AI is Driving Change and Creating Disruption Across Nearly Every Industry

From creating digital twins to increasing employee productivity to recommending stock market investments based on social-media activity – these innovative Metro Detroit companies are bringing new innovations to the market.

Ultrium: Vehicle Maintenance Made Smarter, Simpler, and Less Costly

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Paris Plain founded  Ultrium in 2022 to provide AI-powered predictive maintenance solutions for vehicles. By leveraging real-time data from a vehicle’s OBD-II system and CAN bus, Ultrium helps fleet  operators and vehicle owners identify mechanical issues before they lead to costly breakdowns, enabling proactive maintenance and reducing downtime.

Ultrium transforms vehicle maintenance by applying machine learning to real-time vehicle data, which predicts failures with high accuracy. This saves fleet operators both time and money while improving vehicle reliability and lifespan.

“We’re passionate about using AI to empower vehicle owners and fleet operators to prevent breakdowns before they happen. Our goal is to make vehicle maintenance smarter, simpler, and more cost effective,” Plain said. Ultrium is funded and backed by Michigan Central, leading to a pilot with Tesla working on battery efficiency.

Stock Pal: Sinking Social Media Usage and Stock Buys

Founded in 2023, Stock Pal democratizes access to financial literacy and wealth-building tools by meeting people where they are and allowing them to discover how investible their lives are, said founder Michael Polk.

Polk, a two-time founder with a successful exit, said Stock Pal allows people to discover how valuable their data is across the multiple apps they use. Allowing people to connect their social media apps to a stock trading platform that then uses intelligence assistance (IA instead of AI) to discover the publicly traded brands and companies they naturally interact with, then delivering that with sentiment analysis, on whether it is positive, negative, or neutral. Then it allows them to make investment decisions from there, essentially allowing them to use their interests and likes on social media to select what stocks to buy.

JustAir: Making Air Quality Data Actionable

Darren Riley started JustAir in 2021 as a universal air quality management platform that empowers governments, communities, and industries to effectively manage air quality sensor networks and leverage data to create change. Its platform provides validated, quality-assured data and advanced analysis tools designed to inform public health, safety, and environmental management decisions.

By offering public and administrative dashboards, JustAir makes it easier for residents and decision-makers to act on air quality data. JustAir collaborates with environmental leaders, resident groups, governments, public health advocates, and industries committed to making air quality information more accessible and actionable. Its public dashboard allows residents to view real-time air quality data in their neighborhoods and receive text alerts when air quality is poor.

“After developing asthma as an adult while living in Southwest Detroit, one of the most polluted communities in the country, I understand firsthand the challenges of  poor air quality,” said Riley. “We built JustAir to help save lives by making air quality information more accessible, reliable, and actionable.”

Aphid: Put Your Digital Twin to Work for You

Aphid describes itself as a tech startup dedicated to driving innovation and positive change through AI technology since 2020. With a focus on harnessing the power of AI to disrupt the 40-hour work week for individuals and businesses, Aphid is committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible and shaping a better future for all, said Aphid Chief Executive Officer Brandon Cooper.

Aphid is a workforce automation network that allows users to save time and earn money from digital bots that they control. Typically, people interested in earning additional money sign up for gig-economy opportunities driving, shopping, delivering, ultimately trading time for money. Aphid empowers that same demographic to earn money passively by leveraging digital AI bots to execute mundane tasks that businesses outsource. Essentially, Aphid has innovated the way society both views work and values time.

Clixie AI: Creating Personalized Corporate Training and Learning

As President of Clixie AI, Reed Hostrander leads a cutting-edge interactive video platform that improves engagement and accessibility of videobased corporate training, education, and sales enablement with AI-powered automation and real-time analytics. Its customer-first approach drives change by actively listening to customer and prospect feedback to ensure product development aligns with their needs while enhancing the user experience.

To prioritize innovative features, Hostrander said Clixie engages with customers throughout the process, gathering input on what will be most valuable to them. During development, it continuously seeks their feedback, ensuring that each feature is both relevant and impactful. This ongoing collaboration helps Clixie scale offerings and build  a data-driven platform that transforms video-based learning into a more engaging and insightful experience.

“As someone who struggled to learn in traditional learning environments, I’ve always been frustrated by lectures and online recordings that lacked engagement and interaction. Without those elements, I’d lose focus and struggle to absorb information,” said Hostrander. “That’s why I’m passionate about using technology, especially AI, to create personalized and effective learning  experiences for everyone, regardless of how they learn best.”