Akervall Technologies, Inc.

Akervall Technologies, Inc. (ATI) is a manufacturer of dental protection products for sports, dentistry and surgery based in Saline, Michigan. Founded in 2007 by Dr. Jan Akervall and Sassa Akervall, the company launched its first commercial product – the SISU Mouthguard – in 2009 in collaboration with co-founder Johannes Schwank, Ph.D. In the years since, ATI has become a gold standard in the mouthguard industry and a key employer in Washtenaw County.

The idea behind the company began when Dr. Akervall, an expert in head and neck oncology surgery, developed a mouthguard prototype designed for transoral surgeries. The medical grade thermopolymer version provided better protection during surgical procedures, but it became a true gamechanger when the Akervalls encouraged their daughter and her field hockey team to try the prototype as a replacement for their bulky sports mouthguards. Soon, the SISU mouthguard was born.   

Over the years, the company has received support from the Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Ann Arbor SPARK and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), participated in the Economic Gardening program and earned notable accolades, including the 2019 Best Small Business for the SBDC Network from Michigan Celebrates Small Business and regional winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2017.

Thanks to the ecosystem of small business support found in Michigan, ATI has also experienced global reach. Ben Bloomfield has served as ATI’s CEO since 2024 after working with the company for a decade. Bloomfield says the company first connected with the MEDC’s international trade team in 2018 thanks to recommendations from other Michigan businesses.

“As we began exploring expansion outside the U.S., it became clear that the MEDC had the programs and expertise that could help a company of our size navigate global markets,” said Bloomfield. “Our initial conversations quickly turned into an ongoing partnership that has supported us throughout our international growth.”

Since 2018, ATI has received critical international trade support from the MEDC, including over $40,000 in Michigan’s State Trade Expansion Program (MI-STEP) grants and connections with foreign offices to provide matchmaking all over the world, including Latin America, Asia and Europe. To date, the company has reported over $10.5 million in export sales thanks in part to the MEDC’s international trade team assistance.

“Through MI-STEP funding, export counseling and market research, we’ve been able to attend international trade shows, meet new distributors and strengthen relationships with partners in Europe, the UK and APAC,” said Bloomfield. “This support has allowed us to move faster, make informed decisions and grow our international presence in a sustainable way. MEDC’s support has directly helped Akervall Technologies expand into global markets by lowering the barriers to entry and giving us access to expert guidance.”

ATI has grown its number of employees and introduced new product lines, such as SOVA Nighttime Grind Protection and IntuGuard, an intubation mouthguard for surgical professionals. Looking ahead, Bloomfield says ATI plans to continue expanding its footprint across global markets.

“We see strong opportunities to deepen our presence in Europe, the UK and North America, while also pursuing growth in new regions, including Asia and other emerging markets. Our strategy centers on strengthening distributor relationships, broadening retail availability and expanding our online reach. Our goal is to drive sustainable, long-term growth by making SISU and SOVA products available to athletes and consumers around the world.”