The Engine is a nonprofit incubator and accelerator for early-stage deep tech startups, founded by MIT in 2016 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.Russell, Melia. Inside the Engine Accelerator, the anti-Y Combinator for 'tough tech' startups. Business Insider. August 16, 2024.Nanos, Janelle. At The Engine Accelerator, Emily Knight helps bring world-changing ‘tough tech’ out of the lab. The Boston Globe. May 2, 2024.

The Engine has supported hundreds of companies, which have collectively raised $5.5B in funding. Former resident companies and program participants include Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Form Energy.Kirsner, Scott. The Engine at MIT is revving up the potential of ‘tough tech’. The Boston Globe. February 24, 2020.

About

The Engine specializes in supporting startups developing hardware-based technologies across deep tech fields including biotech, robotics, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing, material science, and quantum computing. Collectively, The Engine refers to the technologies it incubates as "tough tech."

The Engine provides resident startups with shared access to wet labs, fabrication space, machine shops and office space.Pressman, Aaron. Venture capital fund backed by MIT spins off startup support unit. The Boston Globe. January 29, 2024. It also offers programs to help scientists and engineers learn business and leadership skills,De Chant, Tim. Activate and The Engine Accelerator team up to train scientists to become founders. Tech Crunch. December 13, 2024. and hosts events to convene investors, policymakers, and business leaders.MIT News Office The Engine expands, responding to rapid growth of “tough tech”. MIT News. August 27, 2019.

History

On October 26, 2016, MIT launched The Engine as both an investment fund and accelerator space to support startup companies working on technology for addressing global challenges.Matheson, Rob. MIT launches new venture for world-changing entrepreneurs. MIT News. October 26, 2016.Coldewey, Devin. ‘The Engine’ is MIT’s incubator for tech and science companies straight out of the lab. Tech Crunch. October 26, 2016.

The Engine opened its first headquarters in Cambridge's Central SquareHarris, David L. MIT to fund, support 'tough' innovations with 'The Engine' The Republican. October 31, 2016. and closed its first investment fund for over $150 million in April 2017, with $25 million committed by MIT.Matheson, Rob. The Engine closes its first fund for over $150 million. MIT News. April 6, 2017.Kolodny, Lora. A $150 million fund, The Engine, will back startups others find ‘too hard’. Tech Crunch. April 9, 2017. In September 2017, The Engine selected its first cohort of seven startups to invest in.Khalid, Asma. With $200 Million, MIT's The Engine Makes Its First Investments In 'Tough Tech' WBUR. September 19, 2017.Matheson, Rob. The Engine announces investments in first group of startups. MIT News. September 19, 2017.Konrad, Alex. MIT's $200M Venture Fund Invests in Energy, Space, and Smell. Forbes. September 19, 2017

The Engine hosted its first Tough Tech Summit in Boston in October 2018. The event has since been held every year and was expanded in 2024 to be included within a Tough Tech Week, featuring a series of events across the Greater Boston area.Kirsner, Scott. Massachusetts tech events 2025: 6 major conferences coming this fall Mass Live. September 8, 2025.

In August 2019, The Engine announced that it would begin construction on a 200,000 square foot expansion of shared office, fabrication, and lab space. in the old Polaroid building at 750 Main Street in Cambridge. The new space would expand The Engine's capacity to host over 100 companies, employing at least 1,000 people, across both locations.Chesto, Jon. MIT spinoff will expand into old Polaroid building The Boston Globe. August 27, 2019. The new facility opened its doors in the summer of 2022.

In 2023, the investment fund separated from The Engine and rebranded as the venture capital firm Engine Ventures.

The National Science Foundation granted $9.5 million to The Engine in September 2023 to develop, launch and run The Builder Platform to support its inaugural Regional Innovation Engines. The Builder Platform provides resources, community and advisory services to support nine Regional Innovation Engines across the United States.

References