Five More Small Companies Awarded Grants For Research Partnerships With Michigan Universities
LANSING (WWJ) -- The Michigan Corporate Relations Network this week announced five more Michigan companies have won Small Company Innovation Program grant awards.
The new grants, designed to promote research partnerships between Michigan small businesses and the universities comprising MCRN, are in addition to eight awarded in May as part of the latest round of SCIP grant awards.
SCIP provides matching funds to support collaborative research projects between small to midsized Michigan-based companies and MCRN universities.
By awarding the matching funds, SCIP enables businesses to stretch their budgets and cultivate strategic relationships that can help them move closer to commercialization.
Through a competitive process, the following projects were selected for funding as part of the latest round of SCIP grant awards:
• Applied Engineering Technologies and Wayne State University ($36,003)
• Comet Technology Corp. and Wayne State University ($40,000)
• HyGenisis LLC and the University of Michigan ($35,573)
• Northwest Michigan Biodiesel LLC and Michigan State University ($20,000)
• Quantalux and Michigan State University ($39,952)
"We want to create a more sustainable future by turning food waste into energy," said William Koucky, founder of Northwest Michigan Biodiesel LLC. "Reevaluating our local food waste streams produces a viable energy future while complementing food sources. We look forward to partnering with MSU through the Small Company Innovation Program to advance the promise of economically converting industrial food waste into ethanol."
Lorelei Davis, associate director of MSU Business Connect, said that MCRN's Small Company Innovation Program encourages Michigan companies to take advantage of the powerful resources offered by Michigan's leading research universities.
"SCIP funds ease entry into the university environment," she said. "Companies can become familiar with the practices of university researchers and business engagement offices, while accelerating business development through access to equipment and expertise."
MCRN also announced that the next SCIP application deadline for Michigan businesses is Sept. 27. For more information about SCIP and MCRN's other programs, visit www.michigancrn.org.
Launched in 2011, MCRN is a unique collaboration that offers a powerful set of "U2B" (university-to-business) resources that help drive innovation and commercialization in Michigan. MCRN consists of Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, UM-Dearborn, Western Michigan University, and the University Research Corridor.
MCRN is currently supported ny funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
