Ford Launchpad Announces Winners of 3rd Round Funding

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority has announced the 3rd round of companies to receive a total of $171,000 in grant funding through the Ford Launchpad for Innovative Technologies and Entrepreneurship (FLITE).

The grant aims to help "shape the future of the aviation industry" by investing in high-tech systems and designs undergoing development - a sort of dart-throwing in the hopes of landing on something that will one day be ubiquitous around airports everywhere. This round will fund 5 projects in particular: Cyberworks Robotics and their retrofittable navigation products are the most pertinent flight kit in the lineup. Some aim to enhance the passenger transit experience, like Deaf AI and their training machines to bolster communication for the HoH community or Renu Robotics and their autonomous lawnmowing and gardening tech. Solartronic will provide their solar-powered lighting and security systems, and UV Angel will use its equipment to reduce contamination on public surfaces.

“After the successful completion of two rounds of funding, FLITE has proven to be a key asset to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and the state of Michigan’s local entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Ford International Airport Authority. “It has become a leading platform in transforming the aviation industry through the introduction of new technologies that advance our ability to provide a world-class experience to all passengers and guests.”

“Throughout my communications with different airport authorities, a few of them referred us to the FLITE program as a starting point after noticing that Deaf AI is an early-stage venture,” said Mehdi Masoumi, founder and CEO of Deaf AI. “The aviation industry has a significant gap in pilot studies and soft landings for innovation, making it difficult for early-stage startups to present their innovations to airport authorities. FLITE singularly built a bridge to address this gap by providing resources for early-stage startups.

“For Deaf AI, FLITE is a window of opportunity to test its innovation and reach out to other airports, including airports on the advisory boards of the FLITE program.”

Businesses interested in consideration for the 4th round of FLITE grants are invited to apply through June 30, 2023.

FMI: www.flyford.org