Providence, RI – October 5, 2021 – Two Rhode Island non-profits are partnering to foster entrepreneurship in manufacturing. RIHub and Polaris MEP will collaborate on programming that connects startups, university students and innovators to manufacturing resources for greater success in the sector.
“We work with entrepreneurs and inventors who need help with the design and manufacturing of their products” said Annette Tonti, Managing Director of RIHub. “RIHub is excited to leverage Polaris MEP’s manufacturing expertise and network to provide an invaluable resource to early-stage entrepreneurs. This partnership directly supports our state’s entrepreneurs and provides a path to economic growth for our economy.”
“Partnering with RIHub will help Polaris MEP accelerate innovation within existing manufacturing businesses and encourage the creation of new ventures,” said Kathie Mahoney, Polaris MEP Center Director. “We also hope to inspire more entrepreneurs to take a fresh look at career pathways within the manufacturing sector.”
RIHub makes entrepreneurship accessible and empowers innovation in Rhode Island. The non-profit is a “network of networks,” facilitating engagement across sectors as well as offering mentoring, programming, an incubator and co-working space. Polaris MEP is an affiliate of the national NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership and a non-profit business unit of the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation.
The new partnership seeks to connect more University of Rhode Island students and faculty to manufacturing, along with students at other Rhode Island-based universities. Polaris MEP and RIHub will co-create workshops and resources explaining how new products get built and new manufacturing businesses launched.
The first collaboration between the new partners will be an interactive session during the 2021 Rhode Island Start-Up Week. On October 19th Polaris MEP and RIHub will present a co-created webinar, “How to Manufacture Your Product,” walking innovators through the steps needed to turn an idea into a manufactured reality. Learn more about the session at https://polarismep.org/event/manufacturing-ri-startup-week/.
About RIHub
RIHub enables and accelerates entrepreneurial ventures that have a high potential for growth. RIHub serves as a “first-stop” for startups, the connector to entrepreneurs, inventors, investors, students, corporate leaders and global accelerators. To learn more, please visit RIHub.org.
About Polaris MEP
Polaris MEP provides competitive business improvement programs to grow Rhode Island’s manufacturing industry. Polaris MEP is a statewide nonprofit organization. An affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the consultancy is a business unit of the URI Research Foundation. www.PolarisMEP.org
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