International connections fostered through the NSF Center for Complex Particle Systems (COMPASS) have helped lead to the formation of Cracksfox Platform Inc., an early-stage startup exploring self-healing concrete technology.
The collaboration demonstrates how COMPASS brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, disciplines, and institutions to create opportunities for scientific ideas to move toward practical applications.
From Global Connection to Collaboration
The foundation for Cracksfox grew from relationships developed through COMPASS programs connecting researchers in the United States and Africa.
Prof. Wachira Jackson Muthengia of the University of Embu participated in the first USA-Africa Workshop on Complex Systems of Small Geoparticles in Kigali, Rwanda, and later became a 2025 COMPASS research exchange fellow in the laboratory of COMPASS Director Nicholas A. Kotov at the University of Michigan.
Through continued participation in the COMPASS AI/ML Challenge, Muthengia connected with entrepreneur Eric C. Smith, Director of Business Development at Paseo AI, who returned to the program as a judge and mentor.
Their complementary expertise eventually led to the establishment of Cracksfox Platform Inc.
Exploring Self-Healing Concrete
Cracksfox is developing a commercial pathway for Cracksfox Admix, a concrete admixture designed to help cement-based materials respond to cracking and potentially reduce the long-term effects of water, salts, and other agents that contribute to infrastructure deterioration.
The emerging technology builds on materials research involving complex networks of nature-derived nanoscale and microscale particles.
Cracksfox is currently focused on research, validation, independent testing, intellectual-property protection, certification, manufacturing strategies, and potential pilot projects.
If successfully validated, the technology could eventually have applications across infrastructure including roads, bridges, ports, water systems, buildings, and industrial facilities.
Creating Conditions for Innovation
The Cracksfox story illustrates an important part of the COMPASS mission: innovation can begin before a company or formal partnership exists.
By creating opportunities for researchers, entrepreneurs, and organizations from different disciplines and countries to connect, COMPASS helps establish the relationships that can lead to new research collaborations, technologies, and potential real-world impact.
Read the full University of Michigan story:
https://che.engin.umich.edu/2026/09/18/compass-connections-lead-to-new-global-startup/