Lawrence Tech, Southfield launch new Centrepolis Accelerator
- November 13, 2018
News Bureau
Lawrence Technological University
21000 West Ten Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48075-1058
Contact: Matt Roush, (248) 204-2210, (313) 850-3822 (cell) or mroush@ltu.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SOUTHFIELD -- Lawrence Technological University and the City of Southfield have entered into a formal partnership to launch the Centrepolis Accelerator.
Housed on the campus of LTU, the Centrepolis Accelerator will broaden and replace the small business and entrepreneurial support services provided by the LTU Collaboratory in recent years, leveraging the city’s focus on driving local and regional economic development through Southfield’s Centrepolis SmartZone.
The Centrepolis Accelerator’s mission is to accelerate the growth of small manufacturers and hardware entrepreneurs by providing access to key resources.
The accelerator’s website address is www.centrepolisaccelerator.com.
As part of the LTU-Southfield partnership, the Centrepolis Accelerator plans to open a new, state-of-the-art, 6,300-square-foot center in 2019 on the campus of LTU that will provide clients and partners access to office space, co-working space, workshops, mentors, technical and business services, a digital design lab, a mixed reality lab, a product prototyping lab, and other resources.
Leading the Centrepolis Accelerator is Dan Radomski, who was recently hired as a result of the LTU- Southfield partnership. Radomski has an extensive background in manufacturing and supporting hardware companies, and is well-known within Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. He was most recently chief strategy officer for Optimal Inc. in Plymouth, and former vice president at NextEnergy in Detroit, the state of Michigan’s advanced energy industry accelerator.
“This is another great example of how the city is partnering with LTU to create new jobs, retain top talent, grow our businesses and advance our economic base,” said Southfield Mayor Ken Siver. “The Centrepolis Accelerator will offer highly sought after resources to help startup companies and small manufacturers grow into high-tech manufacturing businesses that provide high-paying jobs.”
Added LTU President Virinder Moudgil: “The University’s heritage, dating back to 1932, is rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit of the industrial revolution. With the Centrepolis Accelerator, we have the platform and resources to help companies embrace the rapid technological advances occurring in product design, engineering, and manufacturing. It will also provide an excellent venue for our students to launch their own companies and find great companies to work with.”
In addition to the City of Southfield and LTU, the Centrepolis Accelerator receives grant support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the New Economy Initiative.
About Southfield Centrepolis SmartZone:
The Southfield Centrepolis SmartZone inspires business growth. It is a place where designers, manufacturers, engineers and tech experts can grow their business ideas and learn how to take them to market. Its mission is to bring together universities, industries, research organizations, businesses, government organizations, and community institutions to stimulate the growth of technology-based companies and jobs. More at www.southfieldcentrepolis.com.
About Lawrence Technological University:
Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, is a private university founded in 1932 that offers more than 100 programs through the doctoral level in its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, and Engineering. PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 15 percent of universities for the salaries of its graduates, and U.S. News and World Report lists it in the top tier of best Midwestern universities. Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 107-acre campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.
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Download a copy: CentrepolisAccelerator_Release