April 2013 Newsletter: OmnicO AGV Awarded $30,500 Grant to Advance Business Goals

With application assistance from the Macomb-Oakland University INCubator, client company OmnicO AGV Inc. has been awarded $30,500 from the Business Accelerator Fund of the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC).

Based in Sterling Heights, OmnicO AGV has developed an Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV) that greatly increases the flexibility and accessibility in manufacturing and warehouse facilities. As improvement to the traditional AGV, OmnicO’s AGV innovation has increased sideways and rotational mobility, includes a modular space frame system that allows for low cost fabrication and uses a proprietary navigation system that creates traction on any path.

This grant will allow OmnicO AGV to be well positioned to meet investor requirements for continuation of growth. Milestones include ownership of a unique IP and functionality of its four-corner transceiver technology.

“Supporting OmnicO’s disruptive and innovative AGV technology is an exciting and perfect use of the Business Accelerator Funds. Their technology will improve manufacturing and warehouse logistics efficiency,” Julie Gustafson, Mac-OU INC executive director, said.

This innovative AGV will be attractive to any manufacturing plants that desire highly mobile, reconfigurable, cost effective AGV platforms. OmnicO AGV has already made great strides with companies such as Dyag, an advanced Systems Integration Solution Provider with a letter of intent to promote the AGV product to customers, and the US Army TARDEC, with experiments at Fort Bragg utilizing the Smart Tracking Transceivers developed by the company. In addition, OmnicO AGV is engaging in discussions with several automotive OEM’s regarding their technologies.

“It was great to work with a consortium where each of the members has such deep experience and expertise in their respective disciplines that together allow the OmnicO vision to become reality, and one that can really compete in the fast growing AGV market,” Mike Brennan, Mac-OU INC’s business commercialization and capital advisor, said.

As these Business Accelerator Fund awards demonstrate, the Macomb-OU INCubator is successfully delivering specialized business acceleration services to companies commercializing advanced technology. It is a 21st Century Jobs Fund Program managed by the MI-SBTDC in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Michigan’s network of business accelerators.

To learn more about OmnicO AGV, visit omnicoagv.com. More information about the Business Accelerator Fund is available at misbtdc.org.

The Macomb-OU INCubator provides comprehensive development and support to startup and emerging businesses with a focus on the defense, homeland security, advanced manufacturing and technology sectors. For more information, visit the incubator website at oakland.edu/macombouinc.