TOLEDO – ProMedica Innovations, a division of ProMedica focused on advancing ideas, technologies and inventions while fostering economic growth, is pleased to announce its partnership with the Manufacturing Growth and Advocacy Network (MAGNET) to help expand MAGNET’s annual Mspire competition for manufacturing-focused entrepreneurs to Northwest Ohio.
Greater Toledo designers, innovators, inventors and small manufacturers with a physical product, automation, computation, software, sensing or network technology directly linked to a manufacturing system or process are encouraged to apply for the chance to access critical resources.
Online applications will be accepted through May 31. Details and the application can be found at mspire.org. Northwest Ohio finalists will pitch their ideas in-person to a panel of judges comprised of industry experts and company executives on July 28.
“Manufacturing is a critical part of northwest Ohio’s economy, and we are excited for the opportunity to partner with MAGNET to help accelerate inventive products and ideas in the region,” said Evan Bernath, investment analyst at ProMedica Innovations. “Innovative entrepreneurs and companies are crucial to the prosperity of the region, and the MSpire competition will highlight some of the great work they are doing.”
In addition to feedback and guidance targeted to their unique situations, Northwest Ohio participants will be vying for more than $50,000 in specific services necessary to move projects forward, including assessments, consulting, subsidized engineering design work, sales and marketing assistance, business strategy or operational development support, and legal or patent work. Another prize up for grabs is booth placement at the Manufacturing & Technology Show, set for Oct. 18.
“Mspire is about engaging entrepreneurs, creators and small manufacturers who have innovative ideas to advance technologies and manufacturing in Ohio,” said Alec Simon, MAGNET’s Director of Startups. “We provide access to resources to help them evolve the opportunities they’ve identified.”
Through the support and assistance of Mspire, many past winners have been able to connect with necessary industry partners, create physical prototypes of their ideas and scale their products for national sales including Nelderm, which won an operations award to optimize assembly layout for a heel pressure offloading device for immobilized patients; Corrolytics, which won a prototype design award for a microbial corrosion testing kit for the oil and gas industry; and SweatID, which won a booth at the 2021 Manufacturing & Technology Show.
Now in its seventh year, Mspire is supported by the State of Ohio’s Entrepreneurial Services Provider program through the Ohio Third Frontier and the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
