MassNextGen

MassNextGen

Administers cohort for underrepresented MA life sciences founders non-dilutive grant lab through the MassNextGen.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

MassNextGen — formally the Massachusetts Next Generation Initiative — is a Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) program that provides a year-long, customized support package to underrepresented life sciences entrepreneurs operating in Massachusetts. The program combines non-dilutive grant funding, lab bench space at a sponsoring incubator, one-on-one executive coaching and mentorship, and an end-of-year showcase event with investors and industry sponsors. MLSC has supported 35 companies through MassNextGen since the program's inception.

Eligibility is limited to for-profit, Massachusetts-based life sciences companies where the CEO or equivalent company leader is a member of an underrepresented group. The full list of qualifying identities includes women, Arab American and MENA individuals, Asian American and Pacific Islander individuals, Black and African American individuals, Hispanic and Latinx individuals, Indigenous and Native American individuals, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, refugees and immigrants, socially disadvantaged individuals, and veterans. The company must have a majority of employees based in Massachusetts and must provide a Certificate of Good Standing from both the Massachusetts Secretary of State and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Specific grant dollar amounts are not published on the program landing page. For the 2026 cycle, applications opened March 16 and closed June 12, 2026 at 1 p.m. EST via masslifesciences.submittable.com.

Strong applicants should be prepared to commit to in-person executive coaching sessions throughout the year and to participate actively in the end-of-year showcase. The program is structured as a cohort; companies that are accepted gain access to MLSC's broader network of investors, sponsors, and life sciences industry partners. Organizations that did not apply in 2026 should contact MassNextGen@masslifesciences.com and monitor the MLSC website for the 2027 cycle launch, which has historically opened in March.