MIT announces the Initiative for New Manufacturing

Cambridge, MA – In a pivotal move set to redefine the landscape of American industry, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) today officially launched its **Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM)**. This sweeping, Institute-wide endeavor is strategically designed to re-energize U.S. industrial production with cutting-edge technologies, fortify vital economic sectors, and catalyze job creation across the nation.

The INM’s comprehensive approach integrates advanced research, innovative educational programs, and robust partnerships with companies spanning diverse sectors. This multi-faceted strategy aims to fundamentally transform manufacturing processes and elevate its economic and societal impact.

MIT President Sally A. Kornbluth underscored the initiative’s ambitious goals in a letter to the Institute community. “We want to work with firms big and small, in cities, small towns and everywhere in between, to help them adopt new approaches for increased productivity,” Kornbluth stated. She further emphasized the human-centered aspect, articulating a desire to “deliberately design high-quality, human-centered manufacturing jobs that bring new life to communities across the country.” Kornbluth affirmed the profound importance of this work, stating, “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 garnered significant industry support, announcing its first six founding consortium members: Amgen, Flex, GE Vernova, PTC, Sanofi, and Siemens. These foundational partners will play a crucial role in backing seed projects spearheaded by MIT researchers, with an initial keen focus on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing processes.

INM stands alongside other critical MIT presidential initiatives, including The Climate Project at MIT, MITHIC (focused on human-centered disciplines), MIT HEALS (life sciences and health), and MGAIC (the MIT Generative AI Impact Consortium). This collective emphasis underscores MIT’s commitment to addressing pressing global challenges through interdisciplinary innovation.

Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer and dean of engineering, highlighted the expansive potential 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 remarked. He expressed particular excitement about MIT’s unique position “to harness the transformative power of digital tools and AI to shape future of manufacturing.”

This latest initiative builds upon a rich history of MIT-led efforts aimed at bolstering American manufacturing. Notable predecessors include the 1989 bestseller “Made in America: Regaining the Productive Edge,” the “Production in the Innovation Economy” project in the early 2010s, and the 2016 founding of The Engine, a venture fund investing in hardware-based “tough tech” startups often with significant manufacturing potential.

The MIT Initiative for New Manufacturing is structured around four foundational themes:

• **Reimagining manufacturing technologies and systems:** Driving breakthrough technologies and system-level approaches to advance various sectors.
• **Elevating the productivity and experience of manufacturing:** Developing and deploying digitally driven methods and tools to enhance productivity and improve human-centered aspects of manufacturing work.
• **Scaling new manufacturing:** Accelerating the growth of manufacturing companies and transforming supply chains for maximum efficiency and resilience.
• **Transforming the manufacturing base:** Fostering a sustainable global manufacturing ecosystem that provides compelling opportunities for workers, with a strong focus on the U.S.

The INM has outlined a series of concrete activities, including an Institute-wide research program, comprehensive workforce and education programs (such as TechAMP, which bridges the gap between technicians and engineers), and robust industry engagement. Plans also include establishing new labs for developing manufacturing tools, a “factory observatory” program for student immersion in production sites, and key “pillars” focusing on specialized areas like semiconductors, biomanufacturing, defense, and aviation.

The initiative’s leadership team comprises three distinguished faculty co-directors: John Hart (Mechanical Engineering), Suzanne Berger (Political Science, renowned for manufacturing studies), and Chris Love (Chemical Engineering). Julie Diop serves as the executive director. A faculty steering committee and an external advisory board are currently being formed, drawing from the insights of the 2022 Manufacturing@MIT working group.

The launch of INM was foreshadowed by a successful MIT symposium on May 7, “A Vision for New Manufacturing,” which brought together over 30 speakers from diverse manufacturing sectors. At the event, Suzanne Berger underscored the urgency: “What we are trying to build at MIT now is not just another research project. … Together, with people in this room and outside this room, we’re trying to change what’s happening in our country.” Chris Love emphasized the critical link between innovation and delivery: “We need to think about the importance of manufacturing again, because it is what brings product ideas to people.” John Hart echoed the sentiment, noting the enduring importance of manufacturing and the excitement it generates among students.

In her concluding remarks, President Kornbluth reiterated INM’s transformative vision: “We want to reimagine manufacturing technologies and systems to advance fields like energy production, health care, computing, transportation, consumer products, and more. And we want to reach well beyond the shop floor to tackle challenges like how to make supply chains more resilient, and how to inform public policy to foster a broad, healthy manufacturing ecosystem that can drive decades of innovation and growth.”

(Editor’s note: Autodesk was announced as a seventh founding member on May 30.)

Watch a video about the Initiative for New Manufacturing below: