This story is part of Inno on the Road, a BostInno series that explores innovation communities around New England. This week, we’re in Western Massachusetts, and next week we head north to New Hampshire. Last week, we explored Portland, Maine.
A North Adams-based nonprofit has launched a platform to connect entrepreneurs throughout the state, an effort its founders believe will benefit Western Massachusetts and Greater Boston alike.
On Wednesday, Lever — founded in 2014 as an economic development nonprofit — launched the Massachusetts Founders Network to give entrepreneurs more equitable access to resources in the state to grow their businesses, no matter where they’re located.
The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is the lead funder for the Massachusetts Founder Network. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and Massachusetts Life Sciences Center are also sponsors.
Lever says that through its themed “Challenge” programs, it accelerates cohorts of startups in areas like clean energy, health technology and manufacturing. Lever has awarded more than $1 million in grant funding to startups, and manages a $2 million venture capital fund as well as organizing an angel network of investors. The nonprofit has also placed 150 college students in paid summer internships at Berkshire organizations since 2018.
Jeffrey Thomas, executive director and co-founder of Lever, said the idea for the Massachusetts Founder Network came to them through the Challenge programs. In addition to Lever’s programming, Thomas said they offered to set up Zoom calls for founders to just talk to each other.
“It ended up being wildly popular. The founders just really enjoyed being able to talk to others who were working on similar things or at a similar stage,” Thomas said.
As an organization based in Western Massachusetts, Thomas said they’ve also observed how difficult it can be for founders outside of Greater Boston to connect with resources and people closer to the city.
“That’s the other piece of the Founders Network is to sort of level the playing field,” Thomas said. “Irrespective of where you’re located in the state, irrespective of whether this is your first startup or your fifth, irrespective of your background, the Founders Network, we believe, will help founders from everywhere, from any experience or background, better access the amazing acceleration resources that exist throughout the state.”
It's free for founders to join the Massachusetts Founders Network. The organization will offer networking, resources, mentorship and community for startup founders in Massachusetts. This means hosting their own programming, Thomas said, as well as promoting resources from other organizations across the state.
“We’re hoping that the Founders Network will help accelerators open up to a broader audience and we’ll do that by promoting their programs and their resources,” Thomas said.
Also included in the membership will be access to resources the Massachusetts Founders Network is creating like an investor directory.
Thomas said the Massachusetts Founders Network will help founders further out from the tech center of Greater Boston connect with its resources. But the organization will also benefit founders in the city.
“Since the pandemic, the way we all work together and collaborate is forever changed. That co-founder you need… maybe they’re not in Boston. Maybe they live on the Cape or maybe they live in Central Mass,” Thomas said.
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