State of Michigan funds QC firm to advance maritime innovation across the Great Lakes

The Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) announced the selection of five projects, including one from Quebec’s AquaAction, to receive funding through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP) Michigan Maritime Innovation Grant Program, supporting innovative technologies, commercialization efforts and workforce initiatives that will strengthen Michigan’s maritime economy and accelerate implementation of the state’s newly released Michigan Maritime Strategy.

Michigan’s US$1.5 million investment will leverage an additional $2 million from private industry, bringing the total investment in the five projects to $3.5 million.

AquaAction will launch its AquaEntrepreneur pilot-to-procurement commercialization platform in Michigan through Bedrock’s Urban Tech Xchange and deployment partnerships with the Port of Detroit, Great Lakes Water Authority, Friends of the Rouge and other infrastructure operators.

Rather than serving as a traditional startup accelerator, the program creates a commercialization infrastructure that connects deployment-ready BlueTech companies with operational partners, procurement opportunities and Michigan-based jobs. Through structured pilot deployments, participating companies will validate technologies in real-world environments while accelerating commercialization across Michigan’s ports, utilities and watershed infrastructure.

“We’re thrilled to bring our proven bluetech innovation model to Michigan. The state is full of innovative companies that often need just two things to succeed: expert guidance and the pilot opportunities that can be a golden ticket to commercialization. We’re here to provide both, and to help build a thriving bluetech economy in Michigan and beyond,” said Soula Chronopoulos, president, AquaAction.

The State of Michigan recently unveiled the Michigan Maritime Strategy, the first comprehensive 10-year roadmap to grow the state’s maritime economy by driving economic development, attracting investment, fostering innovation, creating high-quality career opportunities and protecting the Great Lakes. The strategy outlines a statewide vision for strengthening Michigan’s water-based economy through investments in infrastructure, clean energy, research and workforce development and resilient ports and waterfronts.

“Michigan’s maritime industry plays a key role in more than 350,000 shipping-related jobs across the U.S. and Canada contributing to more than $50 billion in economic activity,” said Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director Susan Corbin. “This investment furthers Michigan’s efforts to support intermodal transportation, manufacturing, tourism, recreation and fishing and lead the way in building our workforce and infrastructure to keep our economy strong.”

The Maritime Innovation Grant Program supports projects advancing one or more of the strategy’s four priority objectives:

• Supporting economic development by modernizing maritime infrastructure, improving intermodal transportation connectivity, leveraging manufacturing capabilities, and strengthening supply chain resilience.
• Accelerating the maritime sector’s transition to clean energy.
• Investing in maritime research, innovation, education, and workforce development.
• Enhancing the sustainability, resilience, and revitalization of Michigan’s ports, harbors, and waterfront communities.

“These projects demonstrate how emerging technologies, entrepreneurs and public-private partnerships can strengthen our maritime economy while accelerating real-world innovation.” said Justine Johnson, State of Michigan Chief Mobility Officer. “By investing in solutions that improve our ports, waterways and maritime operations, we’re helping implement Michigan’s first Maritime Strategy.”

Featured image: (OFME)