The BIC Presents Podcast

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May 2026

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The BIC Presents Podcast is a regular transmission from the westernmost outpost for technology and innovation in Massachusetts - the Berkshire Innovation Center. Hosted by multiple BIC personalities and featuring a range of content - from live panel discussions to roundtable interviews on topics relevant to the local and regional innovation economy - The BIC Presents Podcast delivers a steady diet of discussion and information about emerging technology and the impact of technology in our lives, community, and workforce.

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27 recent

May 29, 202623 min

BIC Presents: Innovation Lives in the Berkshires

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sits down with Bryana Bayly, Manager of Industry Relations, and Heather Williams, Youth Program Director at the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board, for a conversation about workforce development, career readiness, and the future of opportunity in Berkshire County. The discussion explores how MassHire works alongside schools, employers, community organizations, and regional partners to build a connected career readiness system that introduces students to career pathways as early as elementary school. Heather outlines the structure of the region’s career awareness, exploratory, and immersive learning programs, including internships, job shadowing, and structured work experiences that help young people develop employability skills before entering the workforce. Bryana discusses the Berkshire Skills Cabinet and the region’s workforce blueprint, highlighting healthcare, hospitality, management, and advanced manufacturing as critical industries facing workforce shortages and growing demand. The conversation also focuses on the importance of collaboration between workforce development, education, economic development, and innovation organizations such as the Berkshire Innovation Center. Together, the group reflects on the evolving message that “Innovation Lives in the Berkshires,” emphasizing that the region offers not only cultural attractions, but also meaningful career pathways, entrepreneurial opportunities, and long-term professional growth for people of all ages. Links: MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board: https://www.masshireberkshirecc.com Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

May 8, 202631 min

BIC Presents: MassCEC Roadshow

In this episode, PJ Moynihan sits down with Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Dr. Jennifer Le Blond of the Mass Clean Energy Center following a Climate Tech Corridor Roadshow event held at the BIC. The conversation centers on how MassCEC is engaging directly with regions across the Commonwealth to inform its climate tech strategy and funding priorities. Le Blond explains the purpose of the roadshow as both a listening tour and a way to share implementation plans tied to state-supported climate initiatives. Sosne reflects on the importance of strategic planning in regional economic development, emphasizing that long-term success requires a clear understanding of local assets and realistic opportunities. The discussion highlights the Berkshires’ strengths in precision manufacturing, workforce development, and available infrastructure, positioning the region as a viable location for companies transitioning from research and development into early-stage manufacturing and deployment. The group also explores challenges around messaging, infrastructure, and regional coordination, noting the importance of connecting startups with existing capabilities across Massachusetts. With a focus on collaboration, iteration, and long-term planning, the episode underscores how climate tech growth depends on aligning statewide strategy with regional execution. Links: Mass Clean Energy Center: https://www.masscec.com/ Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

April 17, 202614 min

BIC Presents: Meet Globe Grown

In this episode of BIC Presents, PJ Moynihan sits down with Marie-Pascale Ruberandinda, founder of Globe Grown and participant in the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Stage 2 Accelerator Catalyst program. Originally from Rwanda and later based in Texas, Marie shares how growing up on her family’s farms inspired her to build technology that supports farmers and promotes sustainable agriculture. Globe Grown is developing an autonomous platform that combines drone imaging, machine learning, and a rover system to detect and eliminate weeds without herbicides. The technology is designed to help farmers reduce chemical use, address labor shortages, and improve efficiency while supporting healthier crops and reducing environmental impact. Marie also discusses her journey as a founder balancing entrepreneurship with running a trucking business and raising a family. Through the accelerator, she is currently evaluating hardware options, engaging with potential investors, and working toward seed funding. Her long-term goal is to build Globe Grown in Massachusetts and contribute to the region’s growing clean technology ecosystem, while helping farmers worldwide through innovation. Links: Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

April 6, 202622 min

BIC Presents: Innovating Across State Lines

In this episode, PJ Moynihan welcomes Steve Bravo, Director of Commercialization at New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and Leslie Nash, Interim Managing Director of Emerging Climatetech at Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), for a conversation about climate innovation across New York and Massachusetts. Steve describes how NYSERDA supports energy innovation through research, development, commercialization programs, accelerators, mentorship, and connections to venture and corporate capital. Leslie explains how MassCEC helps researchers and startups move from lab-stage ideas to prototypes, demonstrations, and deployment through grants, investments, and ecosystem partnerships. Together, they discuss shared priorities including clean energy market growth, startup support, economic development, and building a more affordable, reliable, and decarbonized grid. A major theme of the episode is the value of collaboration across state lines. Steve and Leslie describe how their teams regularly share lessons learned, compare program design, and help connect companies to new pilots and markets. They point to opportunities in building efficiency and the built environment, especially in older housing stock across the Northeast, and discuss examples like Runwise and Massachusetts-based Imbue as companies addressing those challenges. The conversation also reinforces BIC’s role as a convening space in the Berkshires, positioned as a midpoint in a broader regional innovation corridor stretching from western New York to Boston/Cambridge. Links NYSERDA: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov NYSERDA Commercialization Program: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Innovation-at-NYSERDA/Commercialization-Program Massachusetts Clean Energy Center: https://www.masscec.com MassCEC Emerging Climatetech: https://www.masscec.com/emerging-climatetech Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/ Massachusetts Business Front Door: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/business-front-door

March 20, 202621 min

BIC Presents: Noble Carbon

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sits down with Noble Carbon co-founders Jared Lebos and Andrew Crane to discuss how their climate tech startup is developing smart circuit breakers designed to improve energy efficiency and grid resilience. Lebos, who previously worked in financial services, and Crane, an engineer originally from Berkshire County, met while attending business school and later began collaborating on a solution inspired by energy challenges Lebos experienced abroad. Their early prototype evolved into Noble Carbon’s core technology: a compact smart circuit breaker capable of managing energy use more intelligently within homes. The founders describe how participation in the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Stage 2 Accelerator helped move their concept from a basement prototype to a deployable product. They also discuss the role of state support, including the InnovateMass Grid Tech Spotlight program and an M2I2 grant, which provided critical non-dilutive funding to develop hardware, testing equipment, and manufacturing processes. Looking ahead, Noble Carbon is preparing a pilot program with Eversource that will deploy its smart breakers in homes across Western Massachusetts, gathering data on energy efficiency, grid performance, and affordability for low- and moderate-income households. Links: Noble Carbon: https://www.noblecarbon.io Jared Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-lebos-32146410b/ Andrew Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-crane-25039935/ Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

February 17, 202630 min

BIC Presents: Mass Life Sciences Center

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan speaks with Jeanne LeClair, Chief Business Officer of the Mass Life Sciences Center (MLSC), about how strategic public investment has shaped one of the world’s most successful Life Sciences ecosystems. Jeanne outlines MLSC’s role as a quasi-public agency investing across the full Life Sciences landscape, from academic research and shared infrastructure to workforce development, tax incentives, and public-private partnerships. She reflects on the origins of the original 2008 Life Sciences Initiative, describing how a bold, billion-dollar investment during an economic downturn focused on shared research assets and commercialization laid the groundwork for long-term growth.The conversation explores how bipartisan leadership across multiple administrations enabled the initiative’s reauthorization and expansion through the Mass Leads Act, allowing MLSC to think and plan on a ten-year horizon. Jeanne also discusses evolving definitions of “Life Sciences,” the increasing importance of health equity and women’s health, and the need to address healthcare delivery alongside innovation. The episode highlights MLSC’s collaborative “tiger team” approach, illustrated through a multi-agency effort to retain and grow a life-saving MedTech company in Massachusetts. Throughout, Jeanne emphasizes accountability, ecosystem stewardship, and the ripple effects of well-paying Life Sciences jobs on regional economic vitality, including continued support for organizations like the Berkshire Innovation Center.LinksMassachusetts Life Sciences Center:https://www.masslifesciences.com/Berkshire Innovation Center:https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

January 15, 202622 min

BIC Presents: Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator Program

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan is joined by Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Lily Fitzgerald, Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech Collaborative, for a deep dive into the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator Program (MMAP). The conversation follows a ribbon-cutting event at Lenco Armored Vehicles in Pittsfield, highlighting how MMAP funding supports real-world investments in advanced manufacturing equipment.Lily explains MassTech’s role as a quasi-public economic development agency and outlines how MMAP provides non-dilutive, capital-based grants to small and medium-sized manufacturers with 500 or fewer employees. Rather than funding startups, the program focuses on established, often multi-generational manufacturers facing growth bottlenecks related to demand, workforce challenges, or outdated processes. The episode explores how MMAP funding enables investments in automation, equipment, and other infrastructure that improves efficiency while freeing workers to focus on higher-value tasks.Ben shares how MMAP aligns closely with the BIC’s mission, noting its catalytic effect across the regional manufacturing ecosystem. Using Lenco as an example, the discussion illustrates how the application process itself often prompts companies to rethink their operations and pursue larger-scale modernization efforts. The episode also highlights recent program evolution, including MMAP’s transition into a true accelerator model and its measurable economic impact, including job creation, workforce upskilling, and supply chain growth throughout Massachusetts.Links:Berkshire Innovation Center:https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/MassTech Collaborative - Center for Advanced Manufacturing:https://cam.masstech.org/mmapProduced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios.

December 17, 202532 min

BIC Presents: Clean Energy Leadership Group

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan is joined by Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, Tyler Fairbank, CEO of The Fairbank Group, and Doug Crane, retired manufacturing executive and founding BIC board member, for a wide-ranging conversation on clean energy leadership in the Berkshires. The discussion centers on the formation of the Clean Energy Leadership Group, one of several new BIC leadership groups designed to organize expertise, focus collaboration, and advance regional innovation priorities.The guests explore why the Berkshires are uniquely positioned to participate in the clean energy economy, citing the region’s scale, grid simplicity, available land, and strong network of manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and institutions. A key focus of the episode is the concept of a microgrid at the William Stanley Business Park, envisioned as both a cost-reduction strategy for local businesses and a demonstration site for emerging clean energy technologies. The group discusses regulatory, technical, and organizational challenges, as well as the opportunity to pilot new solutions alongside startups seeking real-world deployment environments.The conversation also highlights the BIC’s U.S. Department of Energy Make It Prize award, which supports Western Massachusetts as a testing and deployment hub for clean energy manufacturing technologies developed elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Throughout the episode, the guests emphasize collective wisdom, open collaboration, and community engagement as essential drivers for long-term economic development and a successful energy transition in the Berkshires.Links:Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

October 27, 202523 min

BIC Presents: Why Our Interns are Destined to Fail

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan talks with Tim Butterworth, Director of Applied Technology at the Berkshire Innovation Center, about the structure and impact of the BIC’s Innovation Interns Program. Each summer, the program invites STEM students (often studying at schools like WPI, Columbia, and UMass Lowell) to apply their talents and develop skills in rapid prototyping, design iteration, and digital fabrication using the BIC’s advanced tools and labs.Tim explains how the program uses the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to teach structured problem-solving while encouraging creativity and independence. Interns gain hands-on experience through projects like a 3D-printed CNC wire bender and a hydroponic watering system for zero-gravity environments, applying lessons that go beyond technical skills.The conversation explores how mentorship at the BIC fosters confidence and resilience, helping students embrace failure as part of innovation. As Tim notes, the goal is to prepare young engineers and makers to return to the Berkshires with both skill and purpose; ready to contribute to the region’s growing technology ecosystem.LinksBerkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.comProduced by PJ Moynihan & Nate Christy, BIC Studios

September 30, 202527 min

BIC Presents: Meet NorthRenew Energy

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sat down with Garth Klimchuk, founder of NorthRenew Energy and longtime investment banker turned renewable energy developer. Raised in Calgary, Alberta, and trained as a geologist, Klimchuk’s career began in oil and gas before moving into finance at Barclays and Wharton. His work on Wall Street in power and utilities ultimately led him to focus on clean energy.Klimchuk describes how NorthRenew Energy develops large-scale wind and solar projects across the western US, from identifying land and securing leases to permitting, environmental studies, and interconnection. The conversation explores today’s shifting political climate, with federal tax credits under threat and developers facing hard choices on which projects to advance. Klimchuk stresses the rising demand from AI-driven data centers, and the looming risks of blackouts and rising consumer costs if renewable growth stalls.He also highlights the importance of state-level incentives, private-sector investment, and collective advocacy through organizations like the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Clean Energy Leadership Group to sustain progress. For Klimchuk, grid resilience, innovation, and collaboration will define the future of U.S. energy.LinksNorthRenew Energy: https://northrenew.com/Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

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