Grabit, a promising startup, wanted to take its revolutionary electroadhesion gripping technology to market. Flex Lab IX partnered with Grabit to perform state-of-the-art testing and make business connections that would help the company fundamentally change factory and warehouse automation. Today's factories and warehouses need automation technologies that can handle fragile electronics such as flat-screen TVs and solar panels. Grabit invented a new technology that could revolutionize factory and warehouse automation. But this groundbreaking technology had to undergo rigorous testing before it could launch.

Nike is looking for ways to reduce the amount of material and labor needed to make high-performance, customized footwear and speed the delivery of its products to all kinds of athletes. Laser-cutting could scale down the amount of equipment needed to create the 20 to 30 parts of a typical shoe. However, Laser-cutting always leaves burnt edges on soft fabrics.