Ford Motor Company, JPMorganChase, the State of Michigan, Michigan Central and Newlab have launched Michigan LIFT, a public-private initiative designed to help innovative suppliers expand production and strengthen U.S. manufacturing and supply-chain resilience.
The Michigan Launchpad for Industrial Innovation & Transformation is intended to connect industrial buyers with suppliers that can address specific manufacturing and supply-chain challenges. The platform can then connect qualifying opportunities with customer demand, financing, public resources, workforce support and commercialization services to help suppliers move toward production.
The initiative is designed to support manufacturing growth by addressing barriers such as uncertain customer demand, delayed financing, workforce shortages and complex supplier qualification requirements.
Platform Connects Industrial Demand with Production
Michigan LIFT will begin with priority manufacturing and supply-chain challenges identified by industrial buyers through “Open Calls.” Suppliers responding to these opportunities can be referred to relevant industrial buyers for evaluation, with additional support available for opportunities that advance.
Initial focus areas include:
- Robotics and advanced manufacturing automation
- Advanced energy, semiconductors and battery storage
- Advanced mobility, aerospace, propulsion and critical components
- Critical minerals mining, processing and recovery
- Life sciences manufacturing
Ford will serve as the anchor industrial buyer and aspires to award up to $1 billion in business to innovative suppliers through opportunities advanced by the platform. JPMorganChase, as the founding capital provider, aspires to provide up to $1 billion in debt financing to participating suppliers. Newlab also aspires to contribute $20 million in in-kind support, while Michigan Central, Newlab and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation aim to attract 10 to 20 additional industrial buyers representing more than $1 billion in annual demand commitments by the end of 2036.
“Michigan has always been a state that builds, and we’re going to keep leading the next generation of American industry,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Michigan LIFT will bring together our world-class manufacturers, innovative companies, skilled workers and capital to turn big ideas into real products, new investment and good-paying jobs. By working together, we can bring more critical supply chains home, help Michigan businesses grow and show the world that the future is built right here in Michigan.”
Manufacturing Growth Supported Through Supply Chain Investment
The initiative also includes workforce development intended to support manufacturing growth. Ford Philanthropy and JPMorganChase announced $550,000 in collective support for Focus: HOPE to strengthen industrial manufacturing training in areas including manufacturing skills, robotics and welding, alongside employer connections and career placement support.
Michigan offers a manufacturing base and supplier network that the founding participants intend to use as a proving ground for the platform. The participants also expect lessons from Michigan to inform similar efforts in other locations.
“Ford is America’s automaker, and we believe American manufacturing’s best days are ahead,” said Jim Farley, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company. “Michigan LIFT is about helping solve real manufacturing challenges faster. It connects innovators, suppliers and manufacturers with the support they need to scale. As we gather this week at Ford ACCELERATE to focus on practical solutions for America’s industrial future, Michigan LIFT is one example of how we’re taking action to strengthen the Essential Economy and build a more resilient manufacturing base.”
By linking industrial demand with financing, public resources and workforce support, the platform is intended to create a pathway for suppliers seeking manufacturing growth and greater production scale in the United States. The initiative also aims to strengthen supplier networks supporting critical technologies, components and capabilities. Manufacturing growth remains a central objective as participating organizations work to connect suppliers with opportunities to expand production.