Akervall Technologies Expands in Ann Arbor Region

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Akervall Technologies Inc., an Ann Arbor SPARK business accelerator client that makes the SISU Mouth Guard and SISU SOVA Night Guard, is expanding to a 15,000 sq. ft. facility in Saline, Mich. The new facility includes a wet lab for research and development, offices for management and sales, and a manufacturing area.

A video on Akervall Technologies and its expansion is available online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY8y6FRteZY&feature=youtu.be.

Ann Arbor SPARK has supported Akervall Technologies since its inception, having provided funding as well as incubation and business acceleration services. On its path towards commercialization, Akervall Technologies received, and repaid early, funding through Ann Arbor SPARK from the Michigan Microloan Fund Program.

"Supporting a company like Akervall Technologies in taking a great idea, developing an innovative product and bringing it to market – all from the Ann Arbor region – is exactly the mission of Ann Arbor SPARK," said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. "That Ann Arbor SPARK has identified and offers a range services that can help a company across this continuum, and that this region has the ecosystem to support its further development, shows the strength of our entrepreneurial economy."

"Moving to a new facility where we can move confidently towards commercialization and production of the SISU products is a huge milestone for Akervall Technologies," said Sassa Akervall, company co-founder and president. "On top of having operations, research and development, and manufacturing under one roof, we also recently purchased a packaging machine. We plan to first bring packaging in-house, then eventually our own manufacturing in order to bring jobs back to Michigan. It's an incredibly exciting time for Akervall Technologies, and there's no doubt that our success is, in part, thanks to support we've received from Ann Arbor SPARK."

Akervall Technologies was recently recognized as one of the 2014 "Michigan 50 Companies to Watch," an awards program presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. The company was also recently awarded a National Science Foundation Phase II grant award.

The company's SISU guards started out as Protech Dent, but with assistance from Ann Arbor SPARK's business accelerator services, rebranded in 2012. SISU is rapidly gaining momentum in the athletic and night grinding mouth guard markets. 

About Ann Arbor SPARK
Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is advancing the region by encouraging and supporting business acceleration, attraction and retention. The organization identifies and meets the needs of business at every stage, from start-ups to large organizations. Ann Arbor SPARK collaborates with business, academic, government, and community investor partners including the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County, Livingston County, Washtenaw County Michigan Works!, the City of Ann Arbor, Bank of Ann Arbor and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. For more information, please call (734) 761-9317 or visit www.AnnArborUSA.org.

SOURCE Ann Arbor SPARK