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AutoHarvest Foundation
AutoHarvest Foundation launched in 2010 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, conceived by former Delphi commercialization lead Jayson Pankin and Center for Automotive...
AutoHarvest Foundation
AutoHarvest Foundation launched in 2010 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, conceived by former Delphi commercialization lead Jayson Pankin and Center for Automotive Research Chairman Emeritus David Cole. The foundation emerged from the post-bankruptcy Detroit ecosystem and quickly secured Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler as founding partners, with the New Economy Initiative providing major philanthropic backing. The foundation operates AutoHarvest.org, a digital marketplace designed to accelerate technology transfer in advanced manufacturing, mobility, and automotive technology. Rather than writing checks, the platform connects intellectual-property holders—including universities, federal labs, and corporate R&D units—with companies seeking to license or commercialize inventions. The ecosystem spans direct corporate partnerships with Ford Global Technologies and General Motors, alongside a strategic alliance with the Licensing Executives Society formalized in 2017. Geographic reach extends from Detroit through a partnership with China Entrepreneur Club, where AutoHarvest led the first US delegation to the Green Company Summit. AutoHarvest maintains a lean operating structure, anchored by a board that includes Terry Cross of Windward Associates, MIT faculty member Val Livada, and Automation Alley Senior Director Thomas Anderson. The foundation houses its marketplace operations at the Michigan Central innovation hub, where Pankin holds a resident membership at Newlab. In 2017, the foundation signed a formal alliance with the Licensing Executives Society, deepening its network of IP professionals. What distinguishes AutoHarvest is its nonprofit marketplace architecture: it does not take equity, make direct investments, or manage a conventional portfolio. Instead, it functions as an industry-wide utility for automotive and manufacturing IP, subsidized by corporate memberships and philanthropic grants. That governance model separates it from venture funds and corporate development arms, positioning it as a connective layer between Detroit’s legacy manufacturers and the global innovation economy.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2010
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Ann Arbor
Corporate office
Ann Arbor, MI, United States
Additional offices
Detroit, MI
Principals
Jayson D. Pankin
Co-founder, President, and CEO
David E. Cole
Co-founder and Board Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does AutoHarvest generate returns if it doesn't invest directly?
AutoHarvest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that does not pursue financial returns or hold a conventional portfolio. It generates revenue through corporate memberships, philanthropic grants, and facilitation fees tied to its IP marketplace. The foundation’s output is measured in technology-transfer transactions, not investment performance.
Who runs day-to-day operations at the foundation?
Co-founder Jayson Pankin serves as president and CEO, overseeing operations and strategic partnerships. Chairman David Cole provides governance and industry connectivity through his long tenure at the Center for Automotive Research. A board including Terry Cross, Val Livada, and Thomas Anderson contributes manufacturing, entrepreneurial, and regional economic-development expertise.
How does AutoHarvest source the intellectual property listed on its platform?
IP originates from corporate R&D units such as Ford Global Technologies and General Motors, federal laboratories, research universities, and independent inventors. The foundation also partners with organizations like the Autotech Council and Marblar, which gamifies technology transfer for advanced manufacturing, broadening the upstream pipeline.
What is the foundation’s relationship with Detroit’s automotive incumbents?
Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler joined as founding members and remain strategic supporters. Their subsidiaries — notably Ford Global Technologies — contribute IP to the marketplace, which positions AutoHarvest as a shared industry utility rather than a vehicle controlled by any single manufacturer.
Does AutoHarvest operate outside the United States?
Yes. The foundation has engaged directly with China through the China Entrepreneur Club, leading the first US delegation to the Green Company Summit. Its IP marketplace is globally accessible, and its strategic partners span the Autotech Council and other international networks focused on advanced manufacturing and technology transfer.
What distinguishes AutoHarvest from a venture capital firm or corporate venture arm?
AutoHarvest takes no equity positions and does not raise investment funds. It functions as a neutral, nonprofit marketplace rather than a financial allocator, connecting IP holders with licensees and commercial partners. That architecture shields it from the return-pressure and portfolio-construction imperatives that define VC and corporate venture operations.
Where does AutoHarvest’s funding come from?
The foundation is funded through corporate memberships from major automotive and technology companies, philanthropic grants — including support from the New Economy Initiative — and in-kind contributions. Because it is a 501(c)(3), the bulk of financial support flows from foundations and corporations advancing manufacturing-innovation goals rather than from investment returns.
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