The printed and flexible electronics industry cluster is a relatively new—and under-the-radar—field, but it has the potential to become a $76 billion global market within a decade, according to IDTechEx. That might explain why the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative has donated a $4 million grant to University of Massachusetts Lowell, which will fuel the research and development of this realm at the school. The grant will also be matched by $12 million in industry support.
Today, Governor Charlie Baker joined UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan and MassTech CEO Pamela Goldberg at the university’s Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center to announce the four-year grant, as well as a $4 million gift from prominent alumni that will be allocated to the business and nursing programs. The latter donation comes from MFS Management CEO Robert Manning, for whom the business school is named, and his wife Donna, an oncology nurse at a Boston hospital.
Combined, these financial commitments will help to bolster the university’s North Campus Innovation District. Not only will this new money contribute to enhanced resources and educational opportunities for students, entrepreneurs and industry partners — it could also have larger implications for innovation in the Commonwealth at large. Already, UMass Lowell has been establishing its strength in printed electronics: Last August, Waltham-based defense technology leader Raytheon formed a partnership with UMass Lowell for a joint state-of-the-art research facility focused on precisely this industry, as well as nanotechnology.
The purpose of the new Printed Electronics Research Collaborative at UMass Lowell is to empower Massachusetts companies of all sizes to capitalize on the thriving printed and flexible electronics field. In the beginning, the collaborative will focus on supporting the state’s defense cluster in printed electronics. However, these technologies could eventually be applied to a fields as diverse as healthcare, telecommunications, aerospace, transit and renewable energy.
"We have already seen great success stem from this partnership to fund research, support education and make new strides in innovation," said Gov. Baker. "By connecting the incredible resources in our universities with the business community, the Commonwealth will continue to stimulate economic growth and create more good-paying jobs."
