The BIC Presents Podcast

BIC Presents: Meet Globe Grown

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:34:34 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, PJ Moynihan sits down with Marie-Pascale Ruberandinda, founder of Globe Grown and participant in the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Stage 2 Accelerator Catalyst program. Originally from Rwanda and later based in Texas, Marie shares how growing up on her family’s farms inspired her to build technology that supports farmers and promotes sustainable agriculture. Globe Grown is developing an autonomous platform that combines drone imaging, machine learning, and a rover system to detect and eliminate weeds without herbicides. The technology is designed to help farmers reduce chemical use, address labor shortages, and improve efficiency while supporting healthier crops and reducing environmental impact.

Marie also discusses her journey as a founder balancing entrepreneurship with running a trucking business and raising a family. Through the accelerator, she is currently evaluating hardware options, engaging with potential investors, and working toward seed funding. Her long-term goal is to build Globe Grown in Massachusetts and contribute to the region’s growing clean technology ecosystem, while helping farmers worldwide through innovation.

Links:

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

BIC Presents: Innovating Across State Lines

nate@natechristy.com (Steve Bravo, Leslie Nash, PJ Moynihan, Nate Christy) — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 12:35:01 +0000

In this episode, PJ Moynihan welcomes Steve Bravo, Director of Commercialization at New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and Leslie Nash, Interim Managing Director of Emerging Climatetech at Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), for a conversation about climate innovation across New York and Massachusetts. Steve describes how NYSERDA supports energy innovation through research, development, commercialization programs, accelerators, mentorship, and connections to venture and corporate capital. Leslie explains how MassCEC helps researchers and startups move from lab-stage ideas to prototypes, demonstrations, and deployment through grants, investments, and ecosystem partnerships. Together, they discuss shared priorities including clean energy market growth, startup support, economic development, and building a more affordable, reliable, and decarbonized grid.

A major theme of the episode is the value of collaboration across state lines. Steve and Leslie describe how their teams regularly share lessons learned, compare program design, and help connect companies to new pilots and markets. They point to opportunities in building efficiency and the built environment, especially in older housing stock across the Northeast, and discuss examples like Runwise and Massachusetts-based Imbue as companies addressing those challenges. The conversation also reinforces BIC’s role as a convening space in the Berkshires, positioned as a midpoint in a broader regional innovation corridor stretching from western New York to Boston/Cambridge.

Links

NYSERDA: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov

NYSERDA Commercialization Program: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Innovation-at-NYSERDA/Commercialization-Program

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center: https://www.masscec.com

MassCEC Emerging Climatetech: https://www.masscec.com/emerging-climatetech

Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

Massachusetts Business Front Door: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/business-front-door

BIC Presents: Noble Carbon

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:02:17 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sits down with Noble Carbon co-founders Jared Lebos and Andrew Crane to discuss how their climate tech startup is developing smart circuit breakers designed to improve energy efficiency and grid resilience. Lebos, who previously worked in financial services, and Crane, an engineer originally from Berkshire County, met while attending business school and later began collaborating on a solution inspired by energy challenges Lebos experienced abroad. Their early prototype evolved into Noble Carbon’s core technology: a compact smart circuit breaker capable of managing energy use more intelligently within homes.

The founders describe how participation in the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Stage 2 Accelerator helped move their concept from a basement prototype to a deployable product. They also discuss the role of state support, including the InnovateMass Grid Tech Spotlight program and an M2I2 grant, which provided critical non-dilutive funding to develop hardware, testing equipment, and manufacturing processes.

Looking ahead, Noble Carbon is preparing a pilot program with Eversource that will deploy its smart breakers in homes across Western Massachusetts, gathering data on energy efficiency, grid performance, and affordability for low- and moderate-income households.

Links:

Noble Carbon: https://www.noblecarbon.io

Jared Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-lebos-32146410b/

Andrew Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-crane-25039935/

Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

BIC Presents: Mass Life Sciences Center

nate@natechristy.com (Jeremy Brisiel, Jean LeClair, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:43:08 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan speaks with Jeanne LeClair, Chief Business Officer of the Mass Life Sciences Center (MLSC), about how strategic public investment has shaped one of the world’s most successful Life Sciences ecosystems. Jeanne outlines MLSC’s role as a quasi-public agency investing across the full Life Sciences landscape, from academic research and shared infrastructure to workforce development, tax incentives, and public-private partnerships. She reflects on the origins of the original 2008 Life Sciences Initiative, describing how a bold, billion-dollar investment during an economic downturn focused on shared research assets and commercialization laid the groundwork for long-term growth.

The conversation explores how bipartisan leadership across multiple administrations enabled the initiative’s reauthorization and expansion through the Mass Leads Act, allowing MLSC to think and plan on a ten-year horizon. Jeanne also discusses evolving definitions of “Life Sciences,” the increasing importance of health equity and women’s health, and the need to address healthcare delivery alongside innovation. The episode highlights MLSC’s collaborative “tiger team” approach, illustrated through a multi-agency effort to retain and grow a life-saving MedTech company in Massachusetts. Throughout, Jeanne emphasizes accountability, ecosystem stewardship, and the ripple effects of well-paying Life Sciences jobs on regional economic vitality, including continued support for organizations like the Berkshire Innovation Center.

Links

Massachusetts Life Sciences Center:

https://www.masslifesciences.com/

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

BIC Presents: Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator Program

nate@natechristy.com (Lily Fitzgerald, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan, Ben Sosne) — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:35:29 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan is joined by Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Lily Fitzgerald, Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech Collaborative, for a deep dive into the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator Program (MMAP). The conversation follows a ribbon-cutting event at Lenco Armored Vehicles in Pittsfield, highlighting how MMAP funding supports real-world investments in advanced manufacturing equipment.

Lily explains MassTech’s role as a quasi-public economic development agency and outlines how MMAP provides non-dilutive, capital-based grants to small and medium-sized manufacturers with 500 or fewer employees. Rather than funding startups, the program focuses on established, often multi-generational manufacturers facing growth bottlenecks related to demand, workforce challenges, or outdated processes. The episode explores how MMAP funding enables investments in automation, equipment, and other infrastructure that improves efficiency while freeing workers to focus on higher-value tasks.

Ben shares how MMAP aligns closely with the BIC’s mission, noting its catalytic effect across the regional manufacturing ecosystem. Using Lenco as an example, the discussion illustrates how the application process itself often prompts companies to rethink their operations and pursue larger-scale modernization efforts. The episode also highlights recent program evolution, including MMAP’s transition into a true accelerator model and its measurable economic impact, including job creation, workforce upskilling, and supply chain growth throughout Massachusetts.

Links:

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

MassTech Collaborative - Center for Advanced Manufacturing:

https://cam.masstech.org/mmap

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios.

BIC Presents: Clean Energy Leadership Group

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:25:00 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan is joined by Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, Tyler Fairbank, CEO of The Fairbank Group, and Doug Crane, retired manufacturing executive and founding BIC board member, for a wide-ranging conversation on clean energy leadership in the Berkshires. The discussion centers on the formation of the Clean Energy Leadership Group, one of several new BIC leadership groups designed to organize expertise, focus collaboration, and advance regional innovation priorities.

The guests explore why the Berkshires are uniquely positioned to participate in the clean energy economy, citing the region’s scale, grid simplicity, available land, and strong network of manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and institutions. A key focus of the episode is the concept of a microgrid at the William Stanley Business Park, envisioned as both a cost-reduction strategy for local businesses and a demonstration site for emerging clean energy technologies. The group discusses regulatory, technical, and organizational challenges, as well as the opportunity to pilot new solutions alongside startups seeking real-world deployment environments.

The conversation also highlights the BIC’s U.S. Department of Energy Make It Prize award, which supports Western Massachusetts as a testing and deployment hub for clean energy manufacturing technologies developed elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Throughout the episode, the guests emphasize collective wisdom, open collaboration, and community engagement as essential drivers for long-term economic development and a successful energy transition in the Berkshires.

Links:

Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

BIC Presents: Why Our Interns are Destined to Fail

nate@natechristy.com (PJ Moynihan, Nate Christy, Tim Butterworth) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:08:36 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan talks with Tim Butterworth, Director of Applied Technology at the Berkshire Innovation Center, about the structure and impact of the BIC’s Innovation Interns Program. Each summer, the program invites STEM students (often studying at schools like WPI, Columbia, and UMass Lowell) to apply their talents and develop skills in rapid prototyping, design iteration, and digital fabrication using the BIC’s advanced tools and labs.

Tim explains how the program uses the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to teach structured problem-solving while encouraging creativity and independence. Interns gain hands-on experience through projects like a 3D-printed CNC wire bender and a hydroponic watering system for zero-gravity environments, applying lessons that go beyond technical skills.

The conversation explores how mentorship at the BIC fosters confidence and resilience, helping students embrace failure as part of innovation. As Tim notes, the goal is to prepare young engineers and makers to return to the Berkshires with both skill and purpose; ready to contribute to the region’s growing technology ecosystem.

Links

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

Produced by PJ Moynihan & Nate Christy, BIC Studios

BIC Presents: Meet NorthRenew Energy

nate@natechristy.com (Garth Klimchuk, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 11:57:11 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sat down with Garth Klimchuk, founder of NorthRenew Energy and longtime investment banker turned renewable energy developer. Raised in Calgary, Alberta, and trained as a geologist, Klimchuk’s career began in oil and gas before moving into finance at Barclays and Wharton. His work on Wall Street in power and utilities ultimately led him to focus on clean energy.

Klimchuk describes how NorthRenew Energy develops large-scale wind and solar projects across the western US, from identifying land and securing leases to permitting, environmental studies, and interconnection. The conversation explores today’s shifting political climate, with federal tax credits under threat and developers facing hard choices on which projects to advance. Klimchuk stresses the rising demand from AI-driven data centers, and the looming risks of blackouts and rising consumer costs if renewable growth stalls.

He also highlights the importance of state-level incentives, private-sector investment, and collective advocacy through organizations like the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Clean Energy Leadership Group to sustain progress. For Klimchuk, grid resilience, innovation, and collaboration will define the future of U.S. energy.

Links

NorthRenew Energy: https://northrenew.com/

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

BIC Presents: CriticalMass

nate@natechristy.com (Maddy Zeliff, PJ Moynihan, Nate Christy) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode, host PJ Moynihan speaks with Maddy Zeliff, Program Manager at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), about the newly launched CriticalMass program. Designed to bridge the funding gap for climate tech startups, the initiative moves beyond early pilots to support larger-scale deployment projects across the Commonwealth. Maddy explains how MassCEC partnered with municipalities, universities, corporates, and agencies—from UMass campuses to the City of Boston—to identify problem statements and connect startups with project partners.

CriticalMass focuses on mature startups close to commercialization, aiming to address challenges like energy efficiency in aging buildings, grid innovation, and resilient infrastructure. The program offers non-dilutive funding, technical assistance, and ecosystem convenings to strengthen connections between startups, investors, and government agencies. With Massachusetts passing the Mass Leads Act and committing hundreds of millions to climate innovation, CriticalMass positions the state as a leader in both economic development and climate solutions. The discussion highlights Western Massachusetts’ role in scaling manufacturing and job creation, and how intentional design ensures startups thrive while building a resilient grid for the future.

Links

MassCEC – Critical Mass Program: https://www.masscec.com/masscec-funding/technology-market/criticalmass

MassCEC - Climatetech Economic Development Plan: https://www.masscec.com/resources/climatetech-lab-world

Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

Alliance for Climate Transition: https://www.joinact.org/

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios

BIC Presents: Meet Zulu Pods

nate@natechristy.com (Rob Sladen, PJ Moynihan, Nate Christy) — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:26:47 +0000

In this episode, PJ Moynihan sits down with Rob Sladen, co-founder of BIC Member company Zulu Pods, at their Northampton, Massachusetts facility. Rob shares how Zulu Pods began in 2020 with a “Tide Pod for the jet engine” — a patented, precision oil delivery system for short-mission gas turbine engines. By combining a pump and oil tank into one compact unit, the company addresses inefficiencies and reduces part counts for expendable jet engines used in drones and missiles.

Since then, Zulu Pods has expanded into smart backup oil systems and AI-enabled corrosion prevention pods that automate maintenance for high-value defense assets like the F-35B’s lift fan. These innovations eliminate costly tear-downs, reduce manual labor, and improve fleet readiness. Rob discusses the company’s COVID-era garage origins, the role of Navy and Army SBIR funding in accelerating growth, and the principles of optimal lubrication theory.

With customers including Boeing, Sikorsky, and Rolls-Royce, Zulu Pods is now a 23-person team on track for rapid revenue growth and new opportunities in both defense and commercial markets. As proud members of the Berkshire Innovation Center, Zulu Pods continues to innovate at the intersection of aerospace engineering and mission-critical reliability.

Links

Zulu Pods: https://www.zulupods.com/

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

BIC Presents: American Factory Screening & Panel Discussion

Tue, 8 Jul 2025 12:04:00 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, we share highlights from a special event hosted at the Berkshire Innovation Center in 2024 - a public screening of the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory, followed by a live community discussion. The film, produced by Participant Media and Higher Ground Productions (founded by Barack and Michelle Obama), documents the culture clash that unfolds when a Chinese auto glass company reopens a shuttered GM plant in Dayton, Ohio - revealing tensions around labor, automation, and values in a shifting global economy.

Facilitated by award-winning filmmaker PJ Moynihan, the conversation took place on the historic grounds of the former GE Plastics plant - a site that once represented economic vitality in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and whose closure left deep scar tissue in the local workforce. Today, the Berkshire Innovation Center stands on that same ground, helping to shape a new vision for innovation and industry in the region.

Panelists include Eric Planey, CEO of SolaBlock; Dr. Dennis Rebello and Tim Butterworth from the BIC leadership team; and retired local engineer Mike Lindsey. Voices from the audience brought urgency, history, and perspective - challenging the narrative portrayed in the film while spotlighting new opportunities in workforce development, clean energy, and technical education.

From global supply chains and automation to vocational training, youth engagement, and climate-resilient jobs, this episode explores what it means to rebuild trust in manufacturing and connect local history to future opportunity. It’s a conversation rooted in place - and possibility.

Links:

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

American Factory (Netflix): https://www.netflix.com/title/81090071

Higher Ground Productions:

https://www.highergroundproductions.com

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios

BIC Presents: Clear Waterways with Marc Bellora

nate@natechristy.com (Marc Bellora, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:31:25 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan welcomes Marc Bellora, founder of Clear Waterways Group and member of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator program. A Berkshires native who grew up exploring local lakes and streams on his BMX bike, Marc shares how a childhood love of nature evolved into a mission-driven career in environmental innovation. After earning a degree in Environmental Science and Economics from Ithaca College, Marc went on to work with Krofta Engineering, where he was introduced to dissolved air flotation (DAF) - a powerful but underutilized water treatment technology. Years later, Marc had the idea to bring that industrial-scale solution to recreational waters.

That idea became a reality during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Marc and a former colleague built a working prototype of a mobile water clarifier - a self-propelled, autonomous device that separates contaminants like phosphorus, nitrogen, oil, and bacteria from clean lake water. This “Roomba for Lakes” is portable, easy to launch from a boat ramp, and requires no power or road access. With support from BIC’s prototyping lab and STAT Program, Marc has significantly improved the design, increasing throughput to 200 gallons per minute and reducing weight by shifting away from steel-based components.

Throughout the conversation, Marc reflects on the challenge of deferred maintenance in public waterways, the rise of harmful algal blooms, and the urgent need for tools that municipalities and lake associations can deploy before problems escalate. His innovation not only has the potential to keep beaches open and ecosystems safe - it also reflects a larger commitment to clean water access and climate resilience. Clear Waterways Group is currently seeking additional pilot sites and grant funding to move into commercial manufacturing, with hopes of putting this technology in the hands of those who need it most.

Links

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

Email Clear Waterways Group: clearwaterwaysgroup@gmail.com

Marc Balora (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-bellora-4b120229/

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios.

BIC Presents: Innovating the Workforce for a Greener Future with Lani Willmar

nate@natechristy.com (Lani Willmar, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan) — Tue, 3 Jun 2025 11:58:53 +0000

In this episode, PJ Moynihan speaks with Lani Willmar, founder of Ethos Admissions and Ethos Pathways. A Williams College graduate and first-generation Vietnamese-American entrepreneur, Lani shares how her upbringing shaped her drive to expand educational access and economic opportunity. Starting with college consulting, she soon realized the transformative power of guiding students through stressful systems. Her new initiative, Ethos Pathways, builds on that by addressing climate anxiety and workforce readiness among youth.

With early support from MassCEC and the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator, Lani is developing the Berkshire Climate Career Lab—a program designed to reach environmental justice communities across the region and connect them with green jobs. The episode explores how Lani's holistic, grassroots approach to entrepreneurship is meeting real community needs, and why climate justice is about more than policy—it’s about people. Her mission now includes creating systems that uplift underrepresented students, aligning them with the Commonwealth’s growing climate economy.

Links:

Ethos Admissions:

https://www.ethosadmissions.org/

Ethos Pathways:

https://www.ethospathways.org/

Berkshire Innovation Center:

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios

BIC Presents: Visioning the Future of Advanced Optics

nate@natechristy.com (Vince Einck, Justin McKennon, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:25:36 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, we dive into the world of meta optics - an emerging technology that uses nanoscopic, ultra-thin lenses to manipulate light in ways traditional optics never could.

Our guests are Vince Einck, Chief Technology Officer of Myrias Optics, and Justin McKennon, Principal Scientist II at Electro Magnetic Applications (EMA) — two Massachusetts-based companies collaborating to produce and test metalenses.

Together, they break down:

What metalenses are and how they work.
How nanoimprint lithography allows for mass production of lenses thinner than a human hair.
Why testing in simulated space environments is critical to ensuring meta optics are ready for real-world use.
The role of Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) in funding this high-tech collaboration.
Exciting applications, from augmented reality and AI data centers to aerospace, defense, and photonics.

As Vince and Justin explain, meta optics are more than just a new type of lens — they represent a platform technology with the potential to redefine what’s possible in optics, enabling lighter, smaller, and smarter devices.

This conversation also highlights how Massachusetts is building an ecosystem for advanced manufacturing and innovation, connecting research labs, manufacturers, and testing facilities — all within close proximity, accelerating breakthrough ideas into real-world solutions.

Join us as we explore how next-generation optics are being built and tested right here in the Berkshires — and what this could mean for industries worldwide.

📌 Learn More:

🔗 Visit MyriasOptics.com

🔗 Visit EMA3d.com

🔗 Learn about MassTech.org

Produced by PJ Moynihan & Nate Christy, BIC Studios

BIC Presents: Recovering Traveler - Alex Brown’s Mission to Create Sober-Friendly Hospitality

nate@natechristy.com (Alex Brown, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan) — Wed, 5 Mar 2025 14:17:39 +0000

In this episode of BIC Presents, we sit down with Alex Brown, founder of Recover Hospitality, a company dedicated to making hotels, restaurants, and travel experiences more inclusive for the sober community. As someone in long-term recovery and a seasoned hotelier, Alex saw firsthand the challenges of navigating hospitality spaces where alcohol is deeply ingrained in the culture.

Through his business, Alex works with hotels and restaurants to create sober-friendly spaces, offering consulting, certification, and education to help establishments better serve the growing market of over 80 million sober and sober-curious adults in the U.S. He also launched CXN Travel, a full-service agency for booking sober-friendly vacations, and The Recovering Traveler, a platform sharing resources, advocacy, and mental health insights.

Join us as we explore how Alex is redefining hospitality, helping businesses tap into an underserved market, and making travel more accessible for those in recovery.

📌 Learn More:
🔗 Visit RecoverHospitality.com

🔗 Visit CXNTravel
📲 Follow @RecoveringTraveler on Instagram

Produced by: PJ Moynihan & Nate Christy, BIC Studios

BIC Presents: Building for Success - Manufacturing Strategies for Startups

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:39:11 +0000

In this episode, industry experts dive into challenges and strategies for scaling a hardware startup, from manufacturing partnerships to cost-effective design and supply chain management. Recorded live at the Berkshire Innovation Center and moderated by Director of Applied Technology Tim Butterworth, the panel features Eric Planey, CEO of SolaBlock; David McCloskey, founder of Alogous Engineering; and David Allen, President of Sinicon Plastics. They discuss key factors in manufacturing strategy, from balancing design and cost to navigating supply chains and outsourcing production. The conversation highlights real-world insights into scaling from prototype to production while managing market demands and funding constraints. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, engineer, or investor, this episode offers valuable insight into bringing physical products to market.

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mccloskey-1538b83a/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-allen-7702b1b/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-planey-8555299/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-butterworth-4bb42027/

https://www.solablock.com/

https://siniconplastics.com/

https://www.alogusinnovation.com/

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

Produced by: Nate Christy and PJ Moynihan

BIC Presents: Massachusetts Climatetech Studio

nate@natechristy.com (Sharon Bort, Benedikt Reynolds, Nate Christy, PJ Moynihan) — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:15:24 +0000

In this episode, Sharon Bort and Benedikt Reynolds discuss the groundbreaking work of the Massachusetts Climatetech Studio. The program pairs university and lab-based technologies with entrepreneurs to help commercialize climate tech innovations. Participants receive a stipend, expert mentorship, and access to grant funding, making entrepreneurship more accessible and equitable. Sharon and Benedict highlight the success of their first cohort, which has already resulted in six new startups moving toward incorporation. Applications for the next cohort are open until February 28, 2025, and the program is designed to accommodate participants with various backgrounds and levels of experience. Learn how this initiative is shaping the future of Climatetech entrepreneurs in Massachusetts and beyond.

Links:
https://www.fedtech.io/startup-studios/massclimatetechstudio
https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

BIC Presents: Connecting Communities Through Hiring Innovation

nate@natechristy.com (Eric Singer, PJ Moynihan, Nate Christy) — Mon, 9 Dec 2024 15:06:34 +0000

Eric Singer shares the story of how his personal journey and passion for data inspired the creation of Magnetworks. Discover how their innovative platform simplifies job referrals, transforming hiring into a community-driven process. Eric also discusses how Magnetworks is tackling inefficiencies in the traditional job market, fostering local talent retention, and adapting hiring practices for a more human-centered future.

Links:

https://www.magnetworks.co/

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program

BIC Presents: Slow Charging Ahead - Revvit Re-imagines EV Infrastructure

nate@natechristy.com (Ross Bloom, PJ Moynihan, Nate Christy) — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:12:51 +0000

In this episode of the BIC Presents Podcast, we sit down with Ross Bloom, founder of Revvit, one of the startups currently enrolled in the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator program. Ross shares how Revvit aims to transform the EV charging landscape via a low-cost, slow-charging solution that leverages existing electrical infrastructure. He shares his vision for Revvit’s success, the sustainability principles in their product design, and how Revvit aims to make EV adoption more accessible and efficient as part of the overall Energy Transition.

Links:

https://www.revvit.net/

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program

BIC Presents: Art, Science and Sustainability

nate@natechristy.com (Sarah Swift, PJ Moynihan, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Nate Christy) — Thu, 3 Oct 2024 22:40:22 +0000

This BIC Presents Podcast features Dr. Dennis Rebelo Ph.D., Best-Selling Author and Chief Learning Officer at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Sarah Swift, an advocate for sustainable innovation, delves into her unique approach to merging artistic creativity with environmental consciousness. With a background in both the arts and green technologies, she highlights the power of creative thinking in solving real-world environmental challenges. Her talk explores how we can reimagine the future by blending creativity, technology, and sustainability to inspire innovation that not only benefits the planet but also enriches human experiences. Sarah encourages us to embrace imaginative solutions for a more sustainable world.

Links:

Dr. Dennis Rebelo

Sarah Swift

BIC Presents: Creating a Student Experience Center

nate@natechristy.com (Dr. Dennis Rebelo) — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 19:52:34 +0000

In this BIC Presents podcast, Chief Learning Officer Dr. Dennis Rebelo sat down with Hayden and Alex - young educators working in the northern Berkshire school district - to explore their recent visit to the Experience Center at BIC Works @ MoCA. This episode explores how the students engaged with cutting-edge technologies in an interactive, hands-on environment, and delves into the contrast between this playful, innovative approach to education and the traditional structural requirements of the classroom.

Links:

Dr. Dennis Rebelo

BIC Presents: Prospecting for Biotech

nate@natechristy.com (Berkshire Innovation Center) — Mon, 20 May 2024 15:31:29 +0000

This BIC Presents podcast is a discussion with William Newsome from Fibrocor Therapeutics, a BIC Stage 2 Accelerator company. A Monument Mountain and Berkshire Community College alumni, Newsome discusses the path which lead him into a career in Biotech, Fibrocor's work treating diseases of fibrosis, and the prospect of bringing Biotech to the Berkshires.

Links:

Fibrocor Website

Fibrocor on LinkedIn

About BIC Stage 2 Accelerator

BIC Presents: BMA After Glow

Wed, 1 May 2024 17:29:46 +0000

This BIC Presents Podcast features Dr. Dennis Rebelo Ph.D., Best-Selling Author and Chief Learning Officer at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Matt McInerney, BIC Manufacturing Academy (BMA) alum and Business Intelligence Software Specialist at Interprint USA. Dr. D and Matt sat down in the studio with BIC Studios Executive Producer PJ Moynihan to reflect on the first two cohorts of the BMA program, and discuss Matt’s on-going process of DMAIC inside the walls at Interprint.

About BIC Manufacturing Academy

Interprint USA

BIC Presents: S2A Catalyst Day

Wed, 3 Apr 2024 13:08:41 +0000

As part of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator (S2A) program, we recently hosted a “Catalyst Day” at The Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield, which convened startups participating in the program along with members of the community and stakeholders from across Massachusetts. This BIC Presents Podcast features two S2A firms - Noble Carbon and eSki - along with Leslie Nash from Mass Clean Energy Center, discussing the emerging ClimateTech sector and it's impact here in the Commonwealth, and the Berkshires.

Mass Clean Energy Center

Stage 2 Accelerator

eSki

BIC Presents: About BIC Manufacturing Academy (BMA)

Fri, 8 Mar 2024 17:21:03 +0000

The first installment of the BIC Presents podcast delves into the creation and implementation of the BIC Manufacturing Academy - otherwise known as BMA - an industry-led training collaborative designed to address persistent challenges facing the manufacturing economy in the Berkshire region (Massachusetts, USA).

This roundtable discussion facilitated by PJ Moynihan of BIC Studios features Lionel Kimerling, Thomas Lord Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Best-Selling Author and Chief Learning Officer at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center.

The discussion provides an overview of BMA, which was developed by the Berkshire Innovation Center in partnership with MIT, General Dynamics Mission Systems, MassTech Collaborative, and the US Department of Commerce, with additional support of local and state matching funds.

About BIC Manufacturing Academy

About Berkshires Innovation Center