Westborough, Mass - The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Innovation Institute announced the launch of the Massachusetts (MA) AI Models Innovation Challenge, a flagship initiative under the newly established Massachusetts AI (Artificial Intelligence) Hub. The MA AI Models Innovation Challenge will provide up to $2 million in funding for awards to support groundbreaking AI model development projects focused on domain-specific models that address societal and industry challenges in crucial sectors of the Massachusetts innovation economy, including advanced manufacturing, climatetech, education, financial services, health care, life sciences, and robotics.
Introduced by Governor Maura Healey in December 2024, the Massachusetts AI Hub is designed to position Massachusetts as a global leader in applied AI innovation. The AI Hub and the MA AI Models Innovation Challenge are key recommendations from the Governor’s Strategic AI Task Force.
“Massachusetts is committed to leading the charge in responsible AI innovation,” said Governor Healey. “By launching this Challenge, we are investing in the future of AI, one that prioritizes real-world impact and the power of targeted AI solutions to address complex challenges.”
“Our state has a unique opportunity to spearhead the AI revolution,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This Challenge is supporting smart, ethical AI to help grow businesses and attract new talent to Massachusetts in this emerging sector.”
“Massachusetts has long been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this Challenge represents a strategic investment in the development of AI models that don’t just answer questions, they solve real-world problems and unlock value in critical sectors,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “The Challenge represents an opportunity for researchers and innovators to build solutions that directly benefit industries of significance to Massachusetts.”
A central goal of the MA AI Models Innovation Challenge is to accelerate the development of smaller models that are faster, more energy-efficient, and better suited for targeted applications in particular industries than large, generalized models. By funding projects that develop or fine-tune models tailored to specific industries, Massachusetts seeks to unlock transformative breakthroughs while addressing issues such as computational efficiency and sustainability.
“We see the MA AI Models Innovation Challenge as more than a funding opportunity, it is a unique investment in R&D, the broader AI ecosystem, and in the Commonwealth’s future as a leader in ethical and high-impact AI,” said MassTech CEO Carolyn Kirk. “This Challenge will catalyze new collaborations and result in models that can drive both scientific discovery and commercial applications.”
The MA AI Models Innovation Challenge focuses on supporting projects at all stages of AI model development, from data acquisition to deployment. Key activities include high-quality data collection and preparation, training and fine-tuning of models, and real-world testing. This lifecycle approach aims to overcome one of the most significant barriers in AI development today: securing high-quality datasets that are both relevant and reliable.
“Progress in industry-specific AI can be accelerated by access to high-quality, usable data," said Head of AI Innovation at Fidelity Investments and co-Captain of the AI Task Force’s Models and Data Strategy Working Group Vipin Mayar.“This Challenge is about bridging that gap by enabling collaboration between the industry and AI researchers to create models that are powered by domain-specific data and deliver precise, relevant results that will have a broad impact on the region and its industries.”
The MA AI Models Innovation Challenge invites proposals from academic and non-profit institutions based in Massachusetts. Industry partnerships are required to enhance the relevance and applicability of proposed models. The application period opened on January 13, 2025, and proposals must be submitted by Friday, February 28, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. EST.
For more information on how to apply, including the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), please visit MassTech’s website.
About the Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech)
The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) is a quasi-public economic development agency that strengthens the competitiveness of the tech and innovation economy by driving strategic investments, partnerships, and insights that harness the talent of Massachusetts.
The Innovation Institute is the division of MassTech created in 2003 that advances innovation and cluster growth across the state in four ways:
- Conducts research and analysis that improves the state's understandings of unmet needs and opportunities in the innovation economy
- Serves as convener and key strategic broker within various sectors
- Manages high-value projects on behalf of the state
- Makes stragetic investments in support of innovation-based economic development
For more information, visit https://innovation.masstech.org/.
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