Got Tax or Accounting Questions? Ask the Experts. On November 19, FORGE is hosting Accounting & Tax Office Hours with CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) from 11:00 AM–1:00 PM. CLA is the 11th largest accounting firm in the country and a proud FORGE sponsor, supporting startups with outsourced accounting, tax strategy, and other advisory services. The CLA team will be available for four 30-minute sessions, with both in-person and virtual options, to discuss topics including: • Monthly reporting best practices • Grant reporting • Tax strategy • Potential tax savings opportunities Lunch will be provided for in-person participants beginning at 11:00 AM. 👉 Reserve your session: calendly.com/partnerships-fo… Follow FORGE for more opportunities to connect directly with experts who can help you build, grow, and scale your company. #FORGEImpact #CLA #Hardtech #Startups #Accounting #Tax

Connecting the Dots on Interconnects Designing a complex electronic product? The right interconnect solution can make a big difference in performance, reliability, and manufacturability. On November 18, FORGE is hosting Office Hours with Samtec at Greentown Labs, with a virtual option available. Meet one-on-one with Mark Tabor of Samtec Inc. to discuss your connector and interconnect needs, ask questions about your design, and explore solutions that can help move your product forward. 📅 November 18 🕚 11:00 AM–1:00 PM 📍 Greentown Labs, Somerville, MA or virtual ⏱️ Four free, 30-minute appointments available If interconnects are part of your product challenge, this is a chance to get direct input from the experts. 👉 Reserve your session: lnkd.in/gB-ZdVRt Follow FORGE for more opportunities to connect with the technical experts, manufacturers, and resources that can help move your product forward. #FORGEImpact #Samtec #Hardtech #Electronics #Manufacturing #ProductDevelopment

🏭 Connecticut Makes Things. Let's Talk Hardtech! Join FORGE Connecticut and wiggin(x) on Thursday, October 29, at The District in New Haven for an engaging conversation about what it takes to build and scale a physical product company. If you're a hardtech founder, entrepreneur, or part of Connecticut's manufacturing ecosystem, this is a great opportunity to connect with experienced practitioners who work directly with emerging hardtech companies. 🎤 Meet the panelists: 🔹 Jack Sousa, Co-Founder and Partner at wiggin(x), sharing the legal perspective on building a hardtech company. 🔹 Kira Vanderwert, Operating Partner at Outsiders Fund, offering insights into how investors evaluate hardtech startups. 🔹 Erick E. Rios, Principal and Chief Product Owner at Big-Bang, discussing what it really takes to move from prototype to manufacturable product. 🚚 And there's more happening outside! Jeffrey Andrade of Diversified Solutions Group and Richard Burgess of Dynamic Control Concepts will showcase modern manufacturing capabilities aboard a mobile manufacturing truck. Two hours. Real-world insights. Valuable connections. ✅ Free to attend, but space is limited! 👉 Register today and join the Connecticut hardtech conversation: forgeimpact.org/events/pract… #FORGEImpact #Manufacturing #Hardtech #Connecticut #ManufacturingMonth

We're heading to the 2026 Massachusetts Manufacturing Mash-Up! FORGE is excited to be exhibiting at this year's Massachusetts Manufacturing Mash-Up, hosted by the Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) at Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, on Tuesday, October 27, at Gillette Stadium! This year's event celebrates 250 years of manufacturing innovation in Massachusetts, bringing together manufacturers, startups, educators, and industry leaders for a day of collaboration, innovation, and connections across the Commonwealth's manufacturing ecosystem. We're also excited that FORGE Manufacturing Expert in Residence Scott Longley will be participating in the panel “Can Your Startup Survive Scale-Up? A Live Simulation from Prototype to Production.” The interactive session will explore the real-world challenges startups face as they move toward commercial production, from gaining market traction and selecting the right facility to financing equipment and preparing for growth. At FORGE, helping innovative companies navigate the journey from prototype to production is what we do every day, so we're especially looking forward to this conversation! Will you be at the Mash-Up? Stop by the FORGE table, meet our team, and learn how we can help bring your innovations to market. 📅 Tuesday, October 27, 2026 🕘 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM 📍 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA Learn more about FORGE's participation, Scott's panel, and how to join us: forgeimpact.org/events/2026-… #FORGEImpact #MassTech #MAMashUp26 #Manufacturing #Hardtech

🔬From the research lab to the real world, with a little help from some great partners! What if detecting bacterial contamination took just five minutes instead of days? That's the idea behind BactiSee, an innovative technology being developed by HerZeta Tech, Inc., a startup founded out of research at UMass Amherst. Led by co-founder and CEO Yuzhen Zhang, Ph.D., HerZeta Tech is developing a smartphone-based detection system that combines a reusable microscope, disposable sensing chips, and a mobile app to provide rapid, quantitative bacterial contamination results. The potential applications range from food processing and agriculture to healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturing. It's exactly the kind of promising technology that deserves the opportunity to move beyond the laboratory. At the FORGE Fall Startup Showcase, HerZeta Tech received $49,489, the largest award through the FORGE Product Development Grant for Startups and Existing Businesses with Underrepresented Leadership, supported by the EASTERN BANK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. The funding will help HerZeta Tech advance its laboratory prototype toward US-based manufacturing and a pilot-ready product, bringing this innovative technology closer to commercial deployment. This is why partnerships like ours with Eastern Bank are so important. Developing breakthrough technology is one challenge. Turning it into a product that can be manufactured, scaled, and brought to market is another. Eastern Bank Foundation's commitment to supporting entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds is helping bridge that gap and create opportunities for promising hardtech companies to succeed. A special thank you to Natalia Urtubey and the entire Eastern Bank team for their partnership, enthusiasm, and continued commitment to making opportunities like this possible. We're proud to work alongside you to help the next generation of innovators bring their technologies to market. And congratulations to Yuzhen, co-founder Lili He, Ph.D., and the entire HerZeta Tech team! We're excited to support your journey from prototype to production. Learn more about HerZeta Tech and BactiSee: bactisee-hertzinnovation.com… Follow FORGE for more stories about the startups, technologies, and partnerships driving hardtech innovation forward. #FORGEImpact #EasternBank #HerZetaTech #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Innovation

🎉 Meet the Product Development Grant Winners! One of the highlights of last week's FORGE Fall Showcase was recognizing three innovative startups developing technologies with the potential to make a real difference. Thanks to the generous support of the EASTERN BANK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, these companies are receiving Product Development Grants to help move their technologies closer to commercialization. Here's a closer look at this year's winners! 🏆 HerZeta Tech, Inc. | $49,489 Led by Yuzhen Zhang, HerZeta Tech is developing technology to make microbial contamination detection faster, more accessible, and more affordable. Its BactiSee platform uses smartphone-based technology to detect bacterial contamination on surfaces, with potential applications in food processing, healthcare, and other industries where sanitation and safety are critical. The grant will help HerZeta advance from a laboratory prototype toward a manufacturable product, preparing for pilot production and commercialization. 🏆 LiPhera | $18,926 Led by Jocelyn Foulke, LiPhera is developing technology to improve the efficiency and economics of lithium extraction. Lithium is essential for batteries and energy storage, but recovering it from certain resources can be challenging and expensive. LiPhera aims to overcome these challenges and support more economical domestic lithium production. The grant will support development of an integrated, bench-scale process system, helping move the technology toward larger-scale applications. 🏆 Dialysis-X | $6,585 Led by Oluwagbebemi D. Oyeniyi ('Niyi), Dialysis-X, Inc-X is developing medical device technology designed to make dialysis treatment easier and more accessible for patients with kidney failure. Its approach focuses on reducing challenges associated with traditional dialysis access, with the potential to improve the patient experience and make home-based treatment more practical. The grant will support continued device design and development, helping advance the technology toward FDA readiness. From promising prototypes to real-world products. These startups represent very different industries, but share a common challenge: turning innovative technologies into products that can be manufactured, scaled, and brought to market. A huge thank you to Eastern Bank for supporting hardtech innovation, and congratulations to Yuzhen, Jocelyn, Niyi, and their teams! We're excited to see what comes next. Follow FORGE to see how we're helping innovative startups move from prototype to production. #FORGEImpact #EasternBank #Hardtech #Manufacturing #ProductDevelopment #Innovation

🚀 From Concept to Commercialization: What Does It Really Take? You have a product idea or a working prototype. Now what? Join FORGE Manufacturing Expert in Residence Scott Longley this Wednesday, October 21, for a virtual workshop hosted by UConn's Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI) as part of its Traction Workshop Series. Scott brings more than 32 years of global manufacturing and operations experience, including roles at Apple, HP, and Sun Microsystems. He'll share practical insights into moving from prototype to production, including: 🔹 Prototyping and product validation 🔹 Design for Excellence (DFX) and manufacturing readiness 🔹 Building a reliable, scalable supply chain 🔹 Managing risk, quality, and the challenges of scaling Whether you're developing your first product or simply curious about entrepreneurship, this session is for you! 📅 Wednesday, October 21 🕡 6:30–7:30 PM ET 💻 Virtual via Zoom 👉 Register here: luma.com/dg2tozht Follow FORGE for more practical insights, resources, and opportunities to help hardtech startups move from concept to commercialization. #FORGEImpact #UConnCCEI #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Startups #ProductDevelopment

What a night! The FORGE 2026 Fall Showcase was unforgettable! Yesterday at Dassault Systèmes in Waltham, startups, manufacturers, and partners came together to share new technologies, make connections, and celebrate the hardtech community. 🎉 Congratulations to our newest FORGE Product Development Grant recipients, supported by the EASTERN BANK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION! 🔹 HerZeta Tech, Inc. ($49,489): Congratulations to Yuzhen Zhang and the team, who are advancing a microbial contamination detection prototype toward pilot production. 🔹 LiPhera ($18,926): Jocelyn Foulke and the team will build a bench-scale lithium extraction process system. 🔹 Dialysis-X, Inc-X ($6,585): Oluwagbebemi D. Oyeniyi ('Niyi) and the team will refine a dialysis treatment device toward FDA readiness. We're grateful to Natalia Urtubey and the Eastern Bank Foundation for helping entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds reach their next product milestones. Our AI panel gave us plenty to think about! As Peter Russo shared about an AI-assisted product development project: “We thought of the concepts before lunch, and by the time everyone was back from lunch, they were all done in an amazing finished format, even right down to packaging.” Terrific perspectives from John Harmon of Wolf Greenfield, Steve Pouliot, CBPA of Insperity, and Peter Russo, MBA, CPM, who jumped in at the last minute! Kudos to FORGE President and Executive Director Laura Teicher for moderating. It was great having Wolf Greenfield, Burt Process Equipment, Inc., Cambridge Polymer Group, Kalow Technologies, LLC., PMR - Plastics Manufacturing Resources (PMR), Wiggin and Dana LLP, Insperity, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) CLA, Product Resources, CUMMINGS FOUNDATION, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, and Mestek, Inc. at their tables, connecting directly with founders. We appreciate you being part of the FORGE community! A special shout-out to David Thompson for leading the Showcase, and to Adam Rodrigues, Anya Losik, Trinell Ball, Mark Michalski, Scott Longley, Michael Enriquez, Arvind Chettiar, and Shaan Kapoor for making it happen behind the scenes. What a team! And to Stella Cortese, Abhishek Bali, Rollin Willis, and the entire Dassault Systèmes and SOLIDWORKS team, we couldn't have asked for better hosts. Thanks to every exhibiting startup and everyone who joined us! The event may be over, but the conversations continue. Follow FORGE for more highlights and to see how we're helping hardtech startups move from prototype to production! #FORGEImpact #FallShowcase #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Innovation #Startups

The FORGE Fall Showcase is in full swing! 🚀 Things are buzzing here at Dassault Systèmes in Waltham! Lots of familiar faces, plenty of new ones, and some really impressive technology on display. Everywhere you look, founders are showing off what they've been working on, people are asking questions, and conversations are happening. This is exactly why we love bringing everyone together! Still to come tonight, our AI panel and the announcement of this year's Eastern Bank Product Development Grant recipients. A big thanks to everyone who's here and to Dassault Systèmes for hosting us! We'll be sharing more photos and highlights from the evening. Follow FORGE to see what these amazing startups are building! #FORGEImpact #DassaultSystemes #EasternBank #FallStartupShowcase #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Innovation

It's almost showtime!🚀 We're at Dassault Systèmes in Waltham getting everything ready for today's FORGE Fall Startup Showcase! The startups are arriving, displays are going up, and the FORGE team is busy pulling everything together. We're excited to see so many founders, manufacturers, and partners coming together for what should be a great evening. Doors open at 4 PM, and there's still time to join us! 👉 lnkd.in/ggnMw7uU Follow FORGE for more photos and updates as the evening unfolds! #FORGEImpact #DassaultSystemes #FallStartupShowcase #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Innovation

Climatetech Startups: Up to $350,000 in Funding Available! Applications Close October 20! Have a clean energy innovation that's ready to move from development to real-world deployment? The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (@MassCEC) is accepting applications for its InnovateMass program, offering up to $350,000 in grant funding and technical support to help climatetech companies demonstrate promising technologies and accelerate commercialization. The program helps startups bridge a critical funding gap between early-stage development and commercial adoption. Who should apply? Massachusetts-based climatetech companies working with one or more demonstration project partners to deploy and validate innovative clean energy solutions. 📅 Application deadline: October 20, 2026 🔗 Learn more and apply: masscec.com/program/innovate… At FORGE, we know that moving a hardware innovation from prototype to production takes more than a great idea. Funding, technical expertise, and the right partnerships are essential. InnovateMass is an opportunity worth exploring for eligible climatetech startups. Follow FORGE for more funding opportunities, resources, and connections to help hardtech startups move from prototype to production. #FORGEImpact #MassCEC #InnovateMass #Climatetech #CleanEnergy #StartupFunding #Hardtech #ManufacturingInnovation

AI in Manufacturing: See What's Possible on the Factory Floor! AI is moving beyond the buzzwords and into real manufacturing applications. But what does that look like in practice? On November 4, join the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT), University of Bridgeport, Tetra Labs, and AI Collective for AI in Action: Manufacturing, an interactive event exploring how AI can help manufacturers solve real-world challenges. Attendees will experience live demonstrations, explore industrial AI applications, hear from industry experts, and learn about state resources and funding opportunities. CCAT Principal Engineer Nasir Mannan will participate in the AI demonstrations and panel discussion, sharing insights into how these technologies can be applied in manufacturing. 📅 Wednesday, November 4, 2026 🕒 3:00–6:00 PM 📍 University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT 🔗 Learn more and register: ccat.us/events/tetra-nov2026… At FORGE, we're excited to see emerging technologies move from concept to practical manufacturing solutions. Events like this help make that happen. Follow FORGE for more opportunities, insights, and connections driving manufacturing innovation across New England. #FORGEImpact #CCAT #UniversityOfBridgeport #TetraLabs #AICollective #ArtificialIntelligence #AdvancedManufacturing #ManufacturingInnovation

Have a breakthrough technology? Ready to turn it into a company? Turning promising research into a commercial product takes more than a great idea. It takes funding, expertise, and the right connections. That's why FORGE is excited to share that applications are open for the Activate Fellowship Cohort 2027! This two-year fellowship helps scientists and engineers become hardtech entrepreneurs, offering $100,000 annually in living support, $100,000 in R&D funding, and $12,000 annually for professional development, plus mentorship, entrepreneurial training, and industry connections. And Activate takes zero equity! With a fellowship community right here in Boston/Cambridge, this is a great opportunity for emerging hardtech innovators across New England. Who should apply? Scientists and engineers with promising early-stage, hardware-based technologies who are ready to explore entrepreneurship. 📅 Applications close October 30, 2026, at 3 PM ET. Know someone who might be a great fit? Share this opportunity! 👉 Learn more and apply: activate.org/apply Follow FORGE for more opportunities, resources, and connections to help hardtech innovators build, scale, and succeed! #FORGEImpact #ActivateFellowship #Hardtech #DeepTech #HardwareStartups #Entrepreneurship #Innovation

⏳ 2 DAYS TO GO! Meet the Startups Building What's Next in Hardtech! 🚀 Big ideas are exciting. Seeing them become real products is even better! This Thursday, the FORGE Fall Startup Showcase brings together an exciting lineup of startups developing innovative technologies across advanced manufacturing, medical technology, sustainability, robotics, and more. 🚀 Come meet the innovators behind the ideas! We're excited to welcome Camelot Tools LLC, SpadXTech, KARSA, BoreLogger, UpcycleX Inc., Legomics, Protect Your ADAS, SomniSystems, and more! These founders are tackling real-world challenges and working to bring their technologies from prototype to production. You'll have the chance to see their products, prototypes, and technologies up close; hear their stories; ask questions; and make connections that could help move their innovations forward. Whether you're a manufacturer, investor, engineer, entrepreneur, or simply interested in the next generation of hardware innovation, this is your chance to see what's being built and meet the people building it. 📅 Thursday, October 15, 2026 🕓 4:00–7:00 PM 📍 Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE Lab | Waltham, MA ⏰ Only 2 days left! Don't miss it. 👉 Register today: forgeimpact.org/events/forge… #FORGEImpact #Hardtech #Startups #Manufacturing #Innovation #StartupShowcase #HardwareInnovation

ONE WEEK TO GO! Meet the Partners Helping Hardtech Startups Succeed! Hardware innovation takes a village, and the right connections can make all the difference in getting from prototype to production. The FORGE Fall Startup Showcase is coming up Thursday, October 15, and our Partner Exhibition is bringing together organizations that help hardware startups tackle real-world challenges in manufacturing, engineering, legal, design, finance, workforce development, and more. We're excited to welcome Samtec Inc, Wolf Greenfield, Burt Process Equipment, Inc., Cambridge Polymer Group, Cofab Design, Kalow Technologies, LLC., PMR - Plastics Manufacturing Resources, Wiggin and Dana LLP, Dassault Systèmes, Insperity, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), Product Resources, CUMMINGS FOUNDATION, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, New Page Associates, Inc. (NPA), Mestek, Inc., and more! Whether you're a startup looking for your next manufacturing partner, a service provider supporting innovation, or simply interested in what's happening in the hardtech ecosystem, this is an event you won't want to miss. 📅 Thursday, October 15, 2026 🕓 4:00–7:00 PM ET 📍Dassault Systèmes | Waltham, MA The Showcase is just days away. Don't miss your chance to make connections that could help move your business forward! 👉 Register today: forgeimpact.org/events/forge… #FORGEImpact #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Startups

Celebrating 20 HAYVN HATCH Events and Connecticut’s Female Founders FORGE was proud to be part of HAYVN’s 20th HAYVN HATCH, with FORGE Program Director Trinell Ball joining an energized room of entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and ecosystem leaders from across Connecticut. Six impressive female founders took the stage to share their companies and their vision, highlighting the strength and momentum of Connecticut’s entrepreneurial community. Congratulations to SkinBerry Beauty on taking home first prize and ChromaShield on being named runner-up. We’re excited to see what comes next for both companies. And a special congratulations to Felicia Rubinstein, founder of HAYVN Coworking Community, on reaching the milestone of 20 HATCH events and continuing to create meaningful opportunities for female founders to connect, grow, and get their businesses in front of the right people. Congratulations to all six founders who took the stage, and thank you to HAYVN and everyone who made the evening such a success. Building something physical in Connecticut? FORGE helps startups connect with the manufacturers, suppliers, and expertise they need to move from prototype to production. Learn more and connect with us at forgeimpact.org. #FORGEImpact #HAYVN #SkinBerry #ChromaShield #FemaleFounders #Entrepreneurship #Connecticut #Innovation

FORGE was glad to join ManufactureCT and Connecticut’s manufacturing community for the 2026 Annual Celebration and the kickoff of Manufacturing Month! It was a great evening, attended by FORGE Program Director Trinell Ball, celebrating the manufacturers, leaders, and organizations helping move Connecticut manufacturing forward. Congratulations to BMS Aerospace as the recipient of ManufactureCT’s inaugural Innovation Award! Thank you to ManufactureCT and the Connecticut Office of Manufacturing for their continued leadership and commitment to strengthening our state’s manufacturing ecosystem. A special thank you to Kate Houlihan, CPC, Kirti Patel, and Michael Rocheleau for their leadership and for bringing Connecticut’s manufacturing community together. FORGE is proud to be part of this ecosystem and to continue connecting innovators with the incredible manufacturing capabilities across our state. #FORGEImpact #ManufacturingMonth #ConnecticutManufacturing #MadeInConnecticut

Hardtech is better when you can see it up close. The FORGE Fall Startup Showcase is coming up on October 15, bringing together 200+ startups, manufacturers, investors, and members of the innovation ecosystem at the Dassault Systèmes North America HQ in Waltham. Come see emerging hardtech in action, meet the people building it, and make the connections that help move great ideas from prototype toward production. We’ll also hear from industry experts during “Making AI Work For Your Growth,” a conversation about how companies can put AI to work across the business while managing the challenges that come with it. 📅 October 15 | 4–7 PM 📍 Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE Lab | Waltham, MA @3DSNorthAmerica Two weeks to go. Don’t miss your chance to be in the room. Register today and join us for an evening of hardtech, manufacturing, and connection. Learn more and register 👉 forgeimpact.org/events/forge… #FORGEImpact #DassaultSystemes #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Startups #Innovation #AdvancedManufacturing

Fresh off the press: the September FORGE Newsletter Fall is getting busy at FORGE. This month, we’re looking ahead to the FORGE Fall Startup Showcase, sharing a new snapshot of our impact supporting 1,100+ startups, celebrating progress across the FORGE community, and welcoming the newest members of the FORGE team. Plus, upcoming events, founder resources, and plenty of ways to stay connected this fall. Catch up on what’s happening across the FORGE community. 👉 Read the September newsletter: conta.cc/3VNNmto #FORGEImpact #Hardtech #Manufacturing #Startups #Innovation