Innovation Nights

🏭 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

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

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

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

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

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

💰 Looking for Non-Dilutive Funding? Start Here. Finding grant opportunities can take time, especially when you are already focused on building a company. Our friends at Realist Lab have pulled together a useful list of grant opportunities for early-stage and underrepresented founders, including funding for small businesses, women founders, minority-owned businesses, and other entrepreneurial communities. The Founder Hub currently includes 17 grant opportunities, with many accepting applications on a rolling basis. If you are raising money, developing a new product, or simply looking for ways to extend your runway, it is worth taking a look. 👉 Explore the grant opportunities: realistlab.org/founder-resou… Don't forget to check each program's requirements and current deadlines before applying. Follow FORGE for more resources, events, and opportunities supporting startups as they move from innovation to impact. #FORGEImpact #RealistLab #StartupFunding #Grants #NonDilutiveFunding #Startups #Entrepreneurs #Hardtech

Scale Your Team Without Slowing Your Growth As your company grows, building and supporting the right team becomes even more important. Hiring, retention, benefits, policies, and compliance all demand more time and attention as you scale. The question is how to support that growth without adding unnecessary complexity. On September 24 at 11:00 AM ET, FORGE is teaming up with @Insperity for a free virtual webinar focused on practical ways growing companies can attract and retain talent, strengthen benefits, reduce administrative burden, and build stronger workforce practices. Steve Pouliot, CBPA of Insperity, will lead the conversation and share practical insights for companies looking to support their teams as they grow. If your company is hiring, planning for growth, or thinking about how to better support your workforce, this session is worth joining. 🎟️ Register for the free webinar: forgeimpact.org/events/hr-co… Follow FORGE for more events, resources, and opportunities supporting hardtech startups and manufacturers as they grow and scale. #FORGEImpact #Insperity #Startups #Manufacturing #Talent #Workforce #BusinessGrowth #HardTech

🚀 Startups: Want to Pitch at Hartford Innovation Week? Applications are now open for the Hartford Innovation Week Startup Showcase, bringing early-stage founders together for an evening of live pitches in Hartford. Startups from any sector, from pre-seed through Series A, are encouraged to apply. The opportunity is open to companies based in Connecticut as well as nearby New York and New England. And there is more than exposure on the line. All 10 finalists will receive prizes, including $5,000 in AWS credits for each finalist, with additional prizes for the top winners. 📅 Application deadline: Wednesday, September 30 👉 Apply to pitch: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F… Event details: luma.com/ck8ciwj5 Know a startup that should be on that stage? Tag them or send this their way. Follow FORGE for more startup opportunities, events, resources, and connections across the innovation and manufacturing ecosystem. #FORGEImpact #Startups #HartfordInnovationWeek #Connecticut #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #StartupPitch

🚨 Tomorrow: If Your Startup Is Using AI, This Is One Webinar You Shouldn’t Miss. AI can help startups move faster. It can also create real questions around ownership, inventorship, patentability, and IP risk. Tomorrow at 11:00 AM ET, FORGE and Wolf Greenfield are hosting AI Meets IP: Balancing Innovation and Risk for Startups. John Harmon, intellectual property attorney at Wolf Greenfield, will cover what founders and startup teams should be thinking about now as AI becomes a bigger part of product development, engineering, and innovation. And there’s more than just the webinar. Attendees can also request a one-on-one virtual Office Hours session with the @WolfGreenfield team on September 17 for a deeper conversation around their own IP questions. 📅 Tomorrow, September 16 ⏰ 11:00 AM ET 💻 Virtual ✅ Free to attend Registration is still open, but the webinar is tomorrow. Register now: forgeimpact.org/events/ai-me… If you know a founder or startup team using AI, send this their way. Follow FORGE for more resources, events, and connections supporting hardtech innovators. #FORGE #ArtificialIntelligence #IntellectualProperty #Startups #HardTech #Innovation #Patents