Civionics got its start spinning out of the University of Michigan in 2009 by commercializing wireless sensor technology. The platform was primarily used to measure the strength of large-scale infrastructure, such as bridge supports.
That's changing now. The startup is pivoting from its previous work, which mostly generated revenue from government grants, to a product platform.
"We have a new product we began selling at the end of last year," says Andy Zimmerman, CEO of
Civionics. "We hope it will help us enter some new verticals."
That new product is called Constellation. It is based on Civionics original technology but applies it to manufacturing equipment in factories. The idea is to monitor the strength of those machines and avoid breakdowns with well-timed maintenance. The company is aiming to focus on Michigan’s automotive market as a start.
To help make that happen, Civionics has joined
Automation Alley's 7Cs program. The program helps small businesses leverage cutting edge manufacturing technology, opening the door for them to go to the next level of production.
"Automation Alley clearly has the connections in the area that we lack," Zimmerman says.
The Ann Arbor-based company currently employs a core team of a handful of people after adding one over the last year. Zimmerman expects to grow that team later this year as it lines up the first customers for Constellation.
Source: Andy Zimmerman, CEO of Civionics
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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