Material Impact establishes companies dedicated to transforming advancements in material science and deep technology into products.

Material Impact

Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, offers programs, resources, and proactive support to businesses in the Ann Arbor region. Its products and services include provision of business accelerator and entrepreneur boot camp programs, online business planning, market and competitive landscape research, development of business model strategies, intellectual property validation and FTO reports, marketing and sales initiatives, identification of employee needs and opportunities, preparation of a business plan and financial analysis, and creation of a compelling case for attracting funding and other resources, as well as review of product plans, validation steps, and regulatory issues. The company also provides space/expansion and equipment; programs, resources, and educational opportunities for business growth and expansion; programs for recognizing excellence; tax-exempt industrial development revenue bonds to finance the acquisition, construction, installation, or rehabilitation of manufacturing facilities; site searches of industrial and office buildings, vacant land, and incubator space; workforce; educational forums; incentives; export assistance; financing; and university connections. It serves businesses in life sciences, automotive research and development, engineering and production, alternative energies, information technologies, homeland security/defense, information, print and online, and imaging/vision sectors. Ann Arbor SPARK was formerly known as SPARK. The company was incorporated in 1982 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Ann Arbor SPARK

Invest Detroit is a development financial institution and source of private sector financing. Detroit Innovate is an early-stage investment fund focused on the Detroit Region.  Detroit is a growing entrepreneurial community and they're at the center of it. Their focus is high potential seed stage companies founded on unique, IP-based technologies.

Invest Detroit

Wakestream Ventures is an early stage fund that backs founders working with physical products converging with the internet. Their region has a rich history in innovation, industrial design and manufacturing giving them a unique advantage in the IoT / technical physical product space. They consider themselves an early stage fund with deal sizes ranging from $100K–300K in initial investment size with follow-on commitments for 2nd and 3rd rounds up to $1.5M cumulative.

Wakestream Ventures

Boomerang Catapult invests in the development of a more intellectually and culturally dynamic community of engaged citizens, generating high economic value and serving as the engine of long-term community success and progress. They believe that communities that generate high economic value and export it outside their own borders will reap long-term benefits.

Boomerang-Catapult

Invest Michigan is a non-profit funded by the Michigan Strategic Fund. As fund manager for both the Michigan Pre-Seed Fund 2.0 and the University Commercialization Fund, Invest Michigan invests in early-stage high tech businesses located in Michigan. The Michigan Pre-Seed Fund 2.0 is an investment fund aimed at supporting pre-seed and seed stage technology companies located in Michigan. The MPSF 2.0 offers equity or convertible debt initial investments ranging from $50,000 – $150,000 with the goal of supporting our portfolio companies with additional follow-on investments. The University Commercialization Fund provides funding of up to $100,000 for the commercialization of technologies originating from any of the 15 Michigan public universities. A signed option or license agreement from the Technology Transfer Offices is required.

Invest Michigan

Inventus Capital Partners is an investment firm that provides financial services to start-ups, entrepreneurs, and founders. The GPs have backed nearly 90 Founders to date, typically at the Seed or early-Series A stage, and invest with high conviction behind a very select number of new teams each year. Over the past 10 years, Inventus has helped Silicon Valley founders grow from early-stage startups into meaningful companies with aggregate annual sales of over $1 billion today.  Notable Inventus companies include Poshmark in the $330 billion fashion industry, Credit Sesame in the $500 billion consumer credit & finance markets, and Sierra Atlantic in the $100 billion outsourced product development industry. Investment themes include online consumer marketplaces and business automation software, but the Inventus GPs are particularly interested in backing Founders with a unique and often surprising vision for re-ordering industries and re-inventing consumer experiences for the digital age. While we make investments of conviction to lead financings and apply our own operating successes to coach Founders on strategy, hiring, and growth hacking, we’ve also institutionalized the persistent delivery of high-impact customer and partner introductions via  CXOBridge. Inventus co-founded and catalyzed CXOBridge in 2016 with the goal of helping participating startups grow revenue 10x in 2years by matching them with decision-makers at Fortune1000 customers and partners. CXOBridge is an independent organization with a full-time team applying a merit-based approach to selecting startups that solve high-priority problems for the program’s Fortune-1000 participants. To date, 46 startups and 300+ corporates are active in the program, resulting in over $300m of value creation so far. CXOBridge provides startups persistent help with revenue growth and sales traction at scale and is the latest example of the unique capabilities of our firm.

Inventus Capital Partners

Beringea is an international venture capital and private equity firm dedicated to finding, funding and nurturing exceptional companies in growth industries. Founded in 1988, the firm currently has more than 60 portfolio companies in a range of emerging sectors, including media, health care and life sciences, Internet technologies, advanced manufacturing, clean tech and specialized consumer goods. With capital, experience and offices in the U.S. and U.K., Beringea is in a unique position to offer entrepreneurs and their management teams the resources to develop strategy, evaluate growth opportunities, solve problems and build value. Beringea is the co-manager of the Michigan Growth Capital Partners Funds in the U.S., as well as the ProVen VCT family of funds in the UK, among others.

Beringea

Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III invests in Michigan tech startups to help commercialize innovative technologies.  We are proud to partner with Michigan’s best and brightest tech entrepreneurs and further economic development in the Mitten State.  The Pre-Seed Fund III is administered by the Michigan State University Research Foundation through Michigan Rise which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Foundation.  Michigan Rise supports entrepreneurs and technology startups across Michigan through capital support, coaching, assistance with grant funding and more. The Michigan State University Research Foundation was formed in 1973 and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is charged with helping Michigan State University achieve its land grant mission related to economic development through the commercialization of new intellectual property. The Foundation oversees several entities involved in this activity including Red Cedar Ventures and Spartan Innovations.  Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III is made possible with support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Michigan State University Research Foundation. To apply for funding, please submit a brief application here: https://www.michiganrise.com/application

Michigan Rise

Orbion Space Technology

Orbion Space Technology develops and manufactures plasma propulsion systems for small satellites.  Orbion’s thrusters can save spacecraft operators millions of dollars in operating costs while increasing the value of the spacecraft’s data products. Its manufacturing approach enables the production of plasma thrusters at the unprecedentedly high rates that are required to equip the space revolution.

Orbion Space Technology manufactures Hall effect plasma thrusters for use in small and cube satellites. Since its inception in 2016, Orbion has developed and manufacture revolutionary plasma propulsion systems for small satellites and has promised to launch 5,000 small satellites within the next seven years.

Technology providers that enhance satellite operations

Next-gen Satellites

Orbion Space Technology is one of 2024's most innovative companies

SpinLaunch is a space technology company developing a kinetic launch system to provide low-cost and high-frequency access to space. Unlike traditional fuel-based rockets, SpinLaunch's system utilizes a ground-based, electric-powered centrifuge to accelerate payloads to hypersonic speeds before releasing them into the atmosphere. Its solution is capable of putting 200 kg-class satellites into low orbit. The firm claims this method significantly reduces environmental impact by ~95% compared to conventional rocket launches. Its electric-drive Orbital accelerator offers a revolutionary approach to space travel and significantly reduces the fuel needed to reach orbit by 4x, mitigates costs by 10x, and enables multiple launches per day.Suborbital Accelerator operates at speeds between 800 miph and 5,000 miph, and primarily serves as a testing platform for the Orbital Launch System. It allows customers to conduct tests and serves as a facility for long-term satellite qualification. The company’s first major milestone was the successful test of its suborbital accelerator at Spaceport America in New Mexico in October 2021, where a projectile was launched tens of thousands of feet at 20% power capacity. SpinLaunch also planned to launch small satellites into low-Earth orbit by 2026.SpinLaunch has also created a new type of highly affordable satellite. It claims that applying mass manufacturing techniques and simplifying the supply chain reduces costs without compromising performance. SpinLaunch’s satellites are specifically designed for mass accelerators but are also compatible with traditional launch systems and serve a variety of use cases, such as surveillance broadcasts, Internet of things (IoT), machine-to-machine communication (M2M), and emergency communication platforms.<h3>Key customers and partnerships</h3>In September 2023, SpinLaunch partnered with Sumitomo Corporation (Japan) for the global expansion of affordable and sustainable space services. SpinLaunch has also attracted significant interest and formed strategic partnerships with major organizations, including ATW Partners, Kleiner Perkins, and GV. In 2019, the Department of Defense signed a "launch prototype contract" with SpinLaunch to provide reliable and cost-effective launch services​.Funding and financialsIn September 2022, SpinLaunch secured USD 71 million in a Series B funding round led by ATW Partners to continue developing its launch system and satellite technologies​. In January 2020, the company raised USD 35 million from venture capitalists to aid the development of its kinetic launch system.

SpinLaunch

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 Rocket Lab is a global leader in launch services and space systems, offering a comprehensive range of solutions from satellite manufacturing to orbital launches. The company's primary launch vehicle, Electron, has become the second most frequently launched US rocket annually, having delivered over 190 satellites to orbit for various commercial and government partners. Electron is capable of carrying payloads of up to 300 kilograms to low Earth orbit. In addition to Electron, Rocket Lab has developed HASTE, a suborbital hypersonic launch vehicle.
 
 
 
 
 Rocket Lab is currently developing Neutron, an advanced 13-tonne payload class reusable launch vehicle designed for constellation deployment and interplanetary missions. The company successfully conducted the first hot fire test of its Archimedes engine in August 2024, which will power Neutron's first stage. Neutron's unique design encapsulates its second stage within a reusable first stage with an integrated payload fairing. Rocket Lab aims to launch Neutron by mid-2025, potentially marking the fastest time to market for a commercially developed medium-class launch vehicle.
 
 
 
 
 Beyond launch services, Rocket Lab has established itself as a premier supplier of advanced satellites, flight-proven subsystems, and spacecraft components. The company's technology spans various areas, including space solar power, composite structures, flight software, star trackers, reaction wheels, and separation systems. As of August 2024, Rocket Lab's satellite technology and components have been integrated into more than 1,700 satellite missions globally. In the second quarter of 2024, Rocket Lab reported record revenue of USD 106.3 million, representing a 71% year-over-year increase.
 
 
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 
 
 
 Rocket Lab has secured partnerships with several high-profile customers and organizations. The company has conducted multiple launches for NASA, including the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon in 2022 and the upcoming ESCAPADE mission to Mars. In August 2024, Rocket Lab delivered two spacecraft for the ESCAPADE mission to Cape Canaveral.
 
 
 
 
 Rocket Lab has also established a strong relationship with Capella Space, having completed five missions for the company since August 2020. In August 2024, Rocket Lab successfully launched Capella Space's Acadia-3 satellite, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, into orbit. Additionally, the company has partnered with the University of California Berkeley's Space Science Laboratory to build spacecraft for NASA missions.
 
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Rocket Lab

Italy-based D-Orbit specializes in end-to-end solutions for satellite deployment, in-space transportation, and in-orbit servicing through its proprietary orbital transfer vehicle, the ION Satellite Carrier. The company asserts that the ION Satellite Carrier enables efficient satellite deployment by reducing the time from launch to operations by up to 85% and potential cost savings of up to 40%. It is also the first certified B-Corp space company in the world. As at June 2024, D-Orbit conducted its launches from the US and had completed 13 orbital transportation missions, deployed 100 satellites and 44 hosted payloads, with its next launch planned for July 2024.D-Orbit's services include (1) launch and deployment of satellites, (2) in-orbit services, (3) mission control as a service, (4) advanced services, and (5) systems and components.D-Orbit's launch and deployment services cater to small satellite operators with turnkey solutions that cover various phases of a satellite's lifecycle and includes offerings such as (1) Rideshare, which uses third-party compatible launchers for standard orbit deployment, (2) Precision Deployment, which uses the ION Satellite Carrier for customized orbit placement, and (3) Constellation Deployment, which phases satellite constellations using the ION carrier for optimal orbital placement. Additional services include insurance, mission analysis, onboard software development, and specialized transportation​.For Satellite management, D-Orbit offers a cloud-based mission control software suite named Aurora, which is designed for satellite operators and features a customizable web interface for telemetry, trajectory updates, and telecommands, along with 2D/3D orbit visualization. Operators can control satellites from any location and outsource mission control tasks to D-Orbit, reducing operational costs.The company also offers in-orbit maintenance services, which include satellite transportation, lifetime extension, in-orbit assembly and refurbishment, manufacturing, resupply, recycling, relocation, inspection, and debris removal.D-Orbit also offers advanced services such as the (1) ION Hosted Payload Service for swift payload deployment for testing and experiments, the (2) D-Orbit Cloud Platform for in-orbit data computing, and the (3) Satellite as a Service (SaaS) model exemplified by projects like IRIDE, offering satellite-based services without requiring customer-owned infrastructure. The IRIDE satellite constellation project is financed by the Italian PNRR (National Plan for Recovery and Resilience) and supported by the ESA (European Space Agency) and ASI (Italian Space Agency). IRIDE aims to provide advanced earth observation data for the Italian public administration and will offer services related to marine and coastal monitoring, air quality, land movement monitoring, land cover, hydro weather climate, and more. Satellite launches for the constellation are planned between 2025 and 2026.D-Orbit's Systems and Components division provides a suite of hardware components and software solutions for satellite operations, including the AOCS Suite, a modular Attitude and Orbit Control System designed for satellite stabilization and control, alongside the D-Sense multi-sensor ADCS module for precise satellite positioning. Additionally, its product lineup features specialized systems such as SimOn for safe rocket motor ignition, D3, a decommissioning device for satellite disposal, and D-Raise, a propulsion system engineered for efficient orbit raising, among others.Key customers and partnershipsKey customers include the European Space Agency (ESA), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Planet Labs, the University of Southern California, Brown University School of Engineering, Spaceflight, Ensign-Bickford Aerospace &amp; Defense (EBAD), and TelePIX, a South Korean space startup.Notable partnerships include its tie-up with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/26250">SpaceX </a>to launch its ION Satellite Carrier missions on <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/26250">SpaceX</a> transporters. D-Orbit has also partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/404857">Leaf Space</a> and AWS Ground Station to provide global coverage for its mission control software suite Aurora. Other partnerships include a collaboration with Starfish Space for orbital rendezvous missions, ​HyImpulse Technologies for a joint launch and deployment mission, MetaSensing for collaboration on the IRIDE project, and with SkyServe STORM to integrate edge computing functionalities within the SkyServe STORM platform, enabling the processing of live Earth observation data from D-Orbit's resources into inferences directly in space.

D-Orbit

Phantom Space Corporation is a space services company providing all-in-one capabilities for satellite manufacturing and launch services to commercial and government clients.Phantom Space caters to launch services primarily using its launch vehicle, Daytona Rocket, which is a two-stage system designed to carry payloads of up to 450 kg, including satellites and other space cargo into low-Earth orbit (LEO), for less than USD 4 million per launch. In addition to the Daytona, Phantom Space was developing the larger Laguna rocket, scheduled for launch in 2025, to be powered by a combination of Ripley and Hadley engines produced by Ursa Major to increase payload capacity to 1,200 kg for LEO missions at USD 8 million per launch.In November 2022, the company achieved a major milestone by conducting a successful 60-second hot fire test of the Daytona's Pathfinder test stage at Spaceport America in New Mexico, validating approximately 75% of the vehicle's systems in a flight-realistic condition.The company also provides solutions for designing, manufacturing, and operating small satellites, ranging from single CubeSats to constellations of ESPA-class spacecraft. As of May 2024, Phantom Space had 46 satellite and spacecraft programs successfully executed, while three were currently in progress.As of June 2023, the company aimed to offer affordable access to space through its proprietary rocket and satellite designs. To this end, Phantom Space aimed to employ mass production techniques to reduce costs and increase the frequency of space access for government and commercial entities. Key customers and partnershipsIn May 2023, Phantom Space signed a launch services agreement with Quub, a satellite manufacturer, for three dedicated launches in 2025.In November 2022, Phantom Space secured task orders from NASA for the agency's Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) missions program. The orders involved launching four CubeSat satellites on the second and fourth Daytona rocket flights from Vandenberg Space Force Base, planned for 2024.

Phantom Space

Beyond Earth builds small rockets to provide dedicated CubeSat launches to low-earth-orbit on short notice.

Beyond Earth

Companies that offer launch capabilities to get satellites into orbit, including last-mile delivery of satellites and value-added services including launch mission planning and execution

Companies that provide satellite management services once they are deployed

Includes companies that develop satellite buses and payloads for mini, micro and nano systems

Companies that manufacture components for mini, micro, nano, and picosatellite systems

Satellite companies that offer location-based intelligence, navigation, mapping, spatial awareness, and data analytics services

Use of autonomous robotics in the production process, specially in the miniature satellite segments

Orbion Space Technology

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