Ms. Lily Fitzgerald
Director, Center for Advanced Manufacturing, MassTech
Dr. Rachael Floreani
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Vermont
Dr. David Kaplan
Stern Family Endowed Professor of Engineering, Tufts University and Director, Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture
Dr. David Julian McClements
Distinguished Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dr. Meghan McGill
Senior Associate, Breakthrough Energy Ventures
Moderator: Dr. Matthew McNulty
Associate Director, Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture
How has New England become a hub for sustainable technology, agriculture, forestry, the decarbonization of the building and construction sectors, electric vehicle infrastructure, energy grid modernization, and other rapidly expanding sectors of the green economy? This panel of experienced leaders addressed this question and provided recommendations to unlock and accelerate sustainable tech — ultimately enhancing the region’s and nation’s economy and resilience.
New England is already a global leader in cutting-edge green technologies — including in the rapidly evolving sustainable food sector. With more than 145 foodtech companies employing over 6,000 people and raising $9 billion in capital in the Boston area alone, the region has the foundation to lead the next generation of food innovation.
Matthew McNulty, Director of the Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture, expressed confidence that New England is well-positioned to shape the future of lab-grown meat and sustainable food production. He was joined by his colleague Dr. David Kaplan and University of Vermont Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Rachael Floreani. Both McNulty and Kaplan began their careers growing tissues for medical applications; however, their students’ curiosity — asking why the same technologies could not be used to sustainably grow food —sparked their pivot toward cellular agriculture. The underlying science is fundamentally the same — and it holds transformative potential for the global food system.
"My students thought the same tools we developed for human medical wellbeing could be applied to food tech, and they were absolutely correct."
Dr. David Kaplan
Stern Family Endowed Professor of Engineering
Tufts University and
Director
Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture
Dr. Floreani noted food security is often overlooked as a pillar of national security alongside energy and manufacturing, especially in a region where one in ten people experiences hunger. She and others agreed that lab-grown meat and foodtech innovations offer real promise — but only if students and early-career engineers are inspired to join the field. Dr. David McClements, Distinguished Professor at UMass Amherst, echoed this sentiment. While his institution recently secured a $100 million investment in food science, he stressed the importance of moving innovation beyond the lab and into the market.
"[University of Massachusetts at Amherst] has been very successful academically in food sciences, but we are not going out and starting businesses. How do we change that culture?"
Dr. David Julian McClements
Distinguished Professor
University of Massachusetts Amherst
But food is just one piece of the sustainability economy. Dr. Meghan McGill, Senior Associate at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, which invests in decarbonization solutions, underscored the importance of innovation-driven sustainable solutions that also deliver financial returns. She described Breakthrough’s three-tiered model to support entrepreneurs: discovery, development, and deployment. Discovery focuses on mentorship and market identification; development provides access to three $1 billion venture capital funds and aligned investors; and deployment, through the firm’s Catalyst program, bridges the critical "valley of death" with funding for first-of-a-kind demonstrations and commercial pilots. For Dr. McGill, making these ventures profitable helps shift sustainability investments from a moral imperative to a market-driven opportunity. But profitability often comes with scaling innovation, which is a “team sport”—requiring aligned partners across every stage of development.
"We are not asking investors to dip into their philanthropic bucket or invest out of the goodness of their heart. We are saying that these are companies that are investable for economic reasons."
Dr. Meghan McGill
Senior Associate
Breakthrough Energy Ventures
MassTech Center for Advanced Manufacturing Director Lily Fitzgerald spoke to New England’s strength in regional innovation hubs, which effectively concentrate resources, expertise, and momentum. She highlighted the success of the region’s four EDA-designated Tech Hubs across sectors, including semiconductors, marine technology, and sustainable wood products. Massachusetts is now poised to invest $75 million in a state-level hub initiative to seed additional innovation clusters. One promising area is battery electrode manufacturing, where three Massachusetts-based companies are already producing next-generation clean batteries—proof, she noted, that high-value manufacturing can thrive even in high-cost regions like New England.
"People are surprised when I tell them I invest in manufacturing in Massachusetts, but in certain sectors, we have a real advantage."
Ms. Lily Fitzgerald
Director, Center for Advanced Manufacturing
MassTech
Still, challenges remain in scale innovation in New England. Dr. McGill pointed out that even if startups launch their first demonstration projects in New England, commercial-scale facilities may naturally gravitate toward regions with cheaper land and energy. However, New England may be well-suited to "own" the demonstration phase — along with the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) capabilities that support national industry growth.
Returning to food innovation, Dr. Kaplan admitted he once assumed the industry would ultimately migrate to lower-cost regions in the Midwest or South. But that assumption is now changing. One Boston-area startup, TrueMeats, uses fiber-based systems to create meat alternatives from plant materials — a process that could repurpose New England’s underused textile mills into future food production sites. Dr. McClements cited a Massachusetts Economic Development Council report identifying food innovation as the most promising path for revitalizing the Western Massachusetts economy, particularly as traditional agriculture declines.
Ms. Fitzgerald added that many are surprised to learn that Massachusetts is home to more than 6,000 manufacturers, with strong competitiveness in sectors like medical devices and defense. Through the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative (M2I2), the state is helping early-stage manufacturers conduct pilot production runs — even if full-scale manufacturing eventually takes place elsewhere. What's critical, she stressed, is helping founders understand their options and pathways for scaling.
"Engineers make things, so why not make food?"
Dr. Rachael Floreani
Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Vermont
As the panel concluded, what stood out most was a sense of newfound alignment. Dr. Kaplan remarked that many panelists had not known each other well before the discussion, yet came away with a shared vision for New England’s sustainable tech future. He set an ambitious goal: within 5–10 years, New England should be nationally recognized as the epicenter of food innovation — despite its small traditional agricultural footprint. To reach that goal, both Dr. Floreani and Ms. Fitzgerald focused on the need to inspire students to not just innovate, but to commercialize their ideas—and to do so locally.
Dr. McGill closed on an optimistic note: with New England’s unique combination of innovation assets, policy support, capital, and collaborative spirit, the region has what it takes to lead the next generation of sustainable food technology.
"Food tech is important for the Blue economy, but it is just as vital in the Green economy."
Dr. Matthew McNulty
Associate Director
Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture
