David Cole, the former chairman of the Center for Automotive Research, recently announced his new role as co-founder and chairman of AutoHarvest, a nonprofit website that aims to connect the auto industry with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem in order to market and commercialize intellectual property.
Once connected, members can build personal and company profiles; participate as a buyer, seller, or collaborator; showcase intellectual property and technology to other users; communicate through virtual think tanks; and form ventures and potential licensing deals with entrepreneurs and established companies.
AutoHarvest has already amassed a list of notable supporters and funders, including the Big Three automakers, Covisint, Delphi, TARDEC, Visteon, 3M, major Michigan universities, business incubators, and state and local economic development entities.
AutoHarvest’s website is still in the late stages of development in the Ann Arbor and Detroit markets, but it plans to launch globally next year.
