A $4 million grant has been awarded to University of Massachusetts (UMass) Lowell to support the university’s new Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC). The four-year grant is from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (“MassTech”) and will be matched by $12 million in industry support.
Printed and flexible electronics is an emerging global market that has been projected to grow from $16 billion currently to $76 billion in the next ten years. The university’s PERC will help encourage private companies to expand and develop printed and flexible electronics programs in Massachusetts.
The MassTech grant will equip laboratories and research space at UMass Lowell’s Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation center. Several industry partners will participate in PERC, such as Raytheon and MicroChem. The research will initially focus on defense applications in printed electronics, but long-term goals include expanding into health care, telecommunications, and renewable energy.
Our mission is to convene industry, academia, and government to catalyze economic opportunity in regions and clusters around the commonwealth. This project hits the mark on several fronts, including the potential to drive the development of innovative products and business growth. We are excited to partner with UMass Lowell and regional industry partners like Raytheon to expand R&D capacity and help advance this exciting new industry cluster.
