Centrepolis Accelerator Secures $6M Federal Appropriation to Reshore Defense Supply Chains and Scale Michigan Hardtech Businesses

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University announced today the receipt of $6 million for the Defense Hardtech Accelerator in 2026 to bolster Michigan’s defense industrial base and reduce reliance on foreign-sourced materials.

The investment, made possible with the support of U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, comes through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC). The funding is specifically designed to help Michigan companies develop dual-purpose technologies for both commercial and defense applications.

“This investment is extremely important for Michigan’s ability to lead the nation in defense innovation and supply chain independence,” said Dan Radomski, CEO of Centrepolis Accelerator. “By partnering with GVSC and our federal delegation, we are providing Michigan companies with the resources to develop critical technologies—from non-rare earth motors to advanced drone systems—that eliminate our reliance on foreign materials while creating high-paying jobs right here in our communities.”

2026 Strategic Initiatives

The $6 million investment focuses on high-impact technologies designed to modernize the U.S. military and strengthen the local economy:

• Next-Gen Non-Rare Earth Motors: Funding supports Modal Motors (Farmington Hills) and Niron Magnetics in developing motor designs for ground vehicles and aerial drones that bypass Chinese-controlled materials. Michigan Motor Engineering Center of Excellence: Established at LTU, this center will provide testing and validation for non-rare earth magnets and motor designs, serving as a hub for industry developers and a talent pipeline for the state.
• Next-Gen 6T Lithium-Ion Battery Modules: Funding supports Arbor Battery (Ann Arbor) and Coreshell, to produce high-performance cells that do not require foreign materials.
• High Efficiency Power Conversion Systems: Funding supports Marel Power Solutions (Plymouth) to develop high voltage power stack that are integrated into the US Army GVSC internally developed Zeus traction drive inverter that improved power conversion and reduces weight and packaging of the inverter on military vehicles.
• Expeditionary Mobile Additive Manufacturing: Funding supports Geofabrica (Auburn Hills) that will utilize the funding to production-harden mobile 3D-printing systems capable of manufacturing metal and polymer parts in theater for active-duty testing.
• Michigan Drone Production & Automation: Funding supports Swarm Defense (Auburn Hills) who will implement Industry 4.0 and AI manufacturing technologies to scale their drone production from 20,000 to high volume manufacturing annually.
• Michigan Drone Center of Excellence: Funding supports a centralized resource to help Michigan and domestic drone companies close supply chain gaps and meet Green and Blue UAS federal requirements.

Together, these initiatives ensure that the next generation of defense hardware is not only designed in Michigan but manufactured here using secure, domestic supply chains.

About Centrepolis Accelerator

The Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University is dedicated to accelerating the growth of Michigan’s advanced manufacturing and hardware companies. By providing access to funding, technical expertise, and strategic partnerships, Centrepolis helps move products from the lab to the production line.

About Lawrence Technological University Lawrence Technological University is one of only 13 private, 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 as part of its 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 list it in the top tier of best 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