Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $2 Million to Support Robotic Digital Twins Initiative

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Innovation Institute, a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), Wednesday awarded nearly $2 million through the Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative to six organizations advancing robotics innovation across the state. The funding will help accelerate commercialization pathways for robotics hardware developers by expanding access to digital twin technologies.

Digital twins, or virtual, data-driven replicas of physical robots, allow users to test robots virtually before deployment in real-world environments, reducing costs, improving safety and accelerating innovation. The grantees will provide a digital twin of their product and make it publicly accessible for use by the broader robotics ecosystem.

"Massachusetts has long been at the forefront of robotics innovation and we're committed to helping that industry continue to grow and thrive here," said Governor Maura Healey. "These investments will give companies the tools they need to develop new technologies, create jobs and bring the next generation of robotics breakthroughs to market right here in Massachusetts."

"We want Massachusetts to be the best place in the country to start, grow and scale innovative companies," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "This initiative will help lower barriers for entrepreneurs and researchers, strengthen our innovation ecosystem, and create new pathways for students and workers to participate in this growing industry."

Massachusetts is home to more than 500 robotics companies, over 100 dedicated research and development (R&D) labs, and a strong network of academic and industry leaders, positioning the state as a national hub for robotics innovation. The Mass Wins Act, Governor Healey’s economic development bill proposed in April 2026, includes a reauthorization and expansion of state robotics investments and $25 million to support R&D and commercialization. 

“The Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin initiative removes barriers like high costs and adoption risk factors that can slow the commercialization of emerging technologies,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “With these investments, teams can further test and refine technologies, accelerating innovation and advancing Massachusetts’ leadership in the robotics field.”

The expansion of statewide physical AI development with the addition of novel digital twins in a variety of robotic forms and industry sectors will lower barriers to robotics development, research and adoption. Digital twins are also increasingly used for workforce development with the potential to spark interest in robotics as well as science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, in underserved regions of Massachusetts.

To further the ecosystem’s impact and reach, the Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative addresses the need to expand robotics accessibility in areas such as transportation and logistics, advanced manufacturing, education and physical AI research.

“Through this initiative, we are reducing the time, dollars and resources required for robotic testing and development and making space for safer, more efficient experimentation,” said Innovation Institute Director Pat Larkin. “The digital twin library will be a shared resource for innovators across sectors to develop, test and improve new technologies to support the Massachusetts innovation ecosystem’s future.”

Launched in 2025, the Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative supports Massachusetts nonprofits, startups, small- to mid-sized businesses, university labs and research institutions that study and develop novel, hardware-based robotic platforms. 

The six inaugural Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative grantees will leverage more than $1.3 million in additional matching resources from industry and academic partners. Below are the grantees:

• Smart Assistive Maintenance and Inspection System (SAMIS) AI (Worcester): Smart Assistive Maintenance and Inspection System (SAMIS) AI was awarded $150,000 to develop a digital twin of its multi-robot collaboration platform. The platform coordinates aerial inspection drones, crawling robots and an intelligent robotics toolbox. This project aims to support the adoption of advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies by improving maintenance efficiency, certification readiness and workforce development. SAMIS AI’s digital twin also has the potential to strengthen Massachusetts’ position in the growing AAM industry.
• Robot on Rails (Boston): Robot on Rails, an early-stage startup focused on standardizing lab automation, was awarded a grant for $253,431 to create a digital twin designed to lower barriers to adopting automated systems in lab environments supporting the growth and scaling of startups. This project also supports collaboration between Massachusetts’ robotics and life sciences sectors.
• BlueFusion Inc. (Natick): BlueFusion, Inc., a pre-seed startup focused on developing sensor suites for autonomous vehicle capabilities, was awarded $257,451 to develop a hardware-validated digital twin platform for autonomous vehicles (AV) using real-world sensor data to simulate rare and adverse driving conditions, including harsh weather. This project aims to help Massachusetts startups and researchers accelerate the testing, validation and commercialization of new AV technologies while reducing the high costs associated with on-road testing. 
• Northeastern University (Boston): Northeastern University was awarded $281,660 to develop a digital twin to reduce the time, cost and risk required for Massachusetts organizations, startups and researchers to develop, evaluate and deploy contact-rich robotic manipulation solutions for manufacturing and warehouse automation. The project also aims to expand the capabilities of humanoid robotics. 
• Boston Dynamics (Waltham): Boston Dynamics was awarded $494,640 to create a high-fidelity digital twin of its Spot quadruped robot and two environmental digital twins, providing public access to a simulation-ready version of a widely used commercial platform. This project aims to expand access for early-stage robotics firms and accelerate commercial deployment by allowing smaller developers to work with a Spot platform that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive.
• Luminous Robotics (Boston): Luminous Robotics, a Series A startup with 32 employees focused on automation in renewable energy infrastructure, was awarded $495,581 to create a digital twin of a high-payload manipulator. This project lowers barriers to entry for many robotics developers aiming to automate energy infrastructure, heavy logistics and construction industries.

At the announcement, the Innovation Institute also launched its State of Robotics campaign, a platform for storytelling, visibility and celebrating robotics while showcasing the innovation and collaboration that sets Massachusetts apart. This effort will spotlight the diverse companies and institutions that support Massachusetts' national leadership and global competitiveness in robotics. 

Find out more about the inaugural cohort of the Massachusetts Robotic Digital Twin Initiative cohort on the Innovation Institute website.

About the Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative 
Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) is a quasi-public economic development agency that strengthens the competitiveness of the tech and innovation economy by driving strategic investments, partnerships, and insights that harness the talent of Massachusetts. The Innovation Institute is the division of MassTech that advances innovation and cluster growth across the state in four ways:

• Conducts research and analysis that improves the state's understanding of unmet needs and opportunities in the innovation economy
• Serves as a convener and key strategic broker within various sectors
• Manages high-value projects on behalf of the state
• Makes strategic investments in support of innovation-based economic development

For more information, please visit https://innovation.masstech.org/.

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