SenSound, LLC has been recognized as one of the “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch,” an awards program sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation. SenSound, a Wayne State University technology spin-out, received the honor at the awards ceremony during the second annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business event, April 19 in East Lansing.

"Michigan 50 Companies to Watch” is a unique awards program designed to shine the spotlight on second-stage companies,” says Edward Lowe Foundation Executive Director Mark Lange. “Startup companies and large corporations often garner attention for their achievements,” continued Lange. “But growing second-stage enterprises work mostly behind the scenes, even though they generate the bulk of new, sustainable jobs, and are powerful economic forces underpinning the high quality of life most Americans enjoy.”

SenSound received the bid after having successfully launched unique patented acoustical engineering technologies developed by Dr. Sean F. Wu, Charles DeVlieg Professor of Engineering at Wayne State University (WSU), into commercial operations in the spring of 2004. SenSound software, services and integrated systems help engineers identify, understand and visualize three dimensional (3D) sound sources and their transmission paths in true 3D space and time, with greater speed, precision and resolution than any alternative acoustics diagnostic tool available. This commercialization of university research has created worldwide exports, displaced foreign imports of competing technology, provided high paying professional jobs in Michigan and is helping make the world a quieter place.

According to SenSound President Sergio Mazza, “It is gratifying to know that customer acceptance of our products and services has allowed us to grow to the level necessary to receive the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch Award so early in our existence. We are greatly indebted to Wayne State University, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the National Science Foundation for their support of our research and commercialization efforts.”

“This impressive software tool has gained worldwide attention because of the large range of products it can help improve,” commented Dr. John Oliver, vice president for Research at Wayne State University. “Through this technology, it is possible to pinpoint the exact source of unwanted noise in products such as automobile door panels and brakes to washing machines, vacuums and other consumer appliances used everyday,” he added.

Companies nominated to be members of the “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch” list must be second-stage companies, defined as employing 6 to 99 full-time-equivalent employees and generating $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue or working capital in place from investors or grants. In addition, the companies must be privately held and headquartered in Michigan.

Winners were selected by representatives of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, the Small Business Association of Michigan, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the U.S. Small Business Administration-Michigan, the Michigan Certified Development Corporation and the Edward Lowe Foundation, based in part on the winner’s demonstrated intent and capacity to grow.

Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world.