The Maryland Manufacturing 4.0 grant program provides grants to small and mid-sized Maryland manufacturers to invest in Industry 4.0-related technologies, machinery and robotics, and digital business practices in order to remain competitive and drive growth.
Donor Name: Maryland Department of Commerce
State: Maryland
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/18/2023
Size of the Grant: $25,000 – $500,000
Details:
Benefits
Companies that invest in Industry 4.0 technologies can benefit from increased productivity and sales, cost savings, retention of employees, and more. Awarded grants will cover 75% of project costs for small manufacturers and 50% of project costs for mid-sized manufacturers with 51-250 employees, with a minimum grant of $25,000 and a maximum grant of $500,000. Projects must clearly demonstrate a tie to Industry 4.0, and a long term strategy for Industry 4.0 adoption.
Examples of qualified projects and investments include:
- Big Data & Analytics – investing in systems that allow manufacturers to better analyze the data collected within their operation, turning data into actionable insights that drive better decision-making
- Robots and autonomous equipment to help automate workflow (replacement of existing equipment would not be qualified)
- Implementation of Industrial Internet of Things technologies such as shop floor data sensors, smart warehouse, or new quality control systems
- Adoption of additive manufacturing
- Simulation/Digital Twins to enable predictive maintenance, test ideas for operational changes, etc.
- Systems integration projects – either vertically sharing data within the organization to improve efficiencies, or horizontally across supply chains
- Virtual and Augmented Reality
- Employee training and /or consulting costs associated with the implementation of the new systems/technologies/equipment
Funding Information
- Grants of $25,000 – $500,000 will be made available to manufacturers to adopt new technologies, machinery and robotics, and digital business practices in order to remain competitive and drive growth.
- Grant awards to Small Manufacturers – 3 to 50 employees: The total of all awards is limited to $1,000,000. Of that total, 20% ($200,000) will be reserved for awards to Small Manufacturers.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for an M4.0 grant, your business must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be an existing business in good standing with the State of Maryland
- Have between 3 and 150 full-time employees (defined as an employee who works at least 1,800 hours in a 12-month period)
- Have minimum annual revenue of $1m, not including grant funding
- Have a two-digit NAICS code of 31-33
- Have been established for a minimum of 3 years
- Be in good standing with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Maryland Occupational Safety and Health regulations
- Demonstrate an ability to successfully implement the proposed project
- Demonstrate an overall commitment to, or strategy for, Industry 4.0 adoption
- Demonstrate ability to provide matching funds
For more information, visit Maryland Department of Commerce.