PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC), announced the second cohort of startup firms that have been accepted into the BIC's Stage 2 Accelerator program.  

 

This 35-week hands-on and results-oriented program is designed to serve early-stage tech startups.  The awardees will receive membership and a dedicated workspace at the BIC and will have full access to BIC labs, advanced equipment, digital media studio, educational programming, and internal team of subject matter experts, as well as broad and curated support from the BIC's committed member community. 

 

"We launched our Stage 2 Accelerator program last year to crystalize and expand our offerings so that we could provide the full range of BIC resources to more entrepreneurs," said Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center. "We had tremendous firms in last year's cohort, most of which we continue to work with very closely as part of our community of BIC members.  It is thrilling to welcome this next crop of entrepreneurs and to continue to build this program, which presents such an opportunity to fuel the growth of new firms and new jobs in sectors prioritized by the Commonwealth, and that strength of our regional rural economy." 

 

Firms accepted into Cohort 2 of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator are:

 

Revvit builds low-cost and simple electric vehicle charging at commercial, multi-family, fleet parking and public properties. The company's mission is to provide all communities with hyper-convenient EV charging to propel adoption of electric transportation in currently underserved locations. Revvit's electric vehicle charger utilizes the popular Level 1 (120 volt) charging mode - https://www.revvit.net/

 

Ethos Admissions focuses on college and career readiness, helping to prepare the next generation of climate-tech workers. Their program makes a deep connection and commitment to equity with a focus on postsecondary readiness and youth workforce development for marginalized and underserved students in rural and gateway communities - https://www.ethosadmissions.org/

 

Solid State Marine manufactures solid state lithium batteries for electric watercraft. Their composition eliminates the use of highly unstable liquids, greatly reducing thermal runaway conditions that cause typical lithium batteries to ignite. They are 30 percent smaller than the leading lithium-ion batteries, enabling big boat electronics in all vessels - https://solidstatemarine.com/

 

Clear Waterways Group, LLC has developed a self-contained device that clarifies large bodies of water. The device was developed to mitigate and remediate adverse effects of toxic algae blooms caused by nutrient pollution, and remove and prevent invasive species such as zebra mussels, from spreading in lakes, ponds, and rivers.

 

SuryaTech integrates battery storage with solar power, and enables faster and more consistent EV charging by storing solar energy for on-demand usage. This stored power can also be fed back into the grid during peak demand, enhancing grid stability and efficiency. This system leverages renewable energy to facilitate rapid charging while reducing reliance on non-renewable power sources. Overall, it promotes a more sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure, supporting the broader adoption of electric vehicles - https://suryatechpower.com/

 

Magnetworks is a community-driven job referral platform and modern job feed that leverages technology and word-of-mouth to transform regional hiring.  With automated referral tools and local rewards for successful hires, Magnetworks turns the job search into a collaborative, community-focused effort.  The platform empowers employers with simple, automated tools to engage their networks and reward referrals with what the community values most - https://www.magnetworks.co/

 

Recover Hospitality is making travel more enjoyable and accessible for individuals who prioritize mental health and well-being. As healthier lifestyles and mindful choices gain momentum, hospitality environments that cater to the non-drinking and sober-curious population can make a significant impact. Recover Hospitality helps unlock the potential of this sizable market through the CXN Hotel Collection: a curated selection of hotels supportive of mental wellbeing - https://recoverhospitality.com/

 

The partners providing support for this program include: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Mill Town Foundation, 1Berkshire, Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds, Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp., MassMEDIC, Altium, MathWorks, and SolidWorks.

 

Entrepreneurs in the cohort will also have access to the BIC Manufacturing Academy (BMA), a program built in partnership with MIT and local industry partners with funding support from the US Department of Commerce and MassTech Collaborative, that is gaining national and international attention. 

 

In addition to the BMA and the BIC's facilities, equipment and software packages, firms in the program will have extensive access to the vast network of experts that engage with the BIC regularly.  Among the numerous mentors supporting the entrepreneurs and guiding the growth of the program is Sam Russo, co-founder of Dive Technologies, a firm that leveraged BIC resources to build their autonomous underwater vehicle prior to acquisition by Anduril Industries in 2022.  Russo, a Pittsfield native, maintains an office at the BIC and serves as the program's official "Entrepreneur in Residence."