In 2014, the MTRAC Transportation program, run jointly by U-M’s Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Engineering and Office of Technology Transfer, launched its first year of funding, awarding more than $470,000 to five U-M research projects with high commercial potential in the transportation space.

Working with MTRAC Transportation partners and staff, along with industry and investment experts, these projects found mobility applications that improve battery life, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, hybrid efficiency and more.

The program recently awarded funding to its second cohort of projects with more than $500,000 going toward a new round of U-M research teams that have demonstrated the high impact their technology could have on mobility. It is part of a comprehensive commercialization pipeline developed at U-M by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Office of Technology Transfer to ensure university technology has support at every stage in the path to reach the market.

Ellis and the MTRAC Transportation Board review annual applications and grant awardees up to $100,000 in funding for a 12-month period. Past teams, such as Movellus Circuits and Elegus Technologies, have made significant strides in their attempt to innovate the transportation industry.

Among the second cohort of projects, grants were awarded to the AirMetrics and the Bendable Concrete Railroad Tie teams.

MTRAC Transportation will accept new applications beginning January 2016.