The Engine is a maker / accelerator space jointly backed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and additional private venture capital funding, The Engine supports “tough” technologies, ones that are slow to develop and often take years to bring in revenue, including robotics, manufacturing, medical devices, and energy. It provides technical facilities, financial stability, specialized equipment, streamlined business services, connections to influential alumni, and experts in a variety of fields both in the main space and through an online marketplace. Startups with a revolutionary idea can apply to gain access to these facilities and services.