Massachusetts innovation accelerator helping marine sciences

Tor-Eddie Fossbakk The development corporation’s strategy is to seek out and identify technologies with commercial applications and the help the researchers and engineers to bring their products to the market. The goal is to create new jobs and diversify the local industry and RTDC will do this through enticing and helping newly started entrepreneurial ventures. This is not a new idea for the Cape Cod area but it wasn’t until the state legislature put up USD 200,000 in start-up funding in 2006 that the corporation could begin its work. The organization also received USD 150,000 from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative earlier this year. Right now it is the marine sciences that are in the RTDC’s focus. An “innovation accelerator” has been set up to investigate new developments in marine technology. The goal is to determine these developments’ commercial potential. Because the RTDC has set up headquarter in Woods Hole, it is located very close to two of the United States’ most prestigious research facilities; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Marine Biological Laboratory. Currently, the marine sciences accelerator is studying and evaluating 7-8 different technologies which may have commercial potential. The plan is to present these new innovations to the marine sciences advisory board later this month. The marine sciences accelerator is looking at as many as seven or eight technologies that may have commercial promise, Curtis said. These innovations will be presented and considered at a meeting of the marine sciences advisory board this month. Successful candidates will receive help from the development corporation to get started on the long journey to full commercial production.