Driving the creation of high quality jobs.
Bridge to MassChallenge
Launched in 2012, Bridge to MassChallenge strengthens innovation ecosystems and drives the creation of high-quality jobs by supporting entrepreneurs and connecting them to our global network. Using our tested model for driving economic development, we bring world-leading expertise, experience, and connections to help our partners build ecosystems around the world and drive high-quality job creation. To date, we have collaborated with nine markets, further strengthening their innovation ecosystems: Australia, Colombia, France, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Poland, Russia, and Spain.
Assess, Build, Connect
We collaborate with entities around the world to understand the potential and strategic value of their unique ecosystem, empower them to build their innovation communities and connect them to global markets.
Our focus on innovation-driven economic development and emphasis on job creation, combined with our collaborative approach, means that we are able to offer our partners tailored opportunities to strengthen their local ecosystems, leverage global best practices, and create sustainable, self-sufficient growth:
- Assess: Map your ecosystem, needs assessment and diagnostic
- Build: Build local skills and expertise through train-the-trainer and capacity-building programs for entrepreneurs and ecosystem actors
- Connect: Access the MassChallenge network and global markets
MassChallenge brought more than just its recognized expertise in accelerating startups to Australia. It brought what I think is MassChallenge’s special ingredient - the ability to instill a willingness to ‘give back’ and to collaborate and share for the benefit of others. Having four governments working together across both political and state boundaries and working alongside business, academia and not for profits - to help others build businesses and solve problems during the Bridge to MassChallenge program, was unprecedented in Australia. It has set a tone and a legacy of what is possible when we work together.
Belinda Dennett, Corporate Affairs Director, Microsoft Australia
Hear how partners and startups from regions around the world have benefited from the program:
Highlights
- $100k MC Boston Diamond winners for the past two consecutive years representing Mexico in 2015 (Estrenón) and Korea in 2016 (EYL)
- Bridge to MC Morocco 2015 boot camp in Boston brought one finalist abroad for the first time in his life
- Bridge to MC Colombia winner, Ativa, advanced to become a finalist in MassChallenge Mexico's 2016 inaugural cohort
- Our partnership with the Biscay Regional Government pioneered their strong and growing ties to the Boston innovation ecosystem
Find out more about partnership opportunities with Bridge to MassChallenge.