Unlocking New England’s Economic Potential — Commercializing for the Future

Panelists

Mr. Joseph Curtatone
President, The Alliance for Climate Transition

Dr. Heather Darby
Agronomic and Soils Specialist, University of Vermont

Mr. Garvan Donegan
Director, Planning, Innovation and Economic Development, Central Maine Growth Council 

Mr. Ben Linville-Engler
Deputy Director and Chief Investment Strategist, MassTech Collaborative

Mr. Vinit Nijhawan
Managing Director, Mass Ventures

Dr. Nichole Price
Director, Bigelow Center for Seafood Solutions

Moderator: Mr. Martin Son
Senior Director, Technology Transfer and Industry Collaboration, Tufts University

Session Overview

=How can next-generation innovations in the blue and green economies foster the new businesses and industries essential for creating the high-value jobs and resilient communities of tomorrow? This panel examined the opportunities and challenges of commercializing new technologies in these two sectors, and highlighted successful case studies, practices, and policies that can be expanded to drive the next wave of economic impact on land and sea.

Key Discussion Points

Opening the panel, Mr. Martin Son, Senior Director for Technology Transfer and Industry Collaboration at Tufts University, set the tone by urging a focus on the “how” of commercialization—how innovations in New England’s blue and green economies actually reach the people and communities who will use them.

Mr. Vinit Nijhawan, Managing Director of MassVentures, reflected on the transformation of Massachusetts into a global leader in life sciences — an outcome that was far from inevitable in the 1980s, when the West Coast held that distinction. But with the presence of pioneering institutions like the Genetics Institute, proximity to Europe, and a vibrant academic sector, the seeds of an ecosystem were planted. He drew a parallel to today’s blue and green economies, arguing that organizations like the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) could play a similarly catalytic role. Nijhawan commented that the blue and green economies are poised to become as economically significant to New England as life sciences have been.

MassVentures, founded in the 1970s as the world’s first public venture capital firm, was created to pull Massachusetts out of economic crisis. Since then, it has turned $8 million in state funding into billions in economic output. In 2022, it pivoted to focus on deeptech and academic spinouts, aligning with the state’s economic development strategy. With a net annual return exceeding 14 percent—ranking in the top national quartile—MassVentures is demonstrating the value of sustained innovation investment.

Mr. Ben Linville-Engler, Deputy Director and Chief Investment Strategist at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, discussed a similar public investment strategy, especially around the CHIPS and Science Act. He noted that advanced manufacturing is coming to the region via the "Science" side of the Act, but that Massachusetts is also highly competitive on the security-focused CHIPS side. He leads the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC), the first CHIPS program in the nation, now encompassing 250 members across academia, industry, and research. Linville-Engler stressed that his work is not about funding isolated projects, but building entire value chains—especially in areas like manufacturing that underpin the success of blue and green economy sectors. With so many assets and actors in play, he sees one of his most important roles as “the bridge” connecting them.

Mr. Joseph Curtatone, President of the Alliance for Climate Transition, offered a nonprofit perspective grounded in regional collaboration. His organization spans New England, New York, and parts of Canada, and focuses on the full clean tech ecosystem—from energy generation to consumption, conservation, and decarbonization. Through programs like the long-running Greentech Open accelerator, Curtatone elevated the importance of aligning public and private interests to scale climate solutions. He made a strong case for more—not less—government engagement, arguing that shifting public opinion in favor of greentech is vital. Misconceptions and a lack of local storytelling, he warned, are impeding support for policies essential to the climate economy’s future

Mr. Garvan Donegan, Director of Planning, Innovation and Economic Development at the Central Maine Growth Council, brought the conversation down to the local level. In Waterville, a rural town of 17,000, Donegan emphasized that economic development must start with a clear mission and robust partnerships. For communities hit hard by the decline of traditional industries like paper mills, entrepreneurial support is vital. He noted that while Maine ranks in the bottom 10 percent for attracting early-stage capital, it ranks in the top 10 percent for follow-on investment. Relatively new, the Growth Council has already responded with 18 public financing initiatives to date, aiming to spark investment and innovation in underserved areas.

Dr. Nichole Price, Director of the Bigelow Center for Seafood Solutions, spotlighted a Blue-Green crossover industry: seaweed. With the potential to reduce methane emissions when used as a dairy cow feed additive, seaweed exemplifies the kind of innovation that sits at the intersection of environmental and economic value. But hurdles remain — from regulatory approval to public perception and farmer adoption. Drawing from experiences lived in the United Kingdom, she cautioned that skepticism over safety and environmental impact could stall progress unless addressed proactively. Success will require education, evidence, and engagement with both producers and the public.

Dr. Heather Darby, Agronomic and Soil Specialist at the University of Vermont and the only land-grant university representative on the panel, stressed the importance of involving end-users — like farmers — from the very beginning of the innovation process. She shared a personal story about implementing new cover crop technology on her family farm, which ultimately required another farmer’s custom-built tool to work effectively. Her message was clear: no matter how advanced the innovation, it will fail without user buy-in. Engaging stakeholders early ensures that new technologies are both practical and desirable.

To close the session, Mr. Son asked whether New England is functioning as a true regional ecosystem or still as a patchwork of loosely connected networks. Dr. Price shared her experience trying to launch the seaweed-dairy feed project, which required cold-calling across institutions due to the absence of a centralized talent map. She called for the creation of a regional “one-stop shop” to streamline collaboration.

Mr. Curtatone challenged the region to overcome its longstanding parochialism, calling Massachusetts “the most parochial place in America” despite its leadership capacity. Breaking through that mindset — as some governors and university leaders are already trying to do —is essential to scaling cross-state cooperation.

Mr. Linville-Engler concluded that, in an era of uncertain federal support, regional collaboration is not just a strategy — it is a necessity. New England’s prosperity depends on its ability to act as a unified, innovation-driven ecosystem.