ROYAL OAK – iTrack, LLC is a classic example of successful technology transfer ? a company with roots in a university that transferred the technology it created into the marketplace. iTrack began as a university-based research and development company that explored development of diverse technologies associated with unmanned robotic systems and personnel tracking. The company has recently transitioned to its LLC status, enabling it to seek outside investment and grow in Michigan.
ITrack is focused on the design, development and commercialization of first responder/military tracking technology and autonomous navigation systems that operate not only in GPS environments but in areas where GPS capability is unavailable. The company has developed a patented Local Positioning and Tracking System (LPTS) that allows the user to rapidly construct an ad-hoc network scalable to almost any size, capable of penetrating foliage and various building materials and able to provide positioning information for personnel and robotic vehicles.
Jerry Atkinson, iTrack CEO, says: ?Our LTPS will enable a user to precisely track and monitor personnel and to autonomously control robotic vehicles performing many types of dangerous or mundane tasks where GPS is not always available. The user may perform this undertaking from a safe and remote location. The first commercial application of LPTS will be a personnel tracking system that will address the needs of the First Responder industry. Partnering with industry market leaders with whom we have established relationships, we expect to begin selling personnel tracking system components in the latter part of 2010. We expect to create a minimum of 35 new high-paying technical and administrative jobs during the next five years.?
iTrack recently concluded its search for an investor/commercialization partner, selecting an established Michigan company with previous experience in similar technologies; a company iTrack believes best suits its needs. iTrack?s new investment partner also has common ownership of Michigan-based Royal Oak Industries, a leading supplier of precision machined components and sub-assemblies to a variety of different markets. According to Atkinson, within the year iTrack will move into the Royal Oak Industries facility and add five new employees. ?This move will not only allow iTrack access to finance, engineering, marketing and sales expertise but will also provide us with direct access to Royal Oak Industries engineers, testing facilities and equipment. This collaboration will expedite the development of iTrack?s navigation and tracking technologies.?
Beyond its new partnership, over the last few years iTrack has developed strategic relationships with several other government and business entities. ?We have a strategic Department of Defense (DOD) partnership with Raytheon-Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) and this year will begin work on a tracking system that should be ready for commercialization in late 2010,? said Atkinson. ?Our relationships are broad. On the government and military side they include TACOM, General Dynamics, DOD and Congress; on the business side we have developed relationships with John Deere, Toro, Mine Safety Appliances, Danaher, the John Bean Company and others.?
To further its goals, iTrack has been diligent in establishing relationships with public sector service providers. According to Atkinson: ?iTrack successfully sought and obtained pre-seed funding from the state?s Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to advance our technology and find a partner to assist us in expanding our technology. The Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund is administered by Ann Arbor SPARK, an organization that supports high tech start-ups and entrepreneurs and has been enormously helpful to our company. More recently an Investment Tax Credit approved by the Michigan Economic Growth Authority cemented this collaboration and enabled the formation of iTrack, which is the outgrowth of our previous R&D efforts into the world of commercialization. I?m confident this partnership will also benefit Royal Oak Industries, giving them entr�e to iTrack?s established business and defense relationships, expanding opportunities for their existing products and services.?
Atkinson is quick to say that the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) has had a significant impact on iTrack?s future and its anticipated growth. ?Small business tech consultant, Praf Pande has been instrumental in helping us focus, aligning our expectations and priorities and setting a direction. He?s worked with us to identify our market and identified dominant companies within that market segment we should pursue. His assistance has been invaluable and we count on his continuing help to find customers for whom we will develop specific prototypes.?
According to tech consultant Prafulla Pande, what differentiates iTrack from other university spin outs is its CEO, Jerry Atkinson. ?Most small tech companies are completely focused on their technologies and either ignore or pay little attention to the business side of the company. Jerry brings business acumen and business operational expertise. He recognizes the importance of marketing and networking to open up opportunities. His energy and dedication to the company mission will move iTrack forward.?
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