APT Solar Solutions, U-M Startup Developing Novel Solar Capture Systems, Celebrates Licensing with Ringing of Startup Bell

4/7/2025

APT Solar Solutions is redefining the boundaries of solar energy with their pioneering three-dimensional solar module technology. On April 3rd, their team marked their official launch as a University of Michigan (U-M) startup by ringing the Innovation Partnerships’ startup bell. 

Representing the company was founder and chief technology officer Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, associate research scientist of climate and space sciences and engineering at U-M; chief executive officer Dean Streck and director Steve Annear. Friends, colleagues and supporters of the APT Solar Solutions team were also in attendance, and a joyful reception followed the event including demonstrations of the startup’s novel, solar-powered light technology. 

“APT Solar Solutions is a dream team of entrepreneurial talent,” said Keith Hughes, associate director of licensing, physical sciences & engineering at Innovation Partnerships. “Dr. Akhavan-Tafti is a tireless worker with an incredible passion for research. Combine his work  ethic with the business acumen of Steve Annear and Dean Streck, and you have a team with incredible potential.”

Engineered to capture the sun’s rays from all directions, APT Solar Solutions’ unique vertical solar arrays ensure unparalleled efficiency in solar power generation, regardless of the space available.The technology was developed by Akhavan-Tafti in 2018 during his time as a PhD candidate with the mentorship of Nilton Renno, professor of climate and space sciences and engineering at U-M. Akhavan-Tafti developed a three-dimensional solar capture system, which he originally brought to Innovation Partnerships with the intent to commercialize it as an advancement in drone remote charging.

After discussions with his commercialization support team, Akhavan-Tafti and Renno submitted the technology to National Science Foundation I-Corps. Through his work with I-Corps, he realized the low number of applications for drone charging advancement. This discovery would lead Akhavan-Tafti to pivot his pitch, focusing instead on the small footprint and accelerated charging capabilities of their solar capture system. From here, he received funding from the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) for Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub. MTRAC support, along with continued support from I-Corps, allowed Akhavan-Tafti and his team to engage in further customer discovery and find a niche where their technology could be applied: solar-powered lighting.

Akhavan-Tafti joined forces with Steve Annear after an introduction by the Innovation Partnerships team and together they developed a comprehensive business plan. Their plan was supported with a pilot grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), leading to the deployment of 125 solar-powered lights in parks and municipalities across the state of Michigan. The technology has been especially popular with dark sky parks thanks to their customization capabilities, leading to a glowing feature in MLive highlighting their installation at the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park in Copper Harbor, Michigan. 

“The support we received from the University of Michigan ecosystem has been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Annear on his experience bringing APT Solar Solutions to market. “It’s the mark of a strong system that allows creative vision and entrepreneurship to thrive. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with teams across the University of Michigan and beyond, and are excited to continue these relationships as APT Solar Solutions commences commercialization of this amazing technology. 

As APT Solar Solutions continues to scale their research and development, they’ve brought on Dean Streck as CEO to help expand their customer discovery efforts. Having recently received further funding and mentorship support from Invest Detroit Ventures and the Michigan University Innovation Capital Fund, Akhavan-Tafti and the rest of the APT Solar Solutions team are looking into new areas of application for their solar capture system. 

“Since the inception of APT Solar Solutions, I’ve been lucky to have an incredible team of colleagues and supporters at my side —my village,” said Akhavan-Tafti. “The company could not be where it is today without support from all corners of the Michigan innovation ecosystem, namely Ann Arbor SPARK, Centrepolis Accelerator and Michigan SBDC. I look forward to the continued development of our technology and seeing our growth continue across Michigan and beyond.”