FORGE Product Development Grant for Startups and Existing Businesses with Underrepresented Leadership – Supported by the Eastern Bank Foundation

This funding opportunity is designed to support hardtech startups and existing businesses as they navigate the challenges of developing and commercializing physical products, and growing their organizations. Intended to help companies overcome the “Hardware Valley of Death,” this grant provides critical non-dilutive funding to address product development and manufacturing challenges that often present barriers to growth. This opportunity is for underrepresented businesses in Massachusetts or select regions of New Hampshire and Rhode Island. 

To meet the eligibility requirements for this FORGE Product Development Grant, companies must have underrepresented leadership encompassing founders, president or c-suite executives.

For full details on eligibility requirements, please see our FAQ here.

Recognizing manufacturing as an engine of growth, this program is designed to accelerate the advancement of promising hardtech innovations by providing resources to solve specific technical, prototyping, testing, manufacturing, regulatory, or commercialization challenges that are essential to a company’s ability to scale and successfully enter the marketplace.

Through this initiative, FORGE seeks to increase access to capital for both startups and existing businesses with leaders from underrepresented backgrounds, strengthen pathways to manufacturing readiness, and support the growth of innovative companies that contribute to a more inclusive and resilient innovation ecosystem. Thank you to the Eastern Bank Foundation for its support.

Awards will range from $3,000 to $50,000 and must be used by the winning companies to address a specific product development challenge.

The goal of the grant is to remove barriers to scale and manufacturing, providing the necessary funds to solve for a specific product development challenge critical to the company’s ability to scale and/or reach the marketplace. Successful applications will pinpoint that challenge and articulate how the grant funds will be used to overcome the roadblock, and what opportunities that will open for the company.

If you have any questions, please reach out to david@forgeimpact.org. 

This application will open July 31st, 2026 and close September 14th, 2026 at 11:59PM EST.