MIT Launches Initiative for New Manufacturing to Revitalize U.S. Industry
Cambridge, MA – In a strategic move to invigorate American industrial production, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has unveiled its Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM). This Institute-wide program is designed to integrate cutting-edge technologies into U.S. manufacturing, strengthen vital economic sectors, and foster job creation across the nation.
The initiative will focus on advanced research, innovative educational programs, and robust partnerships with companies across various industries to transform manufacturing processes and enhance their overall impact. According to MIT President Sally A. Kornbluth, the goal is to collaborate with firms of all sizes, helping them adopt new approaches that boost productivity and create high-quality, human-centered manufacturing jobs in communities throughout the U.S.
“We want to deliberately design high-quality, human-centered manufacturing jobs that bring new life to communities across the country,” Kornbluth stated in a letter to the MIT community. She emphasized the importance of this initiative, noting, “Helping America build a future of new manufacturing is a perfect job for MIT — and I’m convinced that there is no more important work we can do to meet the moment and serve the nation now.”
The Initiative for New Manufacturing has already established its initial industry consortium, comprising Amgen, Flex, GE Vernova, PTC, Sanofi, and Siemens. These members will support seed projects proposed by MIT researchers, with an initial focus on leveraging artificial intelligence in manufacturing applications.
INM joins other significant MIT presidential initiatives such as The Climate Project at MIT, MITHIC (focused on human-centered disciplines), MIT HEALS (centered on life sciences and health), and MGAIC (the MIT Generative AI Impact Consortium).
Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer and dean of engineering, highlighted the expansive scope of the initiative. “There is tremendous opportunity to bring together a vibrant community working across every scale — from nanotechnology to large-scale manufacturing — and across a wide-range of applications including semiconductors, medical devices, automotive, energy systems, and biotechnology,” Chandrakasan noted. He also emphasized MIT’s unique position to harness the transformative power of digital tools and AI to shape the future of manufacturing.
MIT’s commitment to advancing American manufacturing has deep roots, including the 1989 bestseller “Made in America: Regaining the Productive Edge” and the Production in the Innovation Economy project in the early 2010s. In 2016, MIT also launched The Engine, a venture fund supporting hardware-based “tough tech” start-ups with manufacturing potential.
The Initiative for New Manufacturing is structured around four major themes:
- Reimagining manufacturing technologies and systems
- Elevating the productivity and experience of manufacturing
- Scaling new manufacturing companies and transforming supply chains
- Transforming the manufacturing base to be more sustainable and worker-friendly
INM’s concrete activities include an Institute-wide research program, workforce and education programs, industry engagement, new labs for developing manufacturing tools, a “factory observatory” program, and key pillars focusing on semiconductors, biomanufacturing, defense, and aviation.
The workforce and education component will feature TechAMP, an MIT program bridging the gap between technicians and engineers, AI-driven teaching tools, professional education, and expanded manufacturing education in collaboration with MIT departments.
The leadership team includes faculty co-directors John Hart, Suzanne Berger, and Chris Love, with Julie Diop serving as executive director. The initiative’s launch was previewed at the “A Vision for New Manufacturing” symposium on May 7, featuring over 30 speakers from various manufacturing sectors.
“The rationale for growing and transforming U.S. manufacturing has never been more urgent than it is today,” Berger stated at the event. Love added, “New life-saving medicines can’t reach patients without manufacturing… There is a real urgency about this issue for both economic prosperity and creating jobs.”
Hart emphasized the enduring importance of manufacturing and the excitement it generates among MIT students. He noted that collaboration with industry, from startups to industrial giants, is crucial for realizing the vision of new manufacturing.
Kornbluth concluded by stressing the initiative’s goal to drive transformation by making manufacturing more productive, resilient, and sustainable, ultimately fostering innovation and growth across multiple sectors.
Editor’s note: A seventh founding member, Autodesk, was announced on May 30.
