MPR Product Development and The University of Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) are pleased to announce the M2D2 $100K Challenge 2016, a nationwide competition that showcases innovative ideas of early-stage medical device, diagnostic and biotech companies.

Sponsors of the M2D2 Challenge: MPR Product Development, BD (Becton Dickinson and Company), Boston Scientific, Mintz Levin, Omni Components and R&Q (Regulatory & Quality Solutions), will award up to a total of $100K in services. Winning companies can receive the use of facility lab and office space and engineering, legal, regulatory, clinical and business services.

“Our goal is to help entrepreneurs gain valuable services needed during the tenuous stages of early product development,” said Stephen McCarthy, professor and co-director of M2D2 at UMass Lowell. “Expert advice, mentoring and access to facilities can be the difference between failure and success. We hope start ups across the U.S. will apply to receive these valuable services.”

“At MPR we believe in the value of nurturing innovation ecosystems and seeing them thrive,” said Eric Claude, Vice President of MPR Product Development. “Over the past 25 years, we’ve helped numerous startups take their product from ideation to full scale development and we’re happy to partner with M2D2 to continue this effort. We’re excited to sponsor the upcoming $100K Challenge and look forward to working with the finalists.”

Interested companies should submit an application by January 29, 2016. Finalists will be announced by March 2 and will pitch their business plan to a panel of judges on March 23, 2016. Winners will be announced at the offices of Mintz Levin in Boston on April 6, 2016. Click HERE for more information or to register for this event.

About MPR

MPR Associates is an employee-owned specialty engineering and management services firm founded in 1964 and headquartered in Alexandria, VA. MPR provides solutions to clients in the energy, federal government, and health and life sciences industries. The company benefits its clients by delivering innovative, safe, reliable and cost-effective technical solutions across the entire project or product life-cycle. For more information, please visit www.mpr.com/product-development.

About M2D2

M2D2, the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center, is a joint initiative of the Lowell and Worcester campuses of the UMass system. Its aim is to help new biotech and medical device entrepreneurs develop products every step of the way, from proof-of-concept to commercialization. Affiliated faculty and staff have assisted more than 100 start-up companies and entrepreneurs since the program kicked off in the spring of 2007.