Massachusetts’ Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Innovation Institute, a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), has awarded practically $2 million by means of the Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative to 6 organizations advancing robotics innovation throughout the state.
The funding will assist speed up commercialization pathways for robotics {hardware} builders by increasing entry to digital twin applied sciences.
Digital twins, or digital, data-driven replicas of bodily robots, permit customers to check robots just about earlier than deployment in real-world environments, decreasing prices, enhancing security and accelerating innovation.
The grantees will present a digital twin of their product and make it publicly accessible to be used by the broader robotics ecosystem.
Governor Maura Healey mentioned: Massachusetts has lengthy been on the forefront of robotics innovation and we’re dedicated to serving to that business proceed to develop and thrive right here.
“These investments will give firms the instruments they should develop new applied sciences, create jobs and convey the subsequent technology of robotics breakthroughs to market proper right here in Massachusetts.”
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll mentioned: “We would like Massachusetts to be the very best place within the nation to start out, develop and scale progressive firms. This initiative will assist decrease boundaries for entrepreneurs and researchers, strengthen our innovation ecosystem, and create new pathways for college students and employees to take part on this rising business.”
Massachusetts is dwelling to greater than 500 robotics firms, over 100 devoted analysis and growth (R&D) labs, and a powerful community of educational and business leaders, positioning the state as a nationwide hub for robotics innovation.
The Mass Wins Act, Governor Healey’s financial growth invoice proposed in April 2026, features a reauthorization and enlargement of state robotics investments and $25 million to help R&D and commercialization.
Massachusetts Financial Improvement Secretary Eric Paley mentioned: “The Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin initiative removes boundaries like excessive prices and adoption danger components that may sluggish the commercialization of rising applied sciences.
“With these investments, groups can additional check and refine applied sciences, accelerating innovation and advancing Massachusetts’ management within the robotics area.”
The enlargement of statewide bodily AI growth with the addition of novel digital twins in a wide range of robotic types and business sectors will decrease boundaries to robotics growth, analysis and adoption.
Digital twins are additionally more and more used for workforce growth with the potential to spark curiosity in robotics in addition to science, expertise, engineering and math, or STEM, in underserved areas of Massachusetts.
To additional the ecosystem’s impression and attain, the Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative addresses the necessity to broaden robotics accessibility in areas akin to transportation and logistics, superior manufacturing, schooling and bodily AI analysis.
Innovation Institute Director Pat Larkin mentioned: “Via this initiative, we’re decreasing the time, {dollars} and assets required for robotic testing and growth and making house for safer, extra environment friendly experimentation.
“The digital twin library might be a shared useful resource for innovators throughout sectors to develop, check and enhance new applied sciences to help the Massachusetts innovation ecosystem’s future.”
Launched in 2025, the Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative helps Massachusetts nonprofits, startups, small- to mid-sized companies, college labs and analysis establishments that examine and develop novel, hardware-based robotic platforms.
The six inaugural Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative grantees will leverage greater than $1.3 million in further matching assets from business and educational companions. Beneath are the grantees:
- Good Assistive Upkeep and Inspection System (SAMIS) AI (Worcester): Good Assistive Upkeep and Inspection System (SAMIS) AI was awarded $150,000 to develop a digital twin of its multi-robot collaboration platform. The platform coordinates aerial inspection drones, crawling robots and an clever robotics toolbox. This venture goals to help the adoption of superior air mobility (AAM) applied sciences by enhancing upkeep effectivity, certification readiness and workforce growth. SAMIS AI’s digital twin additionally has the potential to strengthen Massachusetts’ place within the rising AAM business.
- Robotic on Rails (Boston): Robotic on Rails, an early-stage startup centered on standardizing lab automation, was awarded a grant for $253,431 to create a digital twin designed to decrease boundaries to adopting automated techniques in lab environments supporting the expansion and scaling of startups. This venture additionally helps collaboration between Massachusetts’ robotics and life sciences sectors.
- BlueFusion Inc. (Natick): BlueFusion, Inc., a pre-seed startup centered on growing sensor suites for autonomous car capabilities, was awarded $257,451 to develop a hardware-validated digital twin platform for autonomous automobiles (AV) utilizing real-world sensor information to simulate uncommon and antagonistic driving situations, together with harsh climate. This venture goals to assist Massachusetts startups and researchers speed up the testing, validation and commercialization of recent AV applied sciences whereas decreasing the excessive prices related to on-road testing.
- Northeastern College (Boston): Northeastern College, was awarded $281,660 to develop a digital twin to scale back the time, value and danger required for Massachusetts organizations, startups and researchers to develop, consider and deploy contact-rich robotic manipulation options for manufacturing and warehouse automation. The venture additionally goals to broaden the capabilities of humanoid robotics.
- Boston Dynamics (Waltham): Boston Dynamics was awarded $494,640 to create a high-fidelity digital twin of its Spot quadruped robotic and two environmental digital twins, offering public entry to a simulation-ready model of a broadly used business platform. This venture goals to broaden entry for early-stage robotics companies and speed up business deployment by permitting smaller builders to work with a Spot platform that might in any other case be cost-prohibitive.
- Luminous Robotics (Boston): Luminous Robotics, a Collection A startup with 32 staff centered on automation in renewable vitality infrastructure, was awarded $495,581 to create a digital twin of a high-payload manipulator. This venture lowers boundaries to entry for a lot of robotics builders aiming to automate vitality infrastructure, heavy logistics and building industries.
On the announcement, the Innovation Institute additionally launched its State of Robotics marketing campaign, a platform for storytelling, visibility and celebrating robotics whereas showcasing the innovation and collaboration that units Massachusetts aside.
This effort will highlight the varied firms and establishments that help Massachusetts’ nationwide management and world competitiveness in robotics.
