A Michigan-based company and a team of entrepreneurs associated with the University of Michigan took top honors at the 2nd Annual Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition's gala event on November 17 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

DeNovo Sciences was awarded the grand prize of $500,000 for its cancer research and diagnosis platform that offers an alternative to painful and invasive biopsies. Specifically, the company has developed an instrument system and reagent kit that allows for the separation, detection, and retrieval of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral whole blood. Their patent-pending product will not only allow researchers to identify and capture rare and difficult to harvest cancer cells in a microfluidic chip, but also enable them to conduct downstream molecular analysis, which could one day lead to the holy grail of detecting cancer before the discovery of primary tumors. Fusion Coolant Systems received the first-runner up company prize of $150,000 for the development of an advanced coolant and lubrication system for use in manufacturing. Fusion Coolant's patented CHiP Lube system increases production rates and tool life.  

 

The Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan in partnership with the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan, Business Leaders for Michigan, the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and the University Research Corridor presented the total awards of over $1 million in cash and prizes.

 

"The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business competition designed to highlight Michigan as a robust and vibrant venue for innovation and business opportunity," said Lauren Bigelow, CEO of Growth Capital Network and competition executive director. "The competition helps to fuel innovation-based business growth by uncovering the best and brightest new business concepts from local and global entrepreneurs, exposing those opportunities to potential investment capital and fostering their growth within Michigan."

 

The top student prize of $25,000 went to are you a human, a Detroit-based web startup that uses games for human verification online. Created by a team from the University of Michigan led by Benjamin Blackmer, the games replace the distorted text images used today that users are asked to transcribe before creating an account or posting to a forum. By being simple, intuitive and more secure, the game solves the three main customer dissatisfiers associated with the current methodology: awful user experience, poor security, and reduced conversions.

 

To qualify for the competition prize monies, businesses must make a commitment to locate and grow in Michigan. These companies must also be past proof of concept and in the commercial stage of business development. The competition targets student concepts with longer-term business viability.  

This year, there were over 600 entries of innovative ideas from around the globe. Those entries were then narrowed to 53 company finalists and 25 student finalists who delivered their business pitches to a group of 49 investors over a two and a half day period. Nearly one third of the company finalists and over one half of the student finalists were connected to the three universities that created the URC in 2006.
 

"The University Research Corridor is proud to be a part of this exciting and important competition," said Jeff Mason, executive director for the URC. "The URC institutions were well represented in both the company and student competitions, demonstrating their critical importance to the social and economic revitalization of our state, our nation and the world."

Additional award winners include:

Company sector awards ($25,000 prize each)

Ford Advanced Transportation Award: ENRG Power Systems, LLC

DTE Energy Alternative Energy Award: Grid Logic

Dow Corning Advanced Materials Award: InfiChem Polymers, LLC

General Dynamics Land Systems Defense and Homeland Security Award: H3D, Inc.

Comcast Information Technology Award: i3D Technologies, Inc.

Life Sciences Award: OcuSciences

Medical Devices Award: Advanced Cooling Therapy, LLC

Masco Next Gen Manufacturing Award: ePack, Inc.

S3 Products and Services Award: LLamaSoft, Inc.

People''s Choice Award Award: Shoulder Innovations, LLC

AARP Encore Award Award: NEXTGEN Metabolomics, Inc.

Student Competition
 

First Runner Up ($15,000): Fashion Forward (UM)

Second Runner Up ($10,000): Quick Hitch (Western Michigan University)

People's Choice Award: Design Innovations for Infants & Women Everywhere (UM)