CentriCycle grows team, works on product in India

CentriCycle is expanding its team and starting to test its innovative centrifuge technology in India.

The Ann Arbor-based startup is developing a sustainable, portable medical centrifuge that runs without electricity. The idea is to help medical professionals in rural areas of the third world perform diagnostic tests in places where electricity isn't consistently or even readily available. The two-person team is currently testing the technology in India. Check out a detailed explanation of the centrifuge here.

"We are in the midst of doing some informal field testing," says Katherine Kirsch, business operations manager for CentriCycle. "We plan to come back to Michigan to do more testing."

Kirsch came on board with the startup in October. The Fulbright Scholarship recipient had been teaching English in Rawanda and taking an interest in the startup culture that was developing in Africa. Then opportunity to join CentriCycle came up and she jumped.

"I'd be able to do a startup and use my education background," Kirsch says.

CentriCycle is looking at returning to Michigan early next year. It is looking at moving to Grand Rapids or Detroit as it continues testing its technology and working toward raising $500,000 in seed capital. Earlier this year it won a University of Michigan Dare to Dream grant worth $7,500 from the Erb Award for Sustainability.

Source: Katherine Kirsch, business operations manager for CentriCycle
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.