Centrepolis Accelerator Mobility Grant Program is sponsored by Lawrence Technological University’s Centrepolis Accelerator. A program supporting innovation in drone and mobility technologies, offering grants to tech-based startups and small businesses in Michigan.

Centrepolis accelerator announces new round of Make It in Michigan Mobility Prototyping Grant Program - Lawrence Technological University News Centrepolis accelerator announces new round of Make It in Michigan Mobility Prototyping Grant Program $1. 7M in grants available to support autonomous systems, mobility, electrification, and advanced manufacturing innovation SOUTHFIELD, Mich.

— The Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University today announced the launch of the next round of the Make It in Michigan Mobility Prototyping Grant Program , a key initiative supported by the Michigan Office of Future Mobility & Electrification and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity aimed at strengthening the state’s leadership in autonomous systems, mobility, electrification, and advanced manufacturing innovation.

The program offers awards of up to $100,000 per company, with a total funding pool of $1. 7 million dedicated to supporting product development of cutting-edge mobility technologies. The grant program will provide technical services and financial support to startups and established companies working across all modes of mobility, including air, ground, and sea.

There will be a focus on three innovation tracks: autonomous systems (UAVs, UGVs, drones, and other autonomous platforms); critical mobility components addressing domestic supply chain gaps and national security needs; and an open innovation category for breakthrough mobility solutions. Companies with technologies at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 5 through 9 are eligible to apply, with individual awards of up to $100,000.

“This initiative is about strengthening America’s domestic manufacturing capabilities and building a more resilient supply chain, starting right here in Michigan,” said Dan Radomski , CEO of Centrepolis Accelerator.

“By supporting product development, prototyping, and manufacturing readiness for innovative mobility and autonomous technologies, we are ensuring critical systems and components are developed, built, and scaled within the United States utilizing the value engineering capabilities unique to Michigan. ” A key feature of the 2026-2027 program is a new emphasis on workforce development.

Awarded companies will complete a Workforce-Integrated Project Planning Canvas and Product Development Requirements training during onboarding, mapping the talent, skills, and labor required to achieve technical and business milestones over the nine-month grant period.

The program also connects awardees to Michigan’s unparalleled concentration of engineering, manufacturing, and skilled trades talent, ensuring that as companies advance from prototype to production, they have the local workforce in place to succeed. The Michigan Mobility Prototyping Grant Program was established in 2024.

Since the program’s inception, it has attracted over 250 applications from the State of Michigan and across the globe. Over $2. 8 million in grants have been awarded to 45 projects supporting a wide variety of mobility technologies, including autonomous drone systems, unmanned ground vehicles, next generation battery systems, motors, and power electronics.

Applications for this round will open on May 13, 2026, with a deadline to apply by July 12, 2026. Applications will be reviewed by an industry-experienced advisory committee, with candidate interviews conducted between Aug. 1 and Aug.

31. Final award selections are expected to be announced by September with contracts awarded and projects set to begin in October. For more information or to apply, visit: www.

centrepolisaccelerator. com/Programs/Make-it-in-Michigan-Prototype-Grant-Program . Register for an informational webinar on the program here: Your Blueprint to the 2026 Make it in Michigan Prototyping Grant Webinar .

About the Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University The Centrepolis Accelerator is a leading product development and business accelerator based in Southfield, Mich. , dedicated to helping hardware and advanced manufacturing companies bring innovative products to market.

Through expert-in-residence support, prototyping resources, and strategic partnerships, Centrepolis connects entrepreneurs and established firms with the tools and talent needed to develop, manufacture, and scale products in Michigan. Lawrence Technological University is one of only 13 independent, technological, comprehensive doctoral universities in the United States. Located in Southfield, Mich.

, LTU was founded in 1932, and offers more than 100 programs through its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Engineering, and Health Sciences, as well as Specs@LTU, which offers communication training programs of the former Specs Howard School, and LTU’s growing Center for Professional Development.

PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 11 percent of universities for alumni salaries. Forbes and The Wall Street Journal rank LTU among the nation’s top 10 percent. U.S. News and World Report lists it in the top tier of best in the Midwest colleges.

Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 107-acre campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.