Automation Alley Makes Investment in Manufacturing Software Services Company, Ulendo

TROY, Mich., March 14, 2023 – Automation Alley, Michigan's Industry 4.0 knowledge center, is pleased to announce it has made an investment in Ulendo, a software services company focused on delivering advanced solutions for manufacturing automation. Automation Alley is making the investment through the Industry 4.0 Accelerator, the nation’s first Industry 4.0-specific accelerator. Automation Alley’s investment was part of a $1 million seed round made along with its partners Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University and Jackson-based Lean Rocket Lab.

Ulendo creates software tools that improve the productivity and quality of manufacturing machines at a low cost. The company’s advanced software helps companies monitor, control and improve the performance of their manufacturing process.

“Automation Alley’s participation in our fundraising round is supercharging the sales of our first product, vibration compensation software that doubles the speed of 3D printers,” said Ulendo CEO Brenda Jones. “This funding enabled us to recruit a 13-year veteran of the additive manufacturing industry, Jay Murray, as our VP of Sales.”

The Industry 4.0 Accelerator program was established in 2020 with $1.3 million originally funded through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Investments are currently available for early-stage companies looking to commercialize products, services or technologies within the Industry 4.0 sector. Through its distinct structure, the Accelerator services connect participating startups with more than thirty corporate partners, including OEMs, Tier One and Tier Two suppliers.

“Many of our partners have long been impressed with the visionary leadership and level of innovation from the team at Ulendo. The company has proven itself over the past several years to be a pioneer in advanced software for manufacturing machines,” Automation Alley CEO Tom Kelly said. “We are investing in Ulendo not just because we believe in its future – but also because we believe their technology and expertise will enable our members to prepare for the demands of Industry 4.0.”

Ulendo is the 5th investment in Michigan companies from the Accelerator. Previous investments from the Accelerator include Andonix, which develops worker safety systems that provide operation intelligence directly from the shopfloor; Autaza, a developer of AI-enabled computer vison systems; PPAP Manager, a cloud-based solution that streamlines and automates the Production Part Approval Process; and UnitX, a company focused on automating defect inspections at high throughput and high repeatability using deep learning and robotics.

The Accelerator has received hundreds of applications from startups in more than 30 countries and currently provides various levels of support to help more than 60 companies market themselves in Michigan.  

Startups vie to become part of the Accelerator because of the multi-pronged training, education, and exposure it offers both internally and from corporate partners. The Accelerator also helps startups gain traction in Michigan’s manufacturing ecosystem and bring innovative technologies to market. To learn more about the Industry 4.0 Accelerator or to apply, visit https://www.i40accelerator.com/.

ABOUT AUTOMATION ALLEY

Automation Alley is a nonprofit Industry 4.0 knowledge center and home to the World Economic Forum's US Center for Advanced Manufacturing. With a global outlook and a regional focus, we facilitate public-private partnerships, connecting industry, education and government to help businesses thrive by successfully navigating the challenges of digital transformation. Our mission is to help businesses embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to develop a software-first mindset that leverages the intersections of advanced technologies, systems and people to jumpstart or accelerate a digital path to strategic success. Visit automationalley.com.

ABOUT ULENDO

Ulendo is a venture-backed early-stage company spun out of the University of Michigan offering a portfolio of innovations to monitor, control and optimize the performance of manufacturing machines. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ulendo was founded in 2018 to bring to the world software innovations originally developed at the University of Michigan’s Smart and Sustainable Automation Laboratory. Visit us at www.ulendo.io.