FORGE
Hardware & Manufacturing · Run by FORGE · Somerville, MA
Every field is checked against a primary source where we can. How we verify.
The facts
All fields verified Oct 1, 2026- Terms model
- Non-dilutiveGives money that does not take equity: grants, prizes, or credits. Your ownership is untouched.
- Investment
- product development grants (recent Massachusetts round $3,000 to $50,000)
- Equity taken
- Not publishedA nonprofit that helps hardware and physical-product startups move from prototype to manufacturing through supplier-network support, education, and periodic non-dilutive product development grants. It is an ongoing support organization rather than a fixed cohort. The Fall 2026 grant round ($3,000 to $50,000, for startups and existing businesses with underrepresented leadership in Massachusetts or select regions of New Hampshire and Rhode Island, supported by the Eastern Bank Foundation) ran July 31 to September 14, 2026; no next round has been posted. Earlier rounds include Connecticut product development grants with the Connecticut Office of Manufacturing's Manufacturing Innovation Fund, most recently in Fall 2025. No equity is taken. Sites include Somerville, Springfield, Lowell, and Beverly, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut.
- Program length
- Not published
- Format
- Hybrid
- Location
- Somerville, MA
- Cohorts per year
- Not published
- Cohort size
- Not published
- Stage focus
- hardware / physical products (prototype to manufacturing)
- Sub-vertical
- hardware / manufacturing
- Demographic focus
- Not published
- Backers
- Eastern Bank Foundation, Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Fund
- Notable alumni
- Not published
Terms notes: A nonprofit that helps hardware and physical-product startups move from prototype to manufacturing through supplier-network support, education, and periodic non-dilutive product development grants. It is an ongoing support organization rather than a fixed cohort. The Fall 2026 grant round ($3,000 to $50,000, for startups and existing businesses with underrepresented leadership in Massachusetts or select regions of New Hampshire and Rhode Island, supported by the Eastern Bank Foundation) ran July 31 to September 14, 2026; no next round has been posted. Earlier rounds include Connecticut product development grants with the Connecticut Office of Manufacturing's Manufacturing Innovation Fund, most recently in Fall 2025. No equity is taken. Sites include Somerville, Springfield, Lowell, and Beverly, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut.
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Terms in plain English
FORGE is a nonprofit that helps hardware and physical-product startups move from prototype to manufacturing. It provides supplier-network support, manufacturing education, and periodic non-dilutive product development grants, and takes no equity. It is an ongoing support organization rather than a fixed cohort. Its Fall 2026 grant round offered $3,000 to $50,000 to companies with underrepresented leadership in Massachusetts and select regions of New Hampshire and Rhode Island, and it has also run Connecticut product development grant rounds, most recently in Fall 2025.
Who this is actually for
Hardware and physical-product founders trying to bridge from a working prototype to manufacturing who want supplier connections, manufacturing know-how, and non-dilutive grant support. Suited to teams in or near FORGE's Massachusetts and Connecticut sites.
FORGE application deadlines
Frequently asked questions
- When is the next FORGE application deadline?
- A specific application window for FORGE is not yet published. Timing is expected but not confirmed.
- How much does FORGE invest?
- FORGE lists an investment of product development grants (recent Massachusetts round $3,000 to $50,000).
- How much equity does FORGE take?
- FORGE does not publish the equity it takes, so we record it as not published.
- Where is FORGE located and is it in person?
- FORGE is based in Somerville, MA and runs a hybrid program.
- Is FORGE still active?
- As of our last check on Oct 1, 2026, FORGE is active.
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Sources
Everything above was checked against these, verified Oct 1, 2026.