BOSTON, Mass — The Board of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) voted to appoint Ben Downing as the next Chief Executive Officer. 

 

Downing is currently the Chief Growth Officer at The Engine, a nonprofit incubator and accelerator built by MIT to support climatetech, biotech, and advanced infrastructure startups. He also previously served as a State Senator representing the Berkshires and as Senate Chair of the Joint Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee.

 

"Massachusetts is home to some of the world's leading climatetech companies, and many of their successes can be attributed to Ben Downing's visionary leadership in the Legislature and the support he has spearheaded for startups at The Engine," said Governor Maura Healey. "Our administration is deeply committed to growing our innovation economy. With strong support authorized under the Mass Leads Act, Ben will steer our climatetech industry and over 162,000 climatetech workers to its next chapter."

 

Downing is the Chief Growth Officer at The Engine, working hands on with climatetech and biotech startups. In that capacity, he supported, advised, and worked with teams from Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Form Energy, VEIR, Sublime Systems, Lydian Labs, Atlantic Quantum, Vaxess, Foundation Alloy, Cellino Bio, Robigo, and many more. He helped them secure hundreds of millions in federal awards, build  connections, and make significant investments across Massachusetts.

 

"I am thrilled to join MassCEC to lead this next, critical chapter and grateful to the Board, Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, and Secretary Tepper for the opportunity," said Downing. "My experience has taught me that Massachusetts can be the place where the solutions to climate change are invented, built, and deployed. Doing so affordably requires activating all of the state's resources. I'm excited to help MassCEC do just that with our partners in the Healey Administration, the Legislature, the clean energy and climatetech sectors and more. Let's get to work."

 

Prior to this role, he was Vice President of New Market Development for Nexamp, a clean energy company focused on community solar and lowering customer utility bills. Downing led strategic expansion working nationally with a specific focus in Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Beginning in 2007, Downing served as State Senator representing his home district in the Berkshires. 

 

As the Senate Chair of the Joint Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy Committee, he helped shape Massachusetts' clean energy and climatetech policy, including authorizing the first offshore wind procurement, investments in the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, support for workforce development, and energy affordability initiatives to rein in costs. He committed to term limits and departed the Legislature in 2017. He was a candidate for Governor in 2022. 

 

Downing lives in East Boston with his wife and two sons.

 

"Ben brings a rare combination of policy experience, hands-on startup leadership, and deep relationships across the climatetech ecosystem," said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. "At a time of growing global competition in climatetech, Ben is the right leader to help MassCEC strengthen our innovation pipeline, support companies as they scale, and ensure this industry continues to deliver economic growth across Massachusetts."

 

Downing's tenure will begin in April 2026. He will take over for Dr. Jennifer Le Blond, who has served as interim CEO since November 2025. Le Blond will return to her role leading the Emerging Climatetech Team at MassCEC.  

 

"It's been a pleasure to lead the agency during this transition period, and I'm looking forward to continuing to work with Ben in his new role," said MassCEC Interim CEO Dr. Jennifer Le Blond. "Massachusetts's climatetech industry continues to expand. MassCEC staff work hard every day to make Massachusetts the state where climatetech companies stay and grow."

 

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is a state economic development agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the clean energy and climatetech sector across the Commonwealth to spur job creation, deliver statewide environmental benefits, increase affordability, and secure long-term economic opportunities for the people of Massachusetts.