Page 9 - LRCC March 2022 FOCUS

lansingchamber.org MEMBER NEWS

Enspired Solutions Works to Eliminate Pressing

Environmental Issue

By: Celine Kerik, Kolt Communications

oly- and perfluoroalkyl
substances, also
Pknown as PFAS, have
recently become a dominant
topic of conversation when
discussing pressing issues of
the environment.

PFAS are a group of synthetic
chemicals that have been
used in firefighting foams,
lubricants, food packaging,
and many household items
for over 60 years. They can
remain in the environment
for years. They can cause liver
damage, decreased fertility,
cancer, and other health
problems to those who have
high exposure to chemicals.
Spartan Innovations is part of the Michigan State
A Laingsburg firm hopes to University Foundation and drives venture creation. It
become a world leader in helps entrepreneurs to start businesses, develop business
solving the PFAS problem. plans, and help technologies commercialize before the
Denise Kay Ph.D., and Meng company is formed, and after the company is formed, to
Wang Ph.D., MBA, P.E., create a highly successful business.
co-founders of Enspired
Solutions, are looking to “I started talking with Denise Kay and we figured out pretty
remove PFAS from the quickly that there's a lot of things that we can learn from
environment by destroying each other,” says Brad Fingland, the director of Spartan
it in water through Innovations. “We've been in regular communication about
commercializing technology a corporate strategy and next steps. I also helped sponsor
and equipment. This technology would work at PFAS an entrepreneur in residence, which is something that we
contaminated sites throughout the Midwest and the U.S. do for companies in our portfolio in our family.”
The goal is to become the dominant supplier of PFAS
destruction technology and equipment internationally. Kay says that after being a tenant in one of Spartan
Innovations’ buildings, her relationship with the
“We both were seeing this happening, having foundation has blossomed. They have provided Enspired
conversations about it, and started working on how this Solutions with a lab setup and very flexible opportunities
problem could be solved,” said Kay. “We decided we to rent the space that suits their startup's needs. She
were so passionate about working on what is definitely is thankful that Spartan Innovations finds value in
emerging to be a global issue that we decided to leave supporting a women-owned business.
our career positions and start Enspired Solutions.”
“I had a very distinct experience of working for a company
After founding Enspired Solutions, Kay and Wang that had a female CEO, and the difference that made in
were aware that they would need to have a laboratory the culture of the company had a very significant impact
to improve the chemistry and how it might work at on me, the way I worked, and the enjoyment I had in work,”
scale and offer testing on contaminated water from said Kay. “I have two daughters who are interested in STEM,
client sites. That’s when they reached out to Spartan and I really do think it's important to be setting the model
Innovations. and give other growing women the opportunity I had that
was so distinct in my career.” l
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