be renovated, equipped, and dedicated to shared climatetech testing and demonstration? We note that the Sample Agreement references land with existing facilities and buildings.

Yes. The Sample Agreement lists "Capitalized Equipment, Land with existing Facilities, and Buildings…". These are all eligible for reimbursement.

For more detail on eligible costs, see Section V (p. 10) in the RFP. 15.

May TDA fund permanent infrastructure across a commercial or industrial campus—such as electrical infrastructure, interconnection, metering, controls, communications, and data acquisition—to enable real-world climatetech testing and demonstration? Yes. However, competitive applicants must be clear that the permanent infrastructure is directly related to the project scope and program goals.

See Section III (p. 6) in the RFP for details on the program goals. 16.

May a TDA project include complementary assets in multiple buildings or locations on the same campus if they are operated as one publicly accessible testing and demonstration platform? Yes, assets can be across a campus and do not need to be consolidated to one location. They must still meet the Publicly Accessible requirements listed in the RFP.

See Section IV (p. 9). 17.

How does MassCEC view a project designed to complement specialized testing infrastructure operated by another organization, rather than duplicate it, with the applicant providing development, integration, demonstration, and commercialization capabilities? MassCEC will take into consideration complementary testing assets. Based on the Selection Criteria (Section VIII p.

16) in the RFP, competitive applicants must prove the Justification of Need for their project and will be scored based on their "potential to catalyze broader ecosystem activity..." in the Relevance to the Innovation Ecosystem criterion. 18.

Cost-share reduction: For a project located and programmed in a Gateway City, what information would MassCEC find most useful in considering a reduced cost-share request based on geographic need, applicant resources, and/or exceptional public benefit? All the information regarding the Cost-share waiver can be found in Section V (page 12) of the RFP.

We provide the example "more than 50% of projected users come from [Gateway Cities or Burdened Areas]" as criteria that could be taken into consideration. We encourage the Applicant to include quantifiable metrics that can prove equitable access, public benefit (see Section IV, p. 10), and available resources of the Applicant for their Project.

MassCEC / Tech to Market / Funding / Climatetech Testing and Demonstration Assets School Bus: Fleet Deployment Program Area Clean Transportation Award Potential: $2,000,000 Climate-Critical Underrepresented Business Support Program Area Env.

Justice/DEI, Workforce Strand A: Hub: Up to $800,000 Strand B: Spoke: Up to $400,000 Strand C: Planning: Up to $50,000 Strand D: Capacity Building: Up to $150,000 Application Deadline: First Deadline: December 11, 2026 Final Deadline: Friday, April 2, 2027 Climatetech Pathmaker Grants Program Area Env. Justice/DEI, Workforce Award Potential: Up to $450,000