State Launches Two Initiatives to Attract Businesses

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BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration has launched two initiatives to strengthen Massachusetts' position as a top destination for businesses: the Business Front Door, a digital-focused platform designed to connect businesses with personalized guidance to navigate state funding opportunities and incentives, and Why Massachusetts, a new website designed to attract businesses to locate and grow in the state. 
 
The Business Front Door was a recommendation from the administration's 2023 economic development plan and will leverage the resources and policy tools developed in collaboration with the state Legislature as part of the nearly $4 billion economic development bill, the Mass Leads Act, which Gov. Maura Healey signed in November 2024. 
 
"These new tools promote what we in Massachusetts already know: that this is one of the best places in the world to do business," said Healey. "With the launch of the Why Massachusetts website and the Business Front Door, we are ushering in a new era of technology-forward business engagement that prioritizes clarity, efficiency and personalization, and underscores our administration's commitment to fostering a competitive business environment."
 
Why Massachusetts promotes the state's global leadership in innovation, talent and quality of life while showcasing the key industry sectors where Massachusetts leads, including life sciences, artificial intelligence, climate tech and advanced manufacturing. The site highlights the data-driven reasons why businesses thrive in Massachusetts, including top rankings in education, health care, and quality of life; world-class research institutions; a highly educated workforce; and access to global markets.  
 
Complementing the site, the Business Front Door is a streamlined platform that serves as a one-stop shop for business owners and entrepreneurs looking to start, expand or relocate to Massachusetts. This new platform provides a clear pathway for businesses to work with "Team Massachusetts," which includes the Executive Office of Economic Development, its quasi-government economic development partners, and other agencies and offices across state government focused on supporting businesses.  
 
"We have heard from businesses across Massachusetts that they need a simpler way to learn about and access state resources, and these new tools address that by streamlining our efforts to support businesses into one user-friendly online platform," said Economic Development interim Secretary Ashley Stolba. "The Business Front Door ensures that every type of business across every industry, from emerging startups in life sciences to established enterprises in manufacturing, can receive comprehensive guidance and support from our administration."
 
The Business Front Door offers businesses a full concierge service that involves a user-friendly online portal through which they can access a tailored list of resources such as grant funding, loans, and technical assistance. Each business that enters the Business Front Door portal is assigned a "Navigator" from Team Massachusetts who will serve as a single point of contact for the business, offering guidance on issues and questions as they explore state resources.  
 
Within the concierge portal, the businesses can submit questions about their needs and a member of Team Massachusetts will respond directly. The portal also connects owners with key information, advisors and partners that can support their growth, and it opens virtual office hours for all businesses. 
 
Visit www.mass.gov/BFD for more information.

Tags: economic development,   

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Navigators Hand SteepleCats Sixth Straight Loss

By Ben McDonoughFor iBerkshires.com
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Shore Navigators capitalized on aggressive baserunning and timely hitting Friday night, defeating the North Adams SteepleCats 13-4 at Joe Wolfe Field and dropping the Cats to 0-6 on the young NECBL season.
 
The Navigators struck first in the opening inning against North Adams starter Garrett Gates. Michael Brown opened the game by reaching after being hit by a pitch before Hunter Kingsbury followed with an infield single. After a double steal moved both runners into scoring position, Gates recorded his first strikeout of the season by retiring Jay Slater. North Shore quickly responded, however, as Grant Hunter lined a two-run double into the gap to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
 
North Adams threatened in the bottom of the first. Bobby Stang singled and stole second while Evan Meier worked a walk, but North Shore starter John Hegarty escaped the inning without allowing a run.
 
Gates settled in during the second inning, striking out Luke Johnson and working around a two-out double by Tyler Shulman to post a scoreless frame. He added two more strikeouts in the third, but Slater connected for a solo home run over the left-field fence to extend the Navigators' lead to 3-0. Gates recovered by picking off Simmi Whitehill after a single and later struck out Hunter to end the inning.
 
The SteepleCats broke through in the bottom of the third. Alex Barrist reached base and advanced into scoring position on a throwing error before Nelphie Lopez worked a walk. A wild pitch moved both runners up, and after Evan Meier battled back from a 1-2 count to draw another walk, Tony Woodie delivered North Adams' biggest hit of the night. His two-run ground-rule double brought home Barrist and Lopez, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
 
North Shore answered immediately in the fourth. After Steven Sams entered in relief, the Navigators used a combination of walks, stolen bases, wild pitches and defensive miscues to plate three runs and stretch the lead to 6-2.
 
The game began to slip away in the fifth. Grant Hunter opened the inning with a single before the Navigators loaded the bases. Daniel Leikus delivered a bases-clearing double to right field, helping North Shore push four more runs across the plate. Jake Foster eventually entered to stop the rally, but the damage had been done as the Navigators moved comfortably in front.
 
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