With Two Dozen Events Over Five Days, Boston's Inaugural Tough Tech Week Kicks Off Today

Community-based celebration is bringing together the innovation ecosystem in Massachusetts, organized by The Engine 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts leads the world in taking on tough challenges using tough technology. Across climate, biotech, pharma, robotics, AI, quantum computing, and advanced systems–thousands of breakthroughs have emerged from research in the Commonwealth, and hundreds of companies have formed to bring this science to commercialization. This week, we celebrate that history while looking towards how to support emerging leaders in Massachusetts' economy. From women's health to hardware to pop culture to biomanufacturing, there's something for everyone during Tough Tech Week.

Organized by The Engine with presenting sponsor J.P. Morgan Innovation Economy, Tough Tech Week cements Massachusetts as the premier hub for Tough Tech: transformational science and engineering addressing the world's most challenging problems.

The week is anchored around the seventh annual Tough Tech Summit, produced in partnership with Engine Ventures. Additional events are hosted by organizations in the ecosystem and designed to bring together people and resources in support of transformative technology. People interested in attending events during the week can check out the Tough Tech Week website for the most up-to-date information. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in panels, pitch sessions and demo days, founder discussions, workshops, and industry-specific gatherings.

Highlights include:

• (Monday, Oct 7) Tough Tech Week Kickoff with GE Vernova: Join GE Vernova and J.P. Morgan leadership and Yvonne Hao, Massachusetts' Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development, for a Tough Tech Week Kickoff Event at GE Vernova's Cambridge world-headquarters.
• (Monday, Oct 7) Investing in Tough Tech with ven^x: An event featuring a diverse set of perspectives on the nuances of Tough Tech investing, hosted by Boston's first collaborative deep tech VC hub.
• (Monday, Oct 7) Financing First-of-a-Kind Tough Tech Projects: A panel of Tough Tech founders and experts from The Engine and HSBC Innovation Banking discussing best practices in financing innovative technologies and de-risking the process of getting ideas out of a lab, into a factory, and into the world
• (Tuesday, Oct 8) Breakthrough Energy Fellows Investor Breakfast: An invite-only gathering of Breakthrough Energy Fellows and key climate tech investors, this event will provide an opportunity to connect, share insights, and explore opportunities within the tough tech ecosystem. Space and coordination generously supported by J.P. Morgan and Cambridge Consultants.
• (Tuesday & Wednesday, Oct 8-9) Tough Tech Summit: A gathering of thought leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and researchers for a two-day, invite-only conference co-hosted by Engine Ventures and The Engine.
• (Tuesday, Oct 8) Climate Tech Cocktails Party at The Grand: Convening the climate tech community and our supporting ecosystem to accelerate momentum in Boston.
• (Thursday, Oct 10) Activate Demo Day & Tech Showcase: Activate Demo Day in Boston is an in-person, hands-on investor expo where Activate Fellows present their cutting-edge innovations to investors, industry leaders, and key stakeholders, marking their transition from groundbreaking research to impactful market-ready technologies.

Join Us in Boston

Experience the dynamic Tough Tech ecosystem firsthand. For startup founders, investors, researchers, and the Tough Tech curious, Tough Tech Week offers a platform to engage with the forefront of technology and innovation. Visit ToughTechWeek.xyz to learn more about events, RSVP, and get updates as the agenda evolves; and follow the action on LinkedIn.

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, J.P. Morgan Innovation Economy, as well as The Engine's partners and Tough Tech Week event hosts:

Activate | Arrow Electronics | Breakthrough Energy Fellows | BXP | Cambridge Consultants | Climate Tech Cocktails | Commonwealth of Massachusetts | CSC Leasing | Dacon Corporation | Deloitte | The Engine Ventures | Eppendorf | GE Vernova | Greentown Labs | Hilti | HSBC Innovation Banking | Kendall Square Association | LabCentral | Marsh McLennan Agency | MassINC | Merlin | MilliporeSigma | Mintz | MIT Museum | MIT Open Space Programming | Museum of Science | New England Network Solutions | Thermo Fisher | Triumvirate Environmental | ven^x

About The Engine

The Engine was built by MIT to support and accelerate any and all Tough Tech companies solving the world's most challenging problems, as they move from research breakthroughs to commercial impact. The Engine provides the critical infrastructure, programs and ecosystem early-stage Tough Tech companies need to thrive. Learn more at www.engine.xyz. 

Media Contact:
Jacqui Miller
+1 (978) 314-3146
[email protected]

SOURCE The Engine