BASF Invests in Cleantech Innovation

Greentown Labs, Somerville, MA, a cleantech startup incubator, today announced BASF as a Founding Sponsor of the Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation. Through this sponsorship, BASF will work closely with Greentown Labs' member companies to help them iterate on their developments in the incubator's new Wet Lab and bring them to market faster.


The Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation will serve as the incubator's headquarters and transform the incubator into a multi-facility campus totaling more than 100,000 sq. ft. The new facility, just steps from Greentown Labs' current location in Somerville, will provide additional prototyping lab space, office space for more than 100 cleantech startups, a 24-bench wet lab, electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle charging stations, and a 500-person event space which will serve as a convener for the global cleantech community.


BASF's Founding Sponsorship has played an instrumental role in finalizing the Wet Lab development and key elements of the sponsorship include:

• The BASF Wet Lab. The new, exclusively named BASF Wet Lab offering at Greentown Labs is answering an unmet need in the clean technology marketplace: affordable, flexible wet laboratory space for startups to develop innovations in water, materials, and green chemistry.
• Corporate membership. BASF will become an active member of the Greentown Labs community by utilizing both desk space and a Wet Lab bench.
• Advisory Board seat. BASF will gain a seat on Greentown Labs' Advisory Board which provides strategic guidance and input to the incubator on growth planning, partnership development, and other areas on a regular basis. Jacob Grose, Ph.D., Investment Manager, BASF, will join the Advisory Board.


“BASF is committed to developing sustainable solutions to global challenges, such as climate change, and we believe partnering with Greentown Labs and working alongside their innovative startup companies will help us all move closer to a sustainable future,” said Dr. Bernhard von Vacano, Head of the North American Center for Research on Advanced Materials, BASF. “We're eager to get in the Wet Lab and begin collaborating and supporting these innovative startups with our deep knowledge of chemistry.”


“Greentown Labs recognizes cleantech and clean energy innovations are happening across sectors—not just in hardware and software—but also in water, advanced materials, and green chemistry,” said Dr. Emily Reichert, CEO, Greentown Labs. “That's why we're developing a 1,800 sq. ft. shared Wet Lab to support cleantech startups working in this space and we are thrilled to have BASF's support, expertise, and enthusiasm as we launch this new offering!”


BASF has joined an exclusive group of global energy and environmental leaders that have also signed on as Founding Sponsors of the Global Center including, Shell, Saint-Gobain, DSM, Foley Hoag, Air Liquide, and Johnson Controls. To learn more about the new facility and partnership opportunities, visit www.greentownlabs.com.