YBI, Partners to Offer AMPED 2016 Competition

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Business Incubator, in partnership with the Burton D. Morgan Foundation and America Makes, will again host its technology startup competition with an emphasis on additive manufacturing.

AMPED 2016 will offer startups a chance to earn an equity investment of up to $100,000 based on meeting specific milestones. Last year, three local companies – JuggerBot 3D, Smart 3D Solutions and Freshmade 3D – were awarded funds through the competition.

“This is another great example of integrating additive manufacturing technology startups and their innovative solutions to the national additive manufacturing ecosystem,” Rob Gorham, director of operations at America Makes, said in announcing the contest.

Early-stage startups and existing businesses looking to commercialize new technology are eligible to compete. Businesses must be located in or relocate to one of the 21 counties of northeastern Ohio.

Investments will be awarded to the team or teams that display strong business and technical skills and have a business model that presents a viable market opportunity.

Any type of technology-based business can apply, but applications that are aligned with the America Makes technology road map will be eligible for additional points in the scoring rubric. The road map is divided into five technical focus areas:

• Design: Ideas that avoid constraints from fundamental limitations associated with current design tools or practices originally developed for conventional manufacturing processes.
• Material: Creating a paradigm shift away from controlling process parameters to controlling the underlying physics of the additive manufacturing to achieve consistent reproducible microstructures.
• Process: Driving technological advancements that enable faster, more accurate, and higher detail resolution additive manufacturing machines with larger build volumes and improved “as-built” part quality.
• Value Chain: Driving technological advancements that enable step change improvements in cost and time to market for additive manufacturing produced products.
• Additive Manufacturing Genome: Accelerating technological advancements that enable step change in the time and cost required to design, develop, and qualify new materials for additive manufacturing.

Additional information on the America Makes technology roadmap can be accessed here.

Applications will be accepted through Oct. 17. To submit an application to AMPED, visit this site. For questions about the competition, contact Rich Wetzel, YBI’s additive manufacturing business coordinator, at [email protected].

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.