Entrepreneurship :
Featured Stories
Julianne Mattera
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
From street side fruit seller to upscale food market, The Produce Station has become a local favorite for Ann Arbor foodies and gardeners. With a focus on Michigan grown produce and products, owners Craig Schmidt and Rick Peshkin have turned the concept of the neighborhood farm stand on its head.
Terry Parris Jr.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
In Ann Arbor a buyout doesn't always mean a sellout. Though innovative startups like Fry, Healthmedia, and T/J Technologies have been snapped up by larger out-of-state companies, they have decided to stay in the city that birthed them.
Constance Crump
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Sometimes you need more than just a SPARK. If Ann Arbor wants to compete on the national tech stage it needs to do a better job of developing its geek culture. Enter Tech Brewery and the Workantile Exchange, a pair of private, entrepreneurial hothouses. These two co-working spaces are at the center of a growing geek movement that believes that united, techies stand, divided, they fall.
Jennifer Eberbach
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Inventing a successful game isn't, well, all fun and games. It takes creativity, persistence and luck. Former Ann Arbor school teacher Brian Spence has those attributes in spades,allowing him to take his passion for invention into the product lines of toy companies like Hasbro and Mattel.
Leia Menlove
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
If Ann Arbor has a community photographer it's Myra Klarman. Not because she takes wonderfully vibrant snaps of kids and families (she does). Or because she's the official photographer for A2's Summer Festival. It's because she seems hellbent on capturing the spunk and soul of the city in projects like her blog, Relish.
Daniel Johnson
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Forget Nike, Al McWilliams is really the 'Just Do It' guy. From pro cyclist to all media mini emporer, the founder of Quack! Media has gotten his fingers into every nook and cranny of media content. Music, magazines, movies and marketing are his company's domains and he has no shortage of ideas and opinions about how to make them grow.
Dave Lewinski and Jeff Meyers
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
In case you hadn't noticed, it's bad out there. And yet, there are always those bold souls who pull on their waders and get down into it. Concentrate's resident View Master, Dave Lewinski, takes snaps of six businesses who've opened in the last six months and found success.
Amy Whitesall
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
When it comes to Ann Arbor restaurants there's eve and then there's everyone else. Since opening in 2003, Eve Aronoff's initmate bistro has emerged as an ambassador to the city's hipster/ foodie scene. From her curried mussels to Thursday night's popular cocktail scene to the sublime ginger-lime martinis, Eve has help redefine the local culinary landscape.
Julianne Mattera
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Hans and Tricia Masing take their toys seriously. But that wasn't always the case. Once upon a time they made their living in engineering and IT. Then their son took an interest in Thomas the Tank Engine and everything changed. Combining tech savvy with a love for toys, the couple has built a small Internet empire that still understands the value of community connection.
Kimberly Chou
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
From chemist to web developer to co-founder of a growing business organization, Carrie Hensel clearly prefers the road less traveled. And the Women's Exchange Of Washtenaw reflects her unconventional approach, creating a unique series of events that encourages professional women to collaborate with and empower one another.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
From small things, big things one day come. That's the philosophy of tech incubators like SPARK. But with all the attention Ann Arbor gives to start-ups, one has to ask: Where's the love for small downtown retailers? Some entrepreneurs are finding it at East Liberty Plaza.
Jeff Meyers
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Britten Stringwell sees a real hunger for artistic connection in Ann Arbor. The 25 year-old fashion designer and artist has immersed herself in the creative cultures of some of America's most progressive cities, and brought back ideas about how to build a creative community here. The result? The Yellow Barn. Never heard of it? Read on...
Amy Whitesall
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Kids come in all shapes and sizes. Kids clothes? Not so much. Ypsilanti's Merrill Guerra started RealKidz Clothing Company to put cool clothes on every body. And, no pun intended, her company has really taken off.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tech Transfer is the university buzzword these days. Concentrate sits down with Stephen Forrest, Vice President for Research at U-M, to candidly discuss how the commercial exploitation of academic discoveries can transform Michigan's economy and create an environment for innovation and investment.
Jon Zemke
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
You've got a world-changing idea. And gobs of passion. Great! So, how do you attract investment? From concept to company Ann Arbor SPARK's boot camp is school for start-ups. Concentrate's Jon Zemke follows a pair of entrepreneurs as they learn to hone their pitch, strategize their growth and listen to those who have been there and done that.