Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge introduced in Traverse City

Apr. 12—TRAVERSE CITY — An event to preview the second Northern Michigan Startup Week doubled as the launch of the Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office announced the state grant program in a Monday night release and it was the topic of discussion during and after a preview and open house at Cherry Capital Airport Tuesday morning.

The Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge is a partnership between Traverse Connect and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation awarding up to $150,000 in grants to "the decarbonization and electrification of both marinas and watercraft across the state," according to the release.

Organizations have until May 12 to apply for grant money, which requires matching funds on proposed projects. The new grant program will first be applied to the 10 counties in MEDC's Prosperity Region 2.

"Right now, it's right here," said Traverse Connect President and CEO Warren Call. "We're Phase One, our region."

Call talked about the new grant program after introducing the second Northern Michigan Startup Week scheduled May 5-11.

Bradley Matson, who is coordinating the second Northern Michigan Startup Week, and Cherry Capital Airport Director Kevin Klein also spoke about the startup event, themed "Water Innovation." The second annual event will begin with the TechStars Startup Weekend on May 5 and conclude with a Traverse Connect panel discussion titled "Innovation in the Great Lakes: The Blue Economy" on May 11.

"We're all about celebrating innovation in our entrepreneurial ecosystem we have here," Matson said. "There's really something for everyone."

Following the preview, Camille Hoisington, Traverse Connect director of ecosystem development, and Charlie Tyson, technology activation director for Michigan's 3-year-old Office of Future Mobility and Electrification discussed the grant program.

Tyson said there will be "around $500,000" in funding available for the first round of grants. He said it's meant to be an annual program and, while noting it isn't guaranteed, there seems to be sufficient support for continuing.

Hoisington said the program is a way for the region to "harness the power of our freshwater assets to grow our blue economy." It makes the region's 234 miles of Lake Michigan coastline and 10,418 acres of lakes — coupled with Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at Northwestern Michigan College and Michigan Tech University's research hub in Traverse City — "the epicenter of freshwater innovation."

The goal of the program is to support company growth and private sector investment; decarbonize maritime activity on the Great Lakes; improve accessibility of recreational boating; and bolster talent attraction and retention within the maritime industry, according to a PowerPoint slide presentation.

"The Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge represents the intersection of mobility, outdoor recreation and economic development and will create wide-reaching benefits across the entire state of Michigan," Whitmer said in the press statement.

Project examples included:

* Electric charging stations (e-boat & passenger vehicle)

* Marina maintenance equipment

* Shore power upgrades and sustainable infrastructure

* Vessel fleet transition from internal combustion engines to alternative propulsion

* Demos/pilots of innovative watercraft

* Accessibility improvements

* Feasibility studies

* Workforce development collaborations

Tyson said the application process was streamlined and final decisions will be made by the end of May or early June after a tiered review and scoring process.

Application are available online and more information on the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification is available at michiganbusiness.org/mobility-funding/.