In the time it takes to brew and drink a cup of coffee, University of Massachusetts Lowell senior Andrew Fenner can walk from his apartment to his internship site — and from there, on to class.

That proximity is exactly the point of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC), a growing innovation ecosystem that drives research, workforce development, and economic growth while creating opportunities for students, faculty, companies, and the community.

Located on UMass Lowell’s campus and stretching into downtown Lowell, LINC includes a combination of existing and new buildings that offer space for industry partners of all sizes, market-rate housing, and entertainment. Draper, a nonprofit engineering innovation company and an anchor tenant in LINC, has plans to expand into a new 75,000-square-foot facility within the corridor. The facility, which will be known as the Integrated Microelectronics Production & Advanced Chip Technology (IMPACT) Center, will receive up to $25 million in state and local funding in partnership with the city of Lowell to support its construction, Gov. Maura Healey announced in October.

“Massachusetts is proud of our defense leadership — we are the birthplace of the National Guard, the US Navy, and the US Coast Guard — and we’ve carried that legacy of innovation and service forward for generations,” Healey says. “We are proud to support Draper’s efforts to strengthen this leadership by establishing the IMPACT Center, which will create good jobs, grow our economy, and bolster our national security in partnership with UMass Lowell and the city of Lowell.”

Two sports franchises — the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Boston Fleet and the Futures Collegiate Baseball League’s Lowell Spinners — play home games within LINC’s footprint. Sea Dog Brewing Company is also opening a new restaurant in the heart of LINC.

“It is exciting to see the vision we had for the LINC project coming to fruition after many years of laying the groundwork to create a bustling business innovation center in downtown Lowell,” said University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan, who started the process of acquiring property related to the LINC development while chancellor of UMass Lowell and has remained actively engaged with LINC as president. “LINC reflects the collaboration between the university, industry, and the community to spur economic growth, create jobs, and transform Lowell and the region into a top destination for businesses.”

Cutting-edge companies, including Draper, Weston & Sampson, and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), have joined LINC for the many benefits Lowell provides.

“Lowell’s history has always been defined by innovation, and that continues today,” says Lowell City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. “We offer companies the talent, space, and partnerships they need to grow and succeed in a competitive economy.”

Lowell is situated in the Merrimack Valley with easy access to Greater Boston — two dynamic regions driving innovation through industry leaders, emerging startups, and world-class research institutions. Housing costs in the Merrimack Valley are about 50 percent more affordable than those of Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, according to the Donahue Institute. Lowell also boasts a vibrant culture and history. Its preserved mills and canal system, recognized as part of the Lowell National Historical Park, tell the story of America’s industrial transformation, and its diverse communities shape a dynamic and globally connected city. 

The city is home to UMass Lowell, a top-tier research university with a Carnegie Research 1 designation. In addition to faculty expertise, industry partners can tap into the university’s Core Research Facilities to access advanced instrumentation in areas such as nanofabrication, robotics, functional fabrics, and more. UMass Lowell also serves as a skilled workforce pipeline with nearly 17,000 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students.

“Our strength as a research university is matched by our commitment to student success,” says UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen, who, in the fall of 2024, launched the UML Guarantee, ensuring that every first-time, first-year UMass Lowell student has the opportunity to pursue at least one career-connected experience during their undergraduate career, earning pay, credits, or both before they graduate. “We’re preparing graduates with the skills and experience to meet industry needs, while providing our partners with direct access to innovation and talent.”

LINC in Action

Fenner is one of many students gaining career-connected experience with a LINC partner company. 

The climate change and sustainability major is an intern with Weston & Sampson, a nationally recognized firm specializing in design, engineering, and environmental services. Fenner assists the company with energy audits, grant writing, and data reporting from their office within LINC.

“The fact that these companies are moving into LINC and investing in the students is creating more pathways between higher education and the professional world,” he says.

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Draper is partnering with UMass Lowell faculty and students to develop and deploy advanced technological solutions to ensure the nation’s security and prosperity. Eight UMass Lowell students are part of the Draper Scholars Program, which funds their studies and connects them with the company’s experienced engineers and scientists as they conduct graduate-level research.

“The professional connections are really valuable,” says computer science Ph.D. student Samuel Dodson ’21, a Draper Scholar who is conducting data security research in the lab of Anitha Gollamudi, an assistant professor in UMass Lowell’s Miner School of Computer and Information Sciences.

Draper opened an office in an existing LINC building in 2024 and plans to expand into the new IMPACT facility within the corridor. 

Construction is underway on a new security operations center in LINC, which will help fortify area cities, towns, and defense industrial base companies against cyber threats. The center is being established through a $300,000 grant from a joint effort between the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s MassCyberCenter and Center for Advanced Manufacturing, with ongoing support from SAIC, a global leader in technology integration. SAIC previously awarded UMass Lowell $1.3 million toward the development of a state-of-the-art cyber center.

Community members are getting specialized biotechnology training through the free, eight-week Biotech Career Foundations program offered by Bioversity, a nonprofit workforce training provider and a key LINC partner. Funded by a nearly $660,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Bioversity renovated and outfitted a laboratory within LINC, specifically for its training program.

“I now feel confident I can apply for any job and be a strong candidate,” says Neil Rosinski, a Bioversity student from Gardner, Mass., who joined the program to enter a new career pathway.

As LINC continues to grow, it is creating new pathways that connect education, industry, and community in ways that expand opportunity and strengthen the region’s economy. For UMass Lowell students like Fenner and Dodson and community members like Rosinski, those opportunities are already taking shape.