Toray, MedMates receive $25K Real Jobs RI grants

PROVIDENCE – Toray Plastics (America) Inc. and MedMates Inc. each received $25,000 “Real Jobs Rhode Island” planning grants from the state Department of Labor and Training.

Toray, based at Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, will use the money to develop a leadership training program. Its grant application was written in partnership with Astro-Med Inc., the University of Rhode Island, and the R.I. Association of Manufacturers, which will work together to develop the training program.

MedMates will use its grant money to support a needs assessment with industry partners to outline a way to build an ecosystem-based job creation engine fueled by medical-tech engineers.

The 21 grant recipients were announced July 31 at a press event by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo.

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The purpose of the “Real Jobs Rhode Island” initiative is to identify workforce needs for high-demand occupations, to create comprehensive training programs and to develop recruitment strategies. The grant program is funded with federal and state funds, including $1.3 million from the Governor’s Workforce Board.

“We are extremely honored to receive this important, generous training grant,” Mike Brandmeier, president and CEO of Toray Plastics (America), said in a statement. “The opportunity is a win for Toray and all grant recipients, jobseekers and Rhode Island.”

Hope Hopkins, co-director of MedMates, said, “A med-tech job-creation engine can be conceptualized as a collective of organizations and individuals that collaborate to support the launch and growth of medical technology companies. This partnership seeks to deliver outcomes that are not achievable by organizations and individuals working on their own. The number and diversity of knowledge jobs and investment attracted to the region are this engine’s key performance indicators.”

Critical partnerships in this effort include Ximedica, Aspiera Medical, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, BioScience Leaders, Tech Collective and Brown University.

David Goldsmith, MedMates co-founder and president, said, “By clearly defining the needs and potential for collaboration between stakeholders in Rhode Island’s med-tech and health care delivery ecosystem, the essential elements to seed future medical innovations are more likely to take root and flourish. Ultimately we hope to harness this convergence to make emergent company growth in Rhode Island a more permanent proposition, as well as nurture collaboration to fuel growth of existing initiatives. Through this process, Rhode Island can become a more attractive place for funders and startups.”

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