Anyone who has built a Tough Tech company knows the challenge. You may need a specific piece of equipment or environment; a cleanroom for a short run, a pilot line to to test whether a process holds at volume, or a characterization rig to isolate a defect that only surfaces at scale. In many cases, the equipment exists, but finding it is another matter entirely.
Teams often rely on word of mouth, outdated websites, or cold outreach that may not lead anywhere. Weeks pass without progress, and timelines slip not because the science is unsolved, but because the right facility is out of reach.
The Tough Tech Map is built to address that gap. Now live at toughtechmap.xyz, it is a free, open directory of labs, test beds, core facilities, incubators, and programs. Importantly, these resources support external teams, not only those affiliated with a specific university or institution. Each listing includes clear information on how to access the resource, is organized by sector and capability, and will continue to expand as more infrastructure comes online.
What's On The Map
The map brings together a range of infrastructure across the country, including:
University core facilities and NNCI network sites for nanofabrication, imaging, and materials characterization
Incubators and accelerators with hands-on equipment and technical staff, including Greentown Labs, Bakar Labs, LACI, Forge, NewLab, and Activate
National labs with defined startup access programs, such as Argonne National Laboratory
Test beds and regional hubs with specialized capabilities, from grid and energy storage to thermal systems and robotics
NSF-supported Regional Innovation Engines and other nationally-scoped infrastructure programs
Resources are cataloged at the facility and capability level, rather than by individual instrument. The goal is to help teams quickly determine whether a resource is worth pursuing before investing time in outreach.
Using the map is straightforward. Filter by sector, resource type, location, or capability, then review access details and contact information for each listing. The map is free to use and does not require an account.
Why We Built the Tough Tech Map
For many companies, the limiting factor in building in the physical world is not only capital or technical insight, but access—knowing which facility, in which location, has the capability you need, and whether it is available to external teams.
Historically, that knowledge has been unevenly distributed, concentrated in a small number of well-connected regions. Companies building near established hubs often benefit from proximity and informal networks. Those outside these areas can face longer timelines and fewer pathways to critical infrastructure. The Tough Tech Map is designed to make that landscape more visible and more accessible. It reflects a deliberate focus on surfacing infrastructure beyond major hubs and supporting teams wherever they are building.
This work extends The Engine’s mission. Founded by MIT in 2016, The Engine supports early-stage Tough Tech companies with specialized infrastructure, programming, and an ecosystem of experts and investors. The map makes a core part of that infrastructure layer more broadly available, opening access beyond those in our incubator and programs.
The Tough Tech Map is supported by a grant from The Rockefeller Foundation, a U.S.-based philanthropic organization committed to expanding Tough Tech across the country. As part of their U.S. Big Bets for America conference recap, Emily Knight, The Engine’s CEO, was quoted:
“We built the Tough Tech Map to open up access to the infrastructure founders need to scale, not just in major hubs, but everywhere. It serves as connective tissue, helping startups leverage shared Tough-Tech-specific resources so they can stay capital efficient while turning breakthrough ideas into real-world impact.”
Emily Knight CEO & President, The Engine
Contribute to The Map
The value of the map depends on its accuracy and breadth. It improves as more organizations contribute. We hope you, our Tough Tech ecosystem, can help fill it in.
If you operate a lab, test bed, incubator, or a program that provides external access to Tough Tech companies, we encourage you to submit it. Each entry is reviewed before publication to ensure quality and clarity.
→ Submit your resource: https://toughtechmap.engine.xyz/submit
Acknowledging Early Contributors
The Tough Tech Map launched with contributions from organizations that helped shape its initial scope. We are grateful to Harvard CNS, NNCI, Greentown Labs, LACI, Forge, NewLab, Bakar Labs, Activate, and Argonne National Lab, among others, for their early participation.
If your organization is not yet included, we welcome your contribution.