DeployMass

DeployMass facilitates the adoption of clean energy technologies by public or public-interest customers to support the growth and development of Massachusetts-based companies while providing broader public benefits. 

This program is currently CLOSED

DeployMass is a two-phase program, first assessing the technical and commercial readiness of emerging technologies, and then providing support to connect viable and impactful technologies with the customers looking to adopt them.

Companies apply for inclusion in the program and are then reviewed by a third-party technical expert to assess the technology readiness level (“TRL”) of products developed by applicants. Only products that are deemed ready for the commercial market will be placed on the DeployMass Commercially-Ready Technologies (“CRT”) List. Program funding to support a deployment with a customer is limited to products included on the CRT List.

The DeployMass program also offers technical assistance funding to conduct feasibility studies, market potential assessments, and related support services. Technical assistance funding is not limited to products on the CRT List. The results of any product technical, feasibility, or market analysis conducted under the Program will be used in any subsequent CRT List evaluation of that product. As indicated above, deployment funding is limited to products already included on the CRT List.

Applicant Company Eligibility:

Funding paths are available for Massachusetts-based technology developers of any size as well as small technology developers based outside of Massachusetts (contingent upon establishment of a presence in the Commonwealth). In addition, funding is available for small Massachusetts-based companies distributing technologies that were developed outside of the Commonwealth.

Please see the definition of a small business as outlined by the United States Small Business Administration’s “Table of Small Business Size Standards.”

Product Eligibility:

The relevant product must have a minimum TRL of 8; qualify as a clean energy technology based on the definition in MGL Chapter 23J Section 1; and provide a meaningful value proposition to the product’s intended customer. The product must also have less than $500,000 in sales or fewer than 5 deployments (whichever is larger).

Eligible Customer Types:

Eligible customers include public entities (including state and quasi-state agencies, authorities, municipalities or public academic institutions) and “public interest” entities (such as hospitals, private colleges and universities, and affordable housing developments). For the purposes of the Program, the Commonwealth’s electric and gas delivery utilities qualify as public interest entities. The status of a costumer as a "public interest" entity is at MassCEC's sole discretion.

The DeployMass Program was launched in 2014 as the “Massachusetts as a First Customer Program” in response to the barriers and challenges facing both public entities and innovative cleantech and water innovation companies in working together to save the Commonwealth energy and public dollars.

In 2018, the program underwent significant design updates with the goal of increasing its value and visibility to companies seeking early customers. In addition, the updates sought to expand the eligible customer type to include public interest sites/entities rather than focusing solely on public (i.e., federal, state, or municipal) customer sites.

The goal of the DeployMass Program is to support clean energy technology companies seeking to expand their customer base by de-risking and incentivizing the deployment of those technologies by public sector and public interest entities (including state and quasi-state agencies, authorities, municipalities, public academic institutions, hospitals, private colleges and universities, or affordable housing developments) through the pre-validation of the commercial readiness of the technology via the CRT List. MassCEC works with these companies to provide technical and financial assistance in connecting their technologies with public entities.

Through the program, MassCEC is committed to providing one or more of the following forms of support to awardees:

  • Providing a grant to buy down the cost of a selected company’s product, contingent upon the entity’s agreement to purchase the applicant’s product; and
  • Offering varying technical assistance as needed by a selected company.

MassCEC hopes to provide valuable exposure to participating companies by connecting them with high-visibility public sector and public interest customers. By assisting with the deployment of CRT-listed products at these entities, MassCEC also hopes to help public entities save taxpayer money by driving down energy use and costs.

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