MTEC SmartZone ANNOUNCES SIX-COMPANY COHORT FOR THE 2026 AMMP ACCELERATOR
HOUGHTON, MI – [April 21, 2026] – MTEC SmartZone is thrilled to announce its 2026 Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Program (AMMP) Accelerator companies! Chosen through a rigorous application and review process involving MTEC’s AMMP team and ecosystem partners, including Michigan Technological University, this year’s cohort brings together innovators tackling some of manufacturing’s most pressing challenges, from circular-economy plastics recycling to precision construction monitoring using machine vision to the first hard hat engineered specifically for women.
The 2026 AMMP Accelerator cohort companies are as follows:
1. Optical Quantum Technologies – This emerging venture has developed a new class of gyroscope and hybrid between classical and quantum computing to provide a more durable, rugged, and novel positioning system. Using optical quantum states, the company’s core technology leverages optical orbital angular momentum (OAM) and magneto-optical (MO) materials to improve quantum sensing and positional navigation in land, air, and sea environments.
2. SinusBath – SinusBath is a health-focused startup developing a next-generation nasal irrigation system. Their product is a nasal irrigation device that delivers an aerated saline solution with improved ergonomics to improve efficiency, comfort, usability, and long-term adoption.
3. PileVision – PileVision automates pile installation monitoring by replacing old processes with a real-time computer vision sensor. This allows site managers to collect accurate, continuous data without relying on scarce and expensive inspectors, which could reduce costs and improve safety on infrastructure job sites.
4. her.HAT – āśaya is a human-centered design and innovation company with two divisions, āśaya INNOVATE and āśaya DESIGN. Through their INNOVATE division, āśaya develops products at the intersection of design, construction, and manufacturing. Through this division, they are developing her.HAT, the first hard hat engineered specifically for women with smart sensing to serve a growing female workforce in the trades.
5. CaptureTech – CaptureTech deploys modular bioreactor Biochar Capture Packs (BCPs) to intercept nutrient pollution and organic waste in freshwater, stormwater, and nutrient-rich waste streams. The recovered biomass is then upcycled into regenerative fertilizers and soil amendments. This creates a circular economy model that restores microbial biodiversity while addressing and remediating agricultural runoff.
6. ZiTech – ZiTech is a sustainable manufacturing solution that processes hard-to-recycle waste, like #3-7 plastics, into polymer pellets. The product is combined with contaminated fibers such as pizza boxes, to create pellets that can be used in injection molding and extrusion.
“Each one of these founders has already demonstrated a high-level of technical expertise, dedication, and bold, interdisciplinary thinking that AMMP was built to support,” says Program Director, Grace Hsia Haberl“From quantum photonics to water remediation, this cohort is tackling real world challenges with novel approaches. We are excited to help each of them accelerate their path to market.” These companies will be showcased at the AMMP Accelerator Detroit Demo Day being held on Thursday, August 16, at Newlab Detroit.
ABOUT AMMP
The AMMP Accelerator program is designed to support advanced materials and manufacturing companies throughout the Upper Midwest region, fostering a sustainable model for startup acceleration. Through targeted training and mentorship, the initiative aims to catalyze economic growth, with a projected creation of 40 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in the Upper Midwest region. Additionally, the program will provide guidance and mentorship to approximately 120 companies in the community, driving forward the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. For more information, visit ammpaccelerator.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
ABOUT MTEC SmartZone
MTEC SmartZone in Houghton-Hancock, Michigan, is the Western U.P.'s entrepreneurial hub. We are one of the most successful Smart Zones in the state commercializing new startup technology companies. In the last year, our clients have generated $105.9 million in sales and $32 million in investment, with a total $597 million follow-on funding since 2003. At MTEC SmartZone we turn wild ideas into wildly successful businesses. For more information, visit mtecsz.com, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook, and email mtec@mtecsz.com.
Media Contact
(906) 487-7000