The Sterling Heights, Michigan, company celebrated its program graduation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new building on July 28. Speaking at the ceremony were Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel; Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor; and OU Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost James Lentini.
During Coliant’s time as a client, Mac-OU INC provided incubation and acceleration to assist them on their path to success. Incubation started as one office, rented at a cost well below market rate, and ended with three offices of Coliant employees. This rapid expansion translated to Coliant using accelerator services such as the Executives-in-Residence, public relations, funding via the Business Accelerator Fund, and Mac-OU INC’s Macomb Pitch 2014 competition. Coliant’s application to the competition was awarded first place.
“Hosting Coliant as an on-site client of the incubator program for the past few years was a pleasure,” said Larry Herriman, Interim Executive Director, Mac-OU INC. “In that time, they evolved from a product-provider company into a solutions-based firm. This evolution was generally due to the exemplary leadership. However, the team they assembled would make a solid company out of any early-stage product or service.”
Founded in 2004, Coliant designs, manufactures and distributes electrical accessories for riders in open-cabin vehicles. A holder of several patents, they market to the automotive and power sport industries and the U.S. Department of Defense. Technologies include Rugged Electrix™, Microclimate Technology™ and Tailored Fiber Placement™. Recent investors include Skypoint Ventures of Flint, Michigan.
The Macomb-Oakland University Incubator supports economic development in southeast Michigan by accelerating high-tech businesses, cultivating academic innovation and encouraging research and development. To help small businesses grow, the incubator creates customized success strategies for startup and emerging companies in the niche industries of defense, homeland security, advanced manufacturing and technology.
For more information, visit oakland.edu/macombouinc.
