Akeratos worked with Wichita State University’s Gateway to IP Program and Stinson LLP to seek patent protection for the Uplift Levi-Load. Wichita State launched the Gateway to IP Program at the beginning of 2020 with the aim of connecting local inventors with registered patent attorneys, such as Jonathan Pollmann at Stinson.

Airplanes and the parts needed to build them: two things that Wichita knows well. So does David May. The president of Trinity Precision Inc., a Wichita-based aerospace parts manufacturer, May has devoted his career to improving the manufacturing industry.

May recently formed a new startup Akeratos dedicated to increasing automation, efficiency, and safety in machine shops. Its debut product, the Uplifit Levi-Load. This patent-pending, innovative product connects to a standard crane, allowing an individual to easily move heavy raw material from a horizontal position to a vertical position quickly and safely. Designed for manufacturers by manufacturers, the Uplift Levi-Load is superior to tongs and more cost-effective than vacuum lift machines. Joel Koripalli of Akeratos, LLC, along with Chris VanNover, Merritt Stuever and others from Trinity Precision, Inc designed and engineered the Uplift Levi-load to fill a much needed gap in the movement of raw materials.

Akeratos worked with Wichita State University's Gateway to IP Program and Stinson LLP to seek patent protection for the Uplift Levi-Load. Wichita State launched the Gateway to IP Program at the beginning of 2020 with the aim of connecting local inventors with registered patent attorneys, such as Jonathan Pollmann at Stinson.

Rob Gerlach, executive director of Wichita State's Office of Technology Transfer and Commercialization, worked closely with May to protect his innovation.

"Intellectual property is important, and we want to make sure our local innovators get the help they need," said Gerlach.

"As a startup, it's important to have access to the right tools and to the right people," said May. "The Gateway to IP Program has been a valuable resource for Akeratos, helping us file our first patent application."

If you are a machine shop interested in learning more about the Uplift Levi-Load, you can find more information online at levi-load.com or contact Richard Griffin at rgriffin@akeratos.net.
If you are interested in learning more about the Gateway to IP Program, contact Rob Gerlach, executive director of Tech Transfer and Commercialization, at rob.gerlach@wichita.edu .

About Akeratos LLC
Akeratos Pronounced (Ah-care-ah-toss), is a company born out of the desire to improve automation and processes in the mechanical and industrial engineering sectors. Through innovation and technology, Akeratos, LLC is leading the way in processes within a multitude of industries, based on solid principals, and the belief that our people make the difference.

About Wichita State University
Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling more than 20,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation's largest and fastest growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.