Six emerging companies presented their business pitches Friday at the MTEC Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Accelerator’s local demo day, showcasing innovations developed over the past two months.
The event provided entrepreneurs with a platform to practice their presentations before investors and community leaders ahead of the program’s final demo day in Detroit later this month.
“The content really focuses on problem, solution, opportunity, market size and business model,” said Jason Mack, VP of Business Development at MTECSmartZone. “They have five minutes to present, so I didn’t bring my big book because I’m expecting them to be very on time and respectful of everybody here.”
The AMMP Accelerator, which launched in May, brings young entrepreneurs to Michigan’s Copper Country for an intensive crash course in business development. The 12-week program teaches emerging companies how to pitch to investors, scale operations and reshape industries.
“A lot of it involves training people who are very sharp individuals, but they have a little more narrow focus,” said Dave Rowe, CEO of MTECSmartZone. “They may not understand what it takes to operate a business, what it takes to gain a customer base, build business relationships or establish a facility.”
The 2026 cohort includes Sinus Bath, Zi Tech, Phase Q, Nature Tech, Pile Vision and Helm.
Helm, founded by architect Smitaa Sahoo, aims to improve safety equipment for construction workers, particularly women. The company emerged from Sahoo’s personal experience in Chicago, where she struggled to find properly fitting hard hats while touring projects she led.
“Because of this, it doesn’t fit them and it keeps falling off, and that leads to a lot of safety risks,” Sahoo said. “Not only is it a problem for the workers, but it’s also a challenge for the employers because that’s a productivity loss. All of this leads to a $10 billion problem.”
The Houghton demo day served as a rehearsal for the companies’ final presentations in Detroit, where they will connect with additional investors and organizations that can support their growth.
“The event helps the companies connect with local organizations and investors who can help support their business journey,” organizers said.
More information about the AMMP Accelerator is available online at MTECSmartZone’s website.
