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Small & Medium Manufaturers

Michigan's Industry 4.0 Initiative

Industry 4.0, the convergence of digital and physical technologies, is the next evolutionary phase in advanced manufacturing. Industry 4.0 offers manufacturers solutions to workforce challenges, opportunities for increased productivity and will keep them globally competitive. For more information about Industry 4.0 or to watch our Industry 4.0 webinars, click here.


The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) launched an Industry 4.0 initiative to support small manufacturers. MEDC has established a grant program to provide 50% reimbursement for qualifying technology costs up to $25,000.  As part of this initiative, regional programs have been established. The Manufacturing Growth Alliance (MGA) is the regional program grant administrator for Regions 1, 3, 7, 9, Oakland & Wayne Counties. Let us help you with the next step. 

Grant Eligibility Guidelines

  1. Companies must be a manufacturer, as defined by NAICS code.

  2. Proposed project must take place at a Michigan manufacturing facility.

  3. Companies must be classified as a small business by the Small Business Administration.

  4. Companies must complete an I4.0 Technology Assessment by the MMTC prior to award OR provide documentation of an executed strategy for determining which technology to implement.

  5. Companies must be an Essential Member with Automation Alley (Free). Click here for more information.

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Program Elements

  1. Technologies eligible for this grant program include hardware/software related to the following i4.0 categories, and preference will be given to transformative technologies (denoted with a * below):

    • Additive Manufacturing & Advanced Materials*

    • Artificial Intelligence*

    • Big Data

    • Cloud Computing

    • Cybersecurity

    • Industrial Internet of Things (IoT)

    • Modeling, Simulation, Visualization & Immersion

    • Robotics/Automation*

    • Connected Worker Platforms & Wearables

  2. This is a competitive grant program. Companies will need to clearly define which technology will be implemented and establish a timeline, budget and anticipated outcomes of the project.

  3. Grants will be reimbursement-based and will cover up to 50% of actual expenses incurred. Companies are required to cover the remaining cost of the technology project and cannot be combined with any other grant programs or external funding sources. Company match must be cash, not in-kind resources.

  4. Financial awards may not exceed $25,000 per company.

  5. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funding has been allocated.

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