GridEdge Solar is an interdisciplinary research program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology working toward scalable design and manufacturing of lightweight, flexible solar cells. We are supported by the Tata Trusts, one of India's largest philanthropic organizations. Emerging solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies could provide energy access to rural populations worldwide, open up new applications, and reduce the cost of grid-connected PV deployment. Our goal is to reduce the technology and market risk of lightweight and flexible PV modules through proof-of-system demonstrations and analysis showing how these technologies can be scaled up economically.