News

Activate's Boston community moves into The Engine at 750 Main Street, with plans to expand joint programming, commercialization training, and support for Tough Tech founders.

BioMed Realty goes inside the labs, fabrication space, and community where Tough Tech companies move from idea to impact.

The Engine ranks No. 18 nationally and No. 2 in Massachusetts on TIME and Statista's first list of America's Best Incubators and Accelerators, which draws on alumni feedback and track record.

As The Engine marks 10 years, CEO Emily Knight talks with the Boston Business Journal about building support for Tough Tech companies and what comes next.

NSF names 12 new Regional Innovation Engines across 20 states. The Engine is proud to support this work through The Builder Platform, our partnership with the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Ten years after MIT's bet on Tough Tech, the Boston Business Journal looks at how The Engine became part of the origin story of Massachusetts technology companies, and what comes next.

The first impact report from the nine inaugural NSF Engines, supported by The Builder Platform, shows progress in R&D, commercialization, workforce development, and economic growth.

In its profile of Fire Awards honoree The Engine, BostInno explores how becoming an independent nonprofit helped The Engine expand its support for Tough Tech companies.

Massachusetts universities produce more spinouts than most states, at an average of $90 million in federal research funding each. The Boston Business Journal points to The Engine as a model for doing it more efficiently.

The Engine is among BostInno's 2025 Fire Awards honorees, which recognize 50 companies, organizations, and individuals making a major impact on Boston's ecosystem.

Tough Tech Week returns for a second year with the Tough Tech Summit, a Demo Day featuring nearly 100 startups, and events hosted by more than 35 ecosystem organizations.

Ignition Pass helps early-stage Tough Tech startups reach the labs and equipment they need to de-risk their technology before raising significant capital. Shell sponsors the first award.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Engine can extend its mission, expand its impact, and unlock new ways to support Tough Tech companies moving from breakthrough to scale.

Activate and The Engine join forces to shorten the path from breakthrough research to commercial impact, with shared curriculum, training, and expert support for Tough Tech founders.

The inaugural Tough Tech Week brings together inventors, investors, researchers, and corporate leaders across Boston and Cambridge for five days of events in October 2024.

Waymaker Group, which helps emerging cities build innovation ecosystems, partners with The Engine and NSF to support the NSF Regional Innovation Engines through The Builder Platform.

The Engine separates its lab infrastructure and programs from its venture fund, creating The Engine Accelerator to give Tough Tech companies the specialized space they need to grow.

Speaking at MIT Tech Review this past fall, our CEO & Managing Partner, Katie Rae shared her thoughts on the importance of building an ecosystem around Tough Tech leaders.

155,000 Square Foot Building with Bio and Chem Labs, Industrial Workshops, and Office and Event Space Will Bring Together the Tough Tech Ecosystem

After sitting vacant for almost two decades, the transformational startups at The Engine 750 Main are bringing new life to the 155,000-square-foot, MIT-owned building.

MIT President L. Rafael Reif reflects on 5 years of The Engine and the rapid growth of the Tough Tech ecosystem in MIT's backyard.

Paula Hammond, MIT Institute Professor and head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, joins The Engine's Board, bringing decades of work in human health and energy technologies.

In a society where speed is of the essence, startups are tackling large, urgent problems that quick fixes can’t solve.

The Engine announces the appointment of Susan (Sue) E. Siegel as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Innovations in fields like energy and transportation often take time—and extra support—to develop. The Engine at MIT is helping them make the leap from the lab to the marketplace.

The Engine will provide funding, space, and expertise—powering a network of innovation networks.