Pittsfield — U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal (D – Massachusetts 1st Congressional District) announced on Friday, October 15, that $735,000 in federal funding he included in the fiscal year 2026 spending bill will go toward a cybersecurity learning and testing facility at the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC) in Pittsfield.
The money comes from congressionally directed spending through the U.S. Department of Commerce. Neal made the announcement with BIC Executive Director Ben Sosne, Mayor Peter Marchetti, other officials and local business leaders.
BIC opened in 2020 in a 20,000-square-foot facility that offers regional manufacturers and STEM businesses research and development equipment, lab and training space, and internship and apprenticeship programs for local students.
According to Neal’s office, the new facility will be the next phase of BIC’s Manufacturing Academy, an industry-led program that provides education, training, and technology assistance to help local suppliers meet the needs of larger manufacturers. It will serve as a hub for monitoring, detecting, and responding to cybersecurity threats at manufacturing facilities, including supply chain manufacturers serving the defense industrial base, and will support workforce training for other local industries and municipalities.
“Whether it’s our local governments, our educational institutions, or our water systems, sophisticated challenges stemming from cybersecurity threats are confronting every sector of our economy,” Neal said. “With the establishment of the Cybersecurity Learning and Testing Facility, the BIC will be able to prepare the next generation of our skilled workforce by providing meaningful hands-on training, ensuring our communities have the resources needed to protect critical infrastructure and safeguard public services.”
Sosne said the center is responding to a growing challenge for manufacturers. “Cybersecurity requirements are becoming increasingly complex, particularly for companies in the defense supply chain,” he said. “Our goal is to bring together manufacturers, technology providers, and partners like General Dynamics and Synagex to help companies navigate these requirements and take practical steps forward.”
The project is one of 15 congressionally directed spending requests Neal submitted for fiscal year 2026 for the 1st Congressional District. Only state and local governments and eligible nonprofits could receive the funding.
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