Fertile Ground in the 413
Editorial
Innovation and collaboration.
As he steps down from his leadership post next month, Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC), has been touting those two elements among what makes the Western Mass. economy tick, and what it needs to continue to build on in the coming years.
And those were two words he drew on when it was announced earlier this month that Western Mass. has been designated as both a Quantum Technology TechHub and a Food Science TechHub through the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
In addition to the two designations, funding in the form of $1 million to advance a feasibility and design study of a quantum supply chain accelerator (QSCA) was awarded to Springfield Technical Community College.
The QSCA will anchor the next phase of the Commonwealth’s quantum strategy, building on the foundation established in Holyoke at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) and the state’s first quantum computing complex launched with QuEra Computing Inc. The accelerator will be the first regional facility of its kind to drive commercialization, support startups, and strengthen advanced manufacturing supply chains across the Pioneer Valley.
In a recent conversation with BusinessWest, Sullivan said it’s impossible to know for sure what the economy will look like a decade or two down the road, or what will be driving it, but the EDC and other local leaders have been proactive about considering that question and pushing for strategic investments.
“These are sectors that are going be more important tomorrow and 10 years down the road than they even are today,” he said of these evolving industries. “AI is booming, and quantum is booming, and the issues of food science and food scarcity, water delivery systems and water scarcity … those problems are only going to grow and be more important in 10 years.”
We’ve been talking about innovation and collaboration for many years at BusinessWest because we recognize how those concepts have raised the profile and economic strength of a region that sometimes gets forgotten out east — concept that, when put into action, create not just vibrancy, but jobs, and a promising future.
“Springfield, the City of Firsts, has a proud legacy of innovation,” U.S. Rep. Richard Neal said regarding the QSCA. “This award will help solidify Springfield’s position as a leader in this new technological era, placing the city at the forefront of advancement in quantum technology.”
We believe this project, and the TechHub designations, have that potential — and more.
