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The application period will run from Oct. 5 – Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. EST.

Program Overview

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) Access and Accelerate Grant Program is designed to help early-stage Massachusetts life science companies (Applicant) overcome critical go-to-market and commercialization barriers that are difficult to finance through traditional investment or research funding.

Many promising companies reach technical milestones but struggle to access specialized expertise, market validation, regulatory planning, reimbursement strategy, manufacturing planning, or commercialization support needed to attract follow-on investment and advance toward patients.

Unlike traditional R&D grants, Access and Accelerate focuses specifically on activities that reduce commercialization risk. Funding supports specialized expertise that often falls outside the scope of research grants but is essential for attracting investment and bringing innovations to market.

Why the MLSC is Investing

By supporting targeted go-to-market and commercialization activities, the Access and Accelerate Grant Program helps bridge critical funding gaps, enabling promising companies to move more quickly from innovation to patient impact while strengthening the Commonwealth’s leadership across therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and emerging life science technologies.

The program seeks to accelerate company growth, private investment, federal funding success, strategic partnerships, product development, market readiness, and commercialization timelines.

Upcoming Info Sessions

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Applicants are required to create an account prior to accessing the application. If you already have an account, please log in to begin the application.

Application Process:

Applications will be accepted on a quarterly basis:

Program Cycle
Focus Area
Application Period
External Review Period
Award Notification
Q4 2026
Medtech/medical device
Oct. 5-30, 2026
November 2026
January 2027
Q1 2027
TBD
January 2027
February 2027
April 2027
Q2 2027
TBD
March 2027
April 2027
June 2027

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Commercial Strategy: market assessments, competitive analyses, customer discovery, commercialization planning.
  • Regulatory & Quality: FDA strategy, clinical development planning, quality systems.
  • Reimbursement & Market Access: coverage strategy, health economics, coding/payment assessments, payer landscape analyses.
  • Product Development: access to specialized equipment, manufacturing readiness, supply chain planning, and prototype optimization.
  • Business Growth: partnering strategy, licensing, IP landscape analyses, investor readiness.
  • Validation Activities: stakeholder interviews, workflow assessments, customer validation, pilot planning.
  • Projects should address a specific commercialization challenge that can be completed within approximately six to twelve months. Examples include reimbursement strategy development, customer discovery, FDA pathway assessments, investor-ready commercialization plans, manufacturing feasibility analyses, health economic models, IP landscape analyses, and partnership preparation.
  • Applications may be evaluated based on commercial impact, company readiness, clearly defined milestones, ecosystem benefit, and potential to secure follow-on funding.
  • Applications that demonstrate meaningful use of Massachusetts-based resources, such as service providers, equipment, facilities, and other life sciences infrastructure, will be viewed more favorably as part of the program’s consideration of ecosystem benefit.

 

  • Applicants must be headquartered or have significant operations in Massachusetts, be developing an innovative life science technology, and demonstrate a defined commercialization milestone. Eligible sectors include therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, digital health, research tools, platform technologies, and enabling technologies.
  • Priority may be given to early-stage companies, SBIR/STTR awardees, seed-stage companies, companies preparing for institutional investment, first-time founders, and underrepresented entrepreneurs.
  • Awards are typically $75,000-100,000 and may not exceed $150,000.
  • Allowable general expenses include: consultant fees, legal fees, and associated costs to access specialized equipment, contract experts, or specialized service providers.
  • Following the execution of the Grant Agreement, funds will be provided via electronic fund transfer (EFT): 80% of total funding will be available immediately upon execution, with the remaining 20% available on a reimbursement basis after all necessary receipts (for 100% of the funds) and reports have been received and upon verification of those costs.
  • Please fill out this survey to suggest a future funding focus area. We welcome your input on where targeted state funding could make the greatest impact.

Program Resources

How to Apply:

Applicants must first create an account in our application portal and submit an application.

Disclaimer

This solicitation does not commit the Center to award any funds, pay any costs incurred in preparing an application, or procure our contract for services or supplies. The Center reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications received, negotiate with all qualified Applicants, cancel or modify the solicitation in part or in its entirety, or change the application guidelines, when it is in its best interests. An application does not constitute an award. This solicitation has been distributed electronically using the Center’s website. It is the responsibility of Applicants to check the Center’s website for any addenda or modifications to the program to which they intend to apply. The Center, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and its subdivisions accept no liability and will provide no accommodation to Applicants who submit an application based on an out-of-date solicitation.

Note: If you receive an award from the Access and Accelerate Grant Program, the names of awardees and the amount of each award will be disclosed to the public.

Connect with us to learn more

If you have any questions regarding the application process, email: MLSCindustryprograms@masslifesciences.com.

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