Founded in 1999, The Linux Box has been making people in downtown Ann Arbor scratch their heads as to what the company does. Little do these headscratchers know, this open-source software and IT company is yet another example of Ann Arbor's growing success in the high tech economy.

The company employs 10 people and expects to add another 1-2 in 2008/2009 as more and more clients see the virtues of open source software option. Revenues increased 29 per cent last year and they expect 15-18 percent growth this year and as high as 20 percent next.

What's more, The Linux Box takes its open source mission very seriously, commiting 20% of their budget to research, develop and contribute open source software to the community. Examples include OpenAFS, Moodle, Drupal, dotProject, Jobby, Squid, Tentacle, SISXML (System Inventory Script), Tsung. They'll eve fund select open source projects.

How's that for evangelical?