The survival of startups depends heavily on their initial supply chains. While developing the first production unit is no small feat, shipping the next 100 or even 10 units requires supplier sourcing and coordination, meticulous attention to quality control, and the resilience to manage near-constant changes in tariffs, components, and logistics. In the current state of affairs, founders spend countless hours traveling to manufacturing sites, sleeping on factory floors, and managing unexpected re-engineering sprints and costs in order to keep production moving.

As our global supply chains and industries shift towards decentralization, the need for new critical technologies and business models becomes a crucial precursor to developing local, sustainable, and scalable supply chains.

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BeaconLab at Newlab Detroit

To help startups build their first scale-up runs, Newlab Detroit and Michigan Central have partnered with Detroit-based Beacon MFG to fit out a word-class manufacturing facility at Newlab. Spanning 10,000 square feet, “BeaconLab” at Newlab is equipped with several bays of assembly stations and state-of-the-art advanced machinery for robotic wheel building, laser tube cutting, and robotic welding, accelerating the journey from concept to scale for mobility companies.

This initiative primarily serves companies that utilize metal framing, batteries, motors, carbon fiber, and integrated electronics in the production process. Examples of products that can be scaled in this lab include, but are not limited to:

• E-bikes
• Motorcycles
• Drones
• Mobile robots
• EV chargers

Beacon’s integration into the Newlab infrastructure strengthens our mission to decarbonize transportation, unblock barriers for mobility companies, and reinforce Detroit’s status as the home of mobility innovation.

Discover more about Newlab and Beacon MFG's endeavors to expand mobility manufacturing capabilities in Michigan.

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Want to build closer to home and alongside a community of like-minded founders? Apply to join Newlab.