Government & Public Affairs

Where Tough Tech Meets Public Policy

  • The Engine hosts First Lady Jill Biden to announce the 100 million ARPA H Sprint for Women's Health initiative.
  • Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President National Climate Advisor, presents on climate policy paradigms at the 2024 Tough Tech Summit.
  • A panel discussion at The Engine.
  • The Engine CEO Emily Knight shakes hands with two women at The Engine.
  • Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey joined for the milestone groundbreaking of Commonwealth Fusion Systems new headquarters in Devens, MA.
  • Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey sits on a panel at The Engine's Make it in Mass event.
  • Ian Watson Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense speaking about biosurveillance the 2024 Tough Tech Summit.
  • MA Governor Maura Healey visits Boston Metal's headquarters in Woburn, MA.
  • MA Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao speaks to the power of Team Massachusetts at the inaugural Tough Tech Week 2024.
  • Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey takes a tour of The Engine with CEO Emily Knight.

How We Help

The Engine bridges the gap between Tough Tech founders and the public stakeholders that enable their success.

  • Engaging the Public Sector

    At the Engine, we help foster relationships between policymakers, Tough Tech founders, and other key stakeholders to raise awareness of the challenges facing Tough Tech and create opportunities to nurture their success.

  • Access to Non-dilutive Capital

    Public funding is a vital source of non-dilutive capital for Tough Tech founders. We help founders access and apply for public funding opportunities, while working with policymakers to maximize their impact.

  • Convening Decision Makers

    The Engine regularly curates gatherings between public policymakers and founders to highlight the cross-sector reach of Tough Tech and foster dialogue among key stakeholders.

A Platform to Support Regional Innovation Ecosystems

In partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), The Builder Platform, powered by The Engine, is supporting ten regional innovation engines. The Builder Platform accelerates regional ecosystems into a force multiplier for the national economy, helping create thriving communities that drive lasting economic and societal impact.

Discover the NSF Builder Platform
A graphic map of the United States showing 10 regional innovation ecosystems supported by The Builder Platform, powered by The Engine with funding from the National Science Foundation.
    • “The Engine has gone above and beyond in providing invaluable public affairs support. They helped us design and implement effective stakeholder-engagement frameworks, facilitated critical introductions to leaders in the public and private sectors, and even positioned Sublime for inclusion in third-party government funding applications. This holistic support has been pivotal in expanding our network and growth prospects.”
      Joe Hicken SVP Business Development and Policy, Sublime Systems
      The Co-founders of Sublime Systems pose for a photo in their workspace.
      Co-Founders of Sublime Systems
    • “The Engine’s Public Affairs team has helped us tremendously in navigating policy changes and funding opportunities at the state and federal level. Moreover, they have coached us through structuring our future legislative affairs needs, resulting in a Head of Government job description and recruiting process as well as introductions to high-level candidates for the position.”
      Tim Menke, PhD Co-founder & COO, Atlantic Quantum
      The Atlantic Quantum team pose for a photo in a darkly lit room.
      The Atlantic Quantum Leadership team
    • “Working with The Engine has been great. Both their team and the experts they bring in have been a huge help in shaping our strategy on government relations, facility siting, and financing projects.”
      Ciaran Dunn VP of Engineering at Circe Bioscience
      Circe Bioscience founder Shannon Nangle stands in front of a complex system of steel pipes and reactors.
      Circe Bioscience founder Shannon Nangle
    • “Our collaboration with The Engine offers the potential to keep more of our entrepreneurs and technology solutions here in Massachusetts. The Engine’s team offers a real model for how Boston-area institutions can support the prosperity of every region in the state.”
      André Leroux Program Director, Gateway Cities Innovation Institute, MassINC Policy Center
      Sublime Systems is building its first low-carbon cement factory in Holyoke, one of 26 Gateway Cities in MA.

    “In Tough Tech, founders are building new industries faster than regulation can keep up. Our job at the Engine is to engage government officials at the state, local, and federal level to make it easier for founders to get breakthrough ideas out of the lab.”

    A headshot of The Engine's Chief Growth Officer Ben Downing.
    Ben Downing Chief Growth Officer, The Engine

    Join the Ecosystem.

    If you’re in the public sector and would like to learn more, collaborate on an event, or meet with our Tough Tech founders, we’d love to hear from you.

    Get in Touch
    A graphic showing the logos of The Engine's collaborators in the public sector, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, The Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development, Argonne National Laboratory, ARPA-H, The Berkeley Lab, The Idaho National Laboratory, JPE-CBRND, MASSCEC, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the National Science Foundation, and Cradle to Commerce.