Four Michigan Startups Prepare for Shot at $1 Million PitchMI Championship

LANSING, Mich. (Oct. 2, 2026) — Michigan’s next generation of high-growth companies are stepping into the spotlight.

Following four industry-specific semifinal competitions, four startups are advancing to the 2027 PitchMI Championship — Common Vector Robotics, Motmot, OmegaCool, and Ollivate — as the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Michigan State University Research Foundation announced today.

So far this year, PitchMI has awarded $1.7 million in total funding to the four semifinal winners, with each receiving $425,000 to accelerate their next stage of growth.

In addition to the previously announced $1 million investment in state funding, a $500,000 statewide co-investment from Anchor Up Ventures, Kalamazoo Forward Ventures, JM Longyear and ID Ventures increased each of the four semifinal prizes from $250,000 to $375,000. 20Fathoms, a Traverse City emerging venture fund, added another $200,000 in total funding, bringing each semifinal winner’s investment award to $425,000.

Beyond the cash award, each winner also received a package of business-building resources, including $100,000 in Google Cloud credits and a one-year VIP membership to the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM).

PitchMI (pronounced “Pitch-Me”) is one of the nation’s largest founder-focused startup competitions, built to create opportunity beyond the prize itself. Through the statewide competition, the MEDC and the MSU Research Foundation connect promising Michigan founders with the capital, visibility, relationships, and resources they need to move farther, faster.

“These companies represent the strength, range, and ambition of Michigan’s startup community,” said Jeff Wesley, executive director of ventures at the MSU Research Foundation. “The talent is already here. PitchMI creates a place for Michigan founders to meet the investors, industry experts, and partners who can help them solve the next challenge and reach new milestones.”

“PitchMI is open to Michigan-based startups only, because the startups being built here are world-class. We are betting on our own. They are worthy of that bet,” said Alison Todak, vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation at the MEDC. “Thanks to the Michigan Innovation Fund, a $60 million state investment to power this ecosystem, we are taking a public stake in innovation as a key component of the MEDC’s strategy to achieve long-term economic prosperity for Michiganders.”

The four 2026–27 PitchMI semifinal winners are:

Common Vector Robotics, Detroit (Defense & Aerospace semifinalist)

Arnold Kadiu, CEO and founder of Common Vector Robotics (CVR), is building rugged ground robots for critical operations on and off the battlefield. The company develops key components in-house, helping create autonomous robotic platforms designed to operate in demanding environments.

CVR earned $425,000 at the Sept. 15 semifinal in Grand Rapids. Controlled Light, Ketchel Axle Systems, Modal Motors, and Neumo also competed.

“It’s incredible to build in Michigan and to be with all my other fellow founders building in the same space,” said Kadiu. “This is going to be huge for our business to grow and get it to that next stage. I hope for a lot more competitions like this, to allow a lot more companies to grow and succeed.”

Motmot, Detroit (AI & Software semifinalist)

Elliot Smith, CEO and co-founder of Motmot, is developing autonomous underwater robots that inspect active municipal water mains without costly or disruptive excavation. The company turns that inspection data into actionable information utilities can use to identify risks, prioritize repairs, and make better-informed infrastructure investments.

Motmot earned $425,000 at the Sept. 22 semifinal in Kalamazoo. BridgeCare Technologies, ConStrat AI, Helios Core AI, and MimoLabs also competed.

"You can't do it alone," Smith said. "If you have good relationships along the way, like the folks at the MSU Research Foundation and the MEDC, those are great resources to leverage. It's never been a better time to be a startup. The ecosystem is primed and ready. The tools are there."

OmegaCool, Ann Arbor (Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Outdoors semifinalist)

Joey Mullick, CEO and co-founder of OmegaCool, is developing advanced metalworking fluids and fluid-management services that help manufacturers improve machining performance, extend equipment life, and reduce waste. The company’s technology is designed to make precision manufacturing more efficient while addressing common challenges tied to traditional coolants.

OmegaCool earned $425,000 at the Sept. 24 semifinal in Marquette. Averra Systems, Fen X Custom, GAIA Predictive, and Post Rock also competed.

“Without the leadership of the MSU Research Foundation and MEDC, this couldn’t have happened,” said Jim Burton, president of OmegaCool. “The publicity that comes out of this is going to open up a lot of doors, and we’re going to be able to work on scaling the manufacturing. It’s helped create an environment where people don’t compete with each other; they collaborate. If one of us wins, and we can make it so that everyone wins, we’ve got something really special.”

Ollivate, Detroit (Healthcare & Life Sciences semifinalist)

April Olson, co-founder and COO of Ollivate, and Josh Olson, CRNA and the company’s co-founder and CEO, are building a gamified healthcare education platform that turns board preparation, continuing education, and professional credentials into short, science-backed learning experiences. The platform combines learning science with game mechanics to make studying more engaging and help healthcare professionals retain complex information over time.

Ollivate earned $425,000 at the Oct. 1 semifinal in Detroit. Authsnap, PathwaysGI, TruVue, and Signal Bioscience also competed.

“The investor community, MEDC, the MSU Research Foundation, and the resources they give us have been phenomenal,” said April Olson. “I'm part of Femology, which is a female startup school here in Detroit. To be in that ecosystem and to be building on behalf of women and with women is another example of what happens when people get into community and lift each other.”

“This funding will allow us to put money back into the Michigan market, so we can hire people and do things here in Michigan and give back to the community,” said Josh Olson. “I'm so excited to see where we go, and I'm so excited for our learners and what they're going to be able to do.”

This year, PitchMI attracted hundreds of applications from startup founders across Michigan. Twenty companies were selected to compete in the four semifinals, representing industries where Michigan has deep expertise and strong potential for continued growth.

Together, these competitions create a statewide network that strengthens Michigan as a place where ambitious founders can start, grow, and scale companies without having to leave the state. The approach earned PitchMI international recognition, earning a 2026 Silver Award from the International Economic Development Council in the Innovative Economic Development category.

For Common Vector Robotics, Motmot, OmegaCool, and Ollivate, the journey is far from over.

The four companies will meet on one stage in spring 2027 for the statewide PitchMI Championship, where they will compete for an additional $1 million. The champion will leave PitchMI with $1,425,000 in total prize funding.

Details for the 2027 PitchMI Championship will be announced at a later date. Learn more at PitchMI.org.

About the Michigan State University Research Foundation

The Michigan State University Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit aligned with Michigan State University. The Foundation helps fund and advance research, technology, and startup efforts at the university and across the state by connecting researchers and entrepreneurs to the resources, relationships, and capital they need to drive real-world impact. The Foundation achieves its mission through a grant program that contributes over $15 million annually to the University, entrepreneurial programming and early-stage investments that accelerate technology transfer and startup growth throughout Michigan, and incubators and facilities where startup businesses and collaborators can thrive. The Foundation’s work is made possible through its stewardship of a flexible and sustainable endowment, nourished by over 50 years of licensing revenues and investment returns. Learn more about the MSU Research Foundation and its impact at msufoundation.org.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.