The MTEC SmartZone continues to excel with multi-tiered assistance and training programs that directly benefit our Smart Companies and business community.

Students from Michigan Tech identify innovations with commercial potential, develop prototypes, qualify the market opportunity and develop strategies to start a company that they can then pursue. Tech Initiatives is a branded, ongoing group dedicated to this function.

Researchers at Michigan Tech have utilized the federal SBIR program for startup funding in order to start companies. MTEC SmartZone has offered numerous SBIR seminars to include the types of available SBIR programs, commercialization strategies and individual consultations with a professional SBIR service firm. Plastic Flow and Endres Machining Innovations are SmartZone companies who have benefited from this program.

Michigan Tech has received awards from the Michigan University Commercialization Initiative and the Michigan Initiative for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, supported by MTEC SmartZone through provision of staff support and consulting, in addition to office space for programs to operate. For example, the MTEC SmartZone provides 4 hours of business consulting services to Michigan Tech in conjunction with the CenTILE program within the School of Business and Economics.

MTEC collaborates with Michigan Tech in providing information to the university community on the types of collective support that are available. These include how licenses and intellectual property are handled, finding funding sources, faculty/company work requirements, and how to gain access to university labs and equipment. The FastTrac program has been attended by several Michigan Tech faculty and students for basic business plan preparation.

Provides international students with volunteer opportunities. Student outcomes include conceptual CAD drawings for hybrid vehicles and research of available business assistance programs.

MTEC staff provides guest lectures to classes at Michigan Tech several times throughout the school year for the School of Business, as well as the School of Technology. MTEC has also contributed toward an award for business plan competitions in the Entrepreneurship class.

MTEC SmartZone has provided student projects for teams within capstone programs that include the Industrial Design Senior Design Teams of the Phoenix World Car and the CPR Mattress project.

SmartZone companies have worked with business class students to develop and refine marketing and business plans. These include, among others, W.C. Bosk Company from Escanaba and New Dimension Crushers in Ontonagon, MI.

MTEC SmartZone promotes Michigan Tech's LeaderShape program having provided a facilitator for the week-long program held in January, 2009.

MTEC provides judging support of the Michigan Tech Enterprise Expo that is held annually in April.

MTEC participates in this on-campus event which is intended to orient new students to the available student-supporting businesses in the community.