Robotics Digital Twin NOFO 2026-JAII-02

The Robotics Department at the Innovation Institute, in partnership with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Robotics Digital Twin NOFO 2026-JAII-02" to enhance access to robotics tools and strengthen the robotics ecosystem across Massachusetts. This solicitation invites proposals from Massachusetts-based nonprofit organizations, university research laboratories, and small-to-midsized businesses specializing in hardware-based robotic platforms. The initiative aims to foster robotics innovation by funding the development of novel robotic designs along with their digital twins, which will be made publicly accessible to benefit the wider community. Applicants can request capital grants ranging from $25,000 up to $300,000, with a mandatory 25% matching contribution. The NOFO details the program goals, eligibility criteria, allowable uses of funds, and evaluation metrics. Key dates include the release on December 5, 2025, a bidders’ conference scheduled for December 11, 2025, and a response deadline of January 9, 2026. The solicitation is identified under NAICS code 541715, with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as the issuing agency. The program seeks to expand innovation capacity statewide by supporting projects that integrate physical robotics with digital twin technology, thereby advancing development, experimentation, and deployment within the robotics sector.