The Innovation Journey featuring BioMang
HOUGHTON, MI – August 29, 2024 – MTEC SmartZone is pleased to introduce a new content series called Innovation Journey. Every month, we’ll highlight one of our exceptional clients as they progress in their entrepreneurial path. Sometimes we’ll cover new clients, other times we’ll give updates on those previously covered! At MTEC, our core mission is to accelerate the growth of high-tech businesses, driving a prosperous regional economy. Our community is brimming with untapped potential, and we believe that with proper guidance and mentorship, even the wildest of ideas can lead to personal and economic success.
First up is BioMang, a dynamic company that has recently graduated from our AMMP Accelerator program. BioMang was founded by Michigan Technological University chemical engineering professor Dr. Timothy Eisele to work toward sustainable recovery of industrially important metals. BioMang has created a novel technology that uses a metal-reducing bacteria process for low-cost, environmentally sustainable recovery of manganese and other industrially important metals from waste streams. Manganese is a critical mineral essential to iron and steel production and a key cathode material in electric vehicle batteries.
The AMMP Accelerator, an MTEC SmartZone program, is a three-month-long program targeted toward early-stage companies. The AMMP Accelerator is supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The program is designed as a cohort-based model to advance companies along the commercialization pathway. The first year of the three-year AMMP accelerator saw a cohort of five companies graduate from the immersive program held from May through the end of July at MTEC’s offices in Houghton, MI.
When Dr. Timothy Eisele first applied to the AMMP Accelerator program, he had a prototype but lacked any experience starting a company. He wanted to take the next step but needed help determining what to do next. Throughout 14 weeks of accelerated curriculum, Tim and his research assistant Palas Borkar transformed BioMang from an innovative idea and prototype to launching a Michigan-based business with a plan.
Tim and his fellow founders found the AMMP Accelerator program to be a lot to digest. In three months, they navigated their way through 60 classes and over 3,000 pages of accelerator content to provide the business foundation they desperately needed.
“The entire staff was incredibly encouraging throughout this; they basically wouldn’t let me quit,” added Dr. Timothy Eisele. All jokes aside, the growth BioMang achieved through the program is substantial. They founded a company, developed a core team of advisors, established a board of directors, and captured a list of potential clients. Tim is also very excited to share that they are looking to build their minimal visible prototype within the next year.
As BioMang continues to innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible, we invite you to stay connected with their entrepreneurial journey and the wild ideas that fuel their success – visit their website today: https://www.biomang.com/
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About MTEC
Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation (MTEC) is one of 21 SmartZone Incubators in the State of Michigan. MTEC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), its mission is to facilitate the creation and ongoing success of high-tech value propositions in conjunction with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. Since 2003, the MTEC SmartZone has provided mentoring, technical support, and other services to local companies that have led to the creation of over 800 high-tech jobs in the Houghton and Hancock Michigan area.