Videos
Roger Rayle
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
U-M's TechArb is a renowned student start-up incubator that helps nourish the Ann Arbor entrepreneurial ecosystem. At our last speaker event, they not only gave us the skinny on how it works, but had a trio of studentpreneurs pitch their up and coming companies to the audience. Check out the video.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Last week, at the
Concentrate speaker event, blogger Mark Maynard interviewed a quartet of local business owners about the opportunities and challenges Ypsilanti's downtown offers them. From the impact of festivals to the need for space to claims that the city is easier to work with than Ann Arbor, the conversation took some surprising turns.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
At our last speaker event local blogger Mark Maynard moderated a fascinating discussion with four soon-to-be ex Ann Arborites about why they were leaving, what they'd miss, and what might have convinced them to stay. If you missed it, well, we've got the video replay.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Last week,
Concentrate's speaker event asked 826Michigan's executive director Amanda Uhle how her organization attracts and activates so many volunteers and what a robot repair store has to do with teaching kids to write. If you missed the event you can still learn the answers in our video.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
At
Concentrate's last speaker event local entrepreneurs weighed in on how they put their dent in the universe. It was an Entre-SLAM sampler that awarded pickles, Pez, and cold hard cash to the best tales told. Check it out.
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Roger Rayle & Jim Campbell
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
The weather was perfect, the beverages were flowing, and the conversation was spirited at October's speaker event on food cart culture at Bill's Beer Garden. From economic costs to health codes to business opposition to entrepreneurial opportunity, a panel of experts discussed this exciting dining trend and what it might mean for Ann Arbor and communities around the region. Check out the video.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Next month Ann Arborites decide whether to fund a millage for art in public places. Last week,
Concentrate's speaker series invited Deb Polich, executive director of the Arts Alliance, and city councilmember Christopher Taylor to provide some background and insight. No worries if you couldn't be there. We've got the video.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
At the end of last month,
Concentrate held a speaker event about regional transportation. Megan Owens of Transportation Riders United and County Commissioner Conan Smith discussed what's going on, why Washtenaw County should care, and how it all comes together. Missed it? No worries. We have it on video here.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Miss our last speaker event? Not to worry, we've captured it with the magic of digital video. Thrill to Melanie Piana's experiences with downtown development issues! Chill to a panel discussion on how downtown development impacts our cultural institutions! Questions are asked. Answers are given. It's almost like you are there.
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ITDP Mexico
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
In roughly four minutes you can learn what induced travel demand is, why it matters, and why alternative transportation is so important for our region. It's fast, fun, and informative. Go on, click the link. Learn something new.
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Filmic Productions
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Puppets. The Blue Bus. AirBus. Magic Bus. Bohemian Rhapsody. Closing credit out-takes. It's everything you need to know about U-M's transporation system in a surprisingly entertaining video by the University Of Michigan's Musical Theater students.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Whether it's business, residential, economic, or cultural development, Ann Arbor's downtown is a vital puzzle piece in our community's future health and prosperity. Our May speaker event asked the question: What makes a downtown economically vibrant and attractive? We had experts and business leaders weigh in. If you missed it, we've got the video.
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ITDP Mexico
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
In roughly four minutes you can learn what induced travel demand is, why it matters, and why alternative transportation is so important for our region. It's fast, fun, and informative. Go on, click the link. Learn something new.
read on
Roger Rayle
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Missed last week's speaker presentation by Bob Gregory, who oversees the development , management and programming of Detroit's $20 million Campus Martius Park? No worries, we've got you covered. Watch a video of the event here.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
What makes a place great for everyone? How do we create a downtown that's attractive to both future generations and the people who live here now? If you weren't able to attend last week's
Concentrate speaker event with Dan Gilmartin don't despair. We captured his talk through the magic of video.
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Jeff Meyers
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
How do you capture the essence of a place? The Pure Michigan campaign focused its award-winning strategy on Ann Arbor this week, prompting the question: How do you sell our community to those who don't know it? Did the ad work for you? What did they forget to include? We want your thoughts.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Every family diner should dream of growing up to be like Haab's; to have a menu that fits on a placemat, a waitstaff that cares like mom, and enough batter and fry to make anything taste good. This Ypsilanti eatery and Friday happy hour scene is what keeps "family restaurant" from being dirty words.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Welcome to geek heaven. Vault Of Midnight is pretty much the coolest store in Ann Arbor. Games, ugly dolls, cool figurines, books you never heard of, and, yes, lots and lots of comics. There's enough eye candy here to make your head explode. Check it out.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
How does a company efficiently get its stuff from the manufacturer to the warehouse to store shelves? What if the store is in Berlin? Or Singapore? What if it's hurricane season? These are just a few of the millions of questions companies ask themselves when it comes to supply chain logistics. And Ann Arbor's LLamasoft helps them figure it all out.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Sometimes a little guidance goes a long way. U-M's Tech Transfer office, along with its new Michigan Venture Center, have started a mentorship program that turns technologists into entrepreneurs. As a result they expect to see a 20% bump in start-up launches.
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Google
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Dave Strenski's efforts and successes with SolarYpsi have been spotlighted numerous times in
Concentrate. It's nice to see someone else take notice. Especially when it's Google - which produced this terrific video.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
While the Huron River is undoubtedly the Ann Arbor area's life blood (the city gets its drinking water from it, after all), it's also a vital part of our park system, offering a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Grab a paddle and get in. The water's fine.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
There are hundreds of chocolatiers in the U.S. but very few chocolate makers. Actually, only about 20. And Mindo Chocolate Makers in Dexter is one of them. From cocoa pod to chocolate bars,
Concentrate's ace videographer Keith Jefferies gets a crash course on how this family-owned business makes its magic.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Make it yourself. Or get others to help you. All Hands Active lives up
to its name as Ann Arbor's ever-industrious hackpace, a place
where inventors, innovators, designers, and crafters plot the
overthrow of the status quo... or just make some really cool stuff.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Three words: Deep fried pickles. Okay, that's not really the reason you go to Sidetracks in Ypsi's historic Depot Town. It's the boisterous, friendly crowd. And the huge beer selection. And that it's been around since 1850. Oh, and the burgers. Homer Simpson drool-inducing burgers. Watch the video then wipe your chin.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Bonsai, cacti, and venus flytraps! Along with its gorgeous trails and edible gardens, Matthaei's conservatory offers a global experience of plant life for Ann Arborites. Whether you stroll the grounds in the outdoor-friendly months or long for something lush and green in the dead of winter, it's a sanctuary from the chaos of everyday living.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
From its gorgeous painted labels to its crafted oak barrel flavors, Dexter's Jolly Pumpkin Ales is all about bringing an artist's touch to brewing. It's an approach that's winning them fans (and awards) all across the nation, and has, of course, inspired one of A2's most popular brewpubs.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Maybe you've stumbled past the Auto Museum after a night of fried pickles and brews at Ypsi's Sidetrack and wondered what was inside. Well, wonder no more. This Depot Town destination provides an important glimpse into the city's auto history. And they've got a Tucker! Don't know what that is? Watch, learn, visit.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Look, up in the sky! It's a Flying Fortress! Willow Run's Yankee Air Museum is an incredible mix of volunteerism, American history, and cooler-than-cool aircraft thundering across Michigan's skies.
Concentrate's resident videographer Keith Jefferies introduces you to the aviation buffs who make it happen.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Get vertical! Yes, even here in the flatlands of SE Michigan it's possible to boulder and top rope with the best of 'em. With over 20,000 sq ft of climbing, Planet Rock is the official cure to the 2-D blues. Plus they serve espresso. Even Joshua Tree can't give you that.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Every Friday morning something unique and wonderful happens in Ann Arbor's Eberwhite neighborhood. For four hours local chefs, using local in-season ingredients, make breakfast for, well, locals. And then, "Poof!" like a Brigadoon for omelets and waffles, they're gone.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
It's the Target of Asian groceries. The Meijer of all things Eastern. There ain't nothing else like Hua Xing. With 25,000 square feet of stuff that's pickled, frozen or dehydrated, and tanks filled with live eels, crabs and frogs, this Toyota dealership turned Asian market is a mother lode of culinary delights.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Touche! With Hollywood productions beating a line to Michigan's front door, universities, businesses and organizations are stepping up to supply them with talent. Ann Arbor's Ring Of Steel, with its focus on stage combat and stunts, may be our most unique homegrown resource yet.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Need a bacon belt? An Edgar Allen Poe action figure? Candy? (Everyone needs candy, right?) With places like The Rocket expanding their presence Ypsilanti's downtown is slowly but surely transforming into destination: Hipster.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
U-M's Residential College is the school within the school, a college that brings back arts to a liberal arts education. From language to theater to fine art, students are encouraged to own and shape their education.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Academic theory is all well and fine but how do you apply what you've learned to real-life scenarios? U-M's MAP program teams students with companies and non-profits to help institute real-world strategies and solutions. It's an innovative program that provides students with a unique on-the-ground education while strengthening the university's relationship with both local and global businesses.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Care about high speed Internet? Blazing fast computer
processing? Medical and security scanners that safely identify threats?
Then you should be a fan of Advanced Photonix, a company that moved part of its operations from California to Ann Arbor.
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Roger Rayle
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Everything you ever wanted to know about solar energy but were afraid to ask. Last month
Concentrate's Speaker Event featured Dave Strenski and Andrew Brix talking up the policies, virtues, and challenges of going solar in Michigan. If you missed it, well, we've got the video right here. Ah, the marvels of technology.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
From $50 desk rentals to million dollar start-ups, Tech Brewery is a coworking space that caters to Ann Arbor's tech entrepreneurs. Professional collaborations, tech meet-ups and beer-fueled social gatherings are all part of the mix in this innovative workspace.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
From bees to broccoli, Growing Hope is determined to bring locally grown produce to the masses. Between its urban gardens, hoop house and hives, running the downtown Ypsilanti Farmers' Market, and providing community education, this urban farming advocate has developed a little slice of sustainable heaven on Michigan Ave.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
What would summer be without street fairs and music in the park? But with so much oriented toward bringing people
into Ann Arbor, sometimes it's nice to have something specifically for the locals. Not only does Sonic Lunch deliver 12 free weekly noon-time concerts to downtown, the president of Bank of Ann Arbor actually helps pick the bands.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Volunteers + Persistence + Sunlight = Energy Independence. In five short years Solar Ypsi has gone from a cool idea to an inspiring bit of reality. With panels mounted on Ypsi's City Hall, the local Food Co-op and its River Street Bakery, this dedicated group is teaching others about the benefits of solar energy.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Workantile Exchange is more than just a work space. It's a co-working community, filled with entrepreneurs, freelancers and creatives looking for a place to exchange ideas, inspiration and insight. A home office away from home, it has all the advantages of the traditional work place with none of the baggage.
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Keith Jefferies
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The \'aut Bar\ is Ann Arbor's gay and lesbian Grand Central, where you can do everything from brunch to raise a toast. It's hopping with straight folks too. This popular Ann Arbor hangout has even spawned a sister bookstore, cabaret, and gallery in its Kerrytown courtyard, earning it the moniker: the Queer Quad.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Technology and medicine are partnering to create some exciting new treatments. Case in point: Ann Arbor's Axiobionics, which develops cutting edge neuro-prosthetics that help patients suffering from spinal chord trauma, stroke, and other nervous system injuries.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Music. Art. Theater. Kids. Chelsea Center For The Arts has turned a former Catholic school into a community hub that brings creativity and expression to residents of every age. Check it out!
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
It's the crown of Ann Arbor's downtown. Who would have guessed that a mere 30 years ago it had a date with a wrecking ball? Restored to its early 20th Century glory, The Michigan Theater is now home to the most exciting cinematic and live music events in the city
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Spur Studios is yet another example of Ypsilanti's DIY philosophy of
collective innovation and artistic community building. Attracting a
confederation of artists, designers, and musicians, James
Marks of VG Kids has turned an empty building into a successful hive of
inspiration and creativity.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Every successful entrepreneur has to master the art of the pitch if they want to attract investors. So, how do you hone your sprawling corporate narrative into a lean, mean call for venture capital? Funny you should ask. Ann Arbor SPARK offers a boot camp for startups who need a leg up.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
From boarding school experimentation to cult following, Clancy's Fancy isn't the hottest hot sauce you've ever tasted, but it's probably the most unique. Each 7.5 oz bottle of pungent goodness brings with it a kaleidoscopic personality that screams, "Made in Ann Arbor."
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
In eight years this airport planning firm has grown more than ten fold, bought a building in downtown Ypsilanti and count many of the nation's biggest airports as their clients. From internships to aerotropolis development, Jacobsen Daniels is not only the kind of new economy business Michigan needs more of, they are passionately invested in their community's future.
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Concentrate
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
They came with video camcorders, Flip cams, and a dream... to produce a compelling tribute to the city they love: Ypsilanti. And to score an easy hundred bucks. Check out the winners of the I Love Ypsi video contest. Those who are allergic to phallic humor need not attend.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
With 500 artists from 40 states and 6 countries under their belt, this collaborative gallery space generates some of the most exciting art shows in the region. If you haven't checked out the Gallery Project in Ann Arbor what are you waiting for?.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Dexter Research doesn't live in A2's shadow but rather thrives alongside the city that U-M made famous. And even as the economy has struggled this 70 person Dexter-based company has hit a comfortable stride, finding new applications and industries for its thermal detectors.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
The B2B Party Bus is everything sustainable new urbanist hipsters ever dreamed of: An entrepreneurial enterprise that runs small scale private transit on secondhand cooking oil in order to transport young party-goers around downtown.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
U-M produces two very important things: Talent and research. The university's Small Company Innovation program connects the commercial to the academic by placing and subsidizing graduate research students in local firms.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Unauthorized. Unsponsored. Ann Arbor's fairy doors have become a part of the city's public art identity, attracting wee-ones (and their p's) from all over. How did they start? Who is behind them? We just happen to have a video answering those very questions.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Entrepreneurship. Education. Mass Transit. Regional Cooperation. A2Success has gathered together more than 70 community leaders to help secure smart and successful growth for the Ann Arbor region. See what they're planning and how you can get involved.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Robots. Creative writing. Dave Eggers. Kids. 826Michigan is the hippest non-profit organization in Ann Arbor. Offering writing workshops and tutoring to kids for free, and channeling the energy and enthusiasm of nearly 200 volunteers, author Dave Eggers' brainchild changes both minds and lives.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
From co-founder Collin Rich's kitchen table to the offices of U-M's Tech Transfer office to shipping their high tech cytometers to laboratories all over the world, Accuri Cytometers is a model for Ann Arbor startup know-how, and success.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Think of it as a Head Start program for budding entrepreneurs. U-M's Office of Tech Transfer teams students from a variety of backgrounds with university researchers and innovators to start new companies from scratch.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Upscale, tasteful and tasty, Logan is one Ann Arbor's must-visit bistros. With a menu and ambiance that would feel at home on either coast, it's one of the few restaurants in town where you can actually have a conversation with your dinner date.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
It's all about playing nice together.
Concentrate has reported on everything from food co-ops, to co-living communities to coworking facilities. It only seems fair to throw a little love to the A2Mech Shop, a shared technical space for entrepreneurial engineers and innovative mech heads.
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Keith Jefferies
Friday, June 26, 2009
V2V's racks are filled with the kind of stuff you can't buy 'off the rack' - if you know what we mean. It's the kind of place that carries only 5 of an outfit and then "pfft" they're gone. Located in Kerrytown, this urban-style boutique attracts customers far and wide.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Built in the early 1950s, the Palmer House has been referred to as the “Michelangelo" of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential masterpieces. And now you can spend a night, a week, or even a month in this home with no right angles.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
There aren't many places where you can get locally grown meat and help your fellow citizen at the same time. Dawn Farm in Ypsilanti is a fully functioning farm where patients recovering from addiction can work hard, get well and do good.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
We have officially entered the realm of sci-fi style technology. Ann Arbor's Solidica makes wireless sensors that can not only communicate the status of distant vehicles and machinery, but also predict where systems might fail. It's a brave new world after all.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
It's May, and along with the proverbial showers comes the Commuter Challenge, where local companies encourage their employees to use alternative transportation to get to work.
Concentrate decided to go meet some of these carless commuters and what inspires them.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
It's all about efficiency - lighter, stronger, more flexible. Flexsys is taking U-M born innovations into the marketplace (that's called tech transfer for you newbies) to improve wind turbine and aerospace technologies... and, of course, grow our high tech economy.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
$41.9 million dollars and 53, 000 extra feet later the U-M Museum of Art reopened with an around-the-clock celebration that brought out a whole lotta local love.
Concentrate takes you on a tour of this beautifully renovated center for arts and culture.
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Keith Jefferies
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Corner Brewery is the very definition of
'third place'. Or maybe it's best to think of it as Ypsi's town commons. Drop in on this neighborhood hangout any night of the week and you're bound to run into someone you know. Or someone you should know.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
From laboratory to marketplace, U-M's Tech Transfer Office plays matchmaker, introducing local venture capitalists to promising new technologies. And with $850 million in research and over 300 discoveries each year at the university the potential for crossover is tremendous.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
David and Leslie Austin aren’t just betting that an art scene is accessible and emerging in Ypsilanti, they are making it happen. The downtown What Is That gallery not only features hip, locally produced art, it also offers classes and talks. All hail the Ypsi renaissance!
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
There are music venues and then there's The Ark. For nearly 40 years this storied listening room has been bringing A-list atl-folk, roots rock, solo acoustic, country and jazz to Ann Arbor 300 days a year. For the math challenged that's almost 12000 performances.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Ann Arbor is known for its natural spaces, and the Leslie Science Center offers an up close view of the critters that live there. Set on 50 acres of prairie and woods, five minutes from the city's downtown, you'll find eagles, snapping turtles and snakes. Oh, my!
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Keith Jefferies
Friday, January 23, 2009
Looking for a real coffeehouse? One that doesn't feel like a carbon copy Starbucks clone? Ypsilanti is the place. With a quartet of locally owned cool cafes it's just further proof that the city is earning its hipper-than-thou reputation.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Pardon me boy, is that the ArtTrain? For 38 years Ann Arbor's museum on rails has brought fine art to communities across the nation. Actually, 845 of 'em (that's 3.2 million people). And now they're branching out. ArtTruck anyone?
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It's an ATM for books! The Espresso book machine brews up fresh copies of hard-to-find books in under seven minutes. And the U-M central library has one. Welcome to the future of publishing.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
By any measure
Adaptive Materials is exactly the kind of green collar company Ann Arbor wants. Innovative, well-funded and ambitious, this fuel cell technology firm is a model for our region's economic transformation.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
When you've got 20,000 engineering students within 100 miles of your community, it's easy to make the case that Ann Arbor is
the place for engineering firms to set up shop. And that just what U-M's Business Engagement Center did when it attracted Aernnova to The Deuce.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Imagine, not paying for gas. Ever. U-M's Solar Car Team brings together engineering, business and design school majors to develop the ultimate sustainable vehicle. How successful have they been? The team has taken home top honors at the North American Solar Challenge for the last five years!
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
They made it with their own two hands! Karim and Nawal Motawi turned their handmade tile into a handmade business that employs nearly 30 local artisans. Mixing old world craft skills with modern manufacturing techniques, this Ann Arbor-based company brings in $2.5 million in annual revenues and has developed a devoted client base.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Pixel Velocity is watching. Or rather they're letting you watch. This Ann Arbor-based company creates high-speed digital image processing products for the surveillance and medical imaging markets. See them seeing you.
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Tom Hendrickson
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
'Tis the season to be spooky. Join local historian Wystan Stevens as he leads one of his tours through Forest Hill Cemetery, weaving fascinating tidbits about Ann Arbor history with creepy tales of death and demise.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
One of the eternal challenges of being an artist is finding a venue for your work. Ann Arbor's Distinct Designs, an interior design firm that specializes in work places, has found a way to inspire clients and provide local artists with more exposure.
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Tom Hendrickson
Monday, October 20, 2008
Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The call for creative space in Ann Arbor has been frequent and loud -from cultural organizations feeling the absence of a community arts venue to businesses looking for neutral turf. Enter the Boardwalk Creative Center, which has become a much needed 'third place' for those seeking inspirational room to roam.
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Tom Hendrickson
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Can Ann Arbor become Michigan's frontline in the battle to end its brain drain? With its downtown slowly evolving into a dynamic place to live, work and play, people like Googler Brian Tschoepe are finding more and more reasons to stay.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
You can't keep a good market down. From it's locally produced groceries to its yummy baked goods to light meals, Jefferson Market And Cakery on Ann Arbor's Old West Side is the quintessential family-run neighborhood business.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
She's the Michael Phelps of cake decorating. Meet Courtney Clark, owner of Kerrytown's scrumpdillyiscious Cake Nouveau and reigning Cake Challenge Champion. From Honey Lavendar to Black Tie Coconut to Cinnamon Butterscotch, Courtney's creations dare you to eat your cake and have it too.
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Keith Jeffries
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
When your community has a world class reputation the world has a tendency to show up on your doorstep. So, how do you accommodate these international visitors? The Marriott at Ypsilanti's Eagle Crest has made answering that question a main focus for their resort, with particular attention paid to Japanese nationals.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Science in your face -- get up close and personal with U-M research at the Exhibit Museum of Natural History. From pub talks to a new, high-tech planetarium, the museum offers a personal way to engage with science and the university.
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Tom Hendrickson
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
No lions or tigers... but lots of bears. Oh, my. Michigan is where the teddy bear was invented and Chelsea's Teddy Bear Company and Toy Museum pays homage to the ultimate bedtime companion.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
There is a Japanese proverb that says, "If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty." If that's the case, Ann Arborites now have access to the path to enlightenment via the city's burgeoning tea scene.
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Keith Jefferies
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Buy antiques and save the planet! Ypsilanti's Materials Unlimited supplies authentic and restored antiques as well as vintage salvage and construction materials to customers all over the world. From doors to lighting fixtures to molding and balusters, their art deco warehouse is stuffed with enough historic and sustainable materials to make a restorationist drool.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The days of doctor house calls may be over but Ann Arbor's got the next best thing: coffee bean house calls. Mighty Good Coffee not only supplies discerning local businesses with the freshest beans in the biz, they'll bring a heap o' roasted java goodness straight to your door.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
It's not often that Dexter can claim it's home to the world's largest... well, anything. And yet, homegrown ReCellular is just that: the largest electronics sustainability company on the planet, recycling and refurbishing 500, 000 cell phones a month!
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
If you're looking for the perfect example of a company that leverages Michigan's new innovations and old strengths, look no further than HandyLab. From biomedical research to the engineering and manufacturing of cutting edge technologies, this Ann Arbor company represents the next evolution for Michigan's economy.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
What do Humvees, egg pasteurization and toe nail fungus have in common? They are the focus of companies working alongside one another at the Michigan Research Institute, an Ann Arbor not-for-profit incubator space dedicated to nurturing promising new technology firms.
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Tom hendrickson
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
More than just another downtown hip hop store, for 29 years Ypsilanti's Puffer Reds has been a nationally recognized tastemaker. Customers come from as far away as Ohio to shop there, Nike provides them with a custom designed shoe display and Adidas celebrated the Forum's 25th-Anniversary by creating a sneaker designed by the owner's eighteen year old son. The store has got street cred to spare.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Joseph Curtin designs and builds violins and violas for a distiguished and international clientele. Combining cutting edge acoustic technology and master craftsmanship, he is helping evolve both the art and science behind some of the world's most beautifiul music.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
"Microns matter," is the slogan for Ann Arbor's Coherix, which creates holographic optical mechanical measuring systems for automotive and semiconductor manufacturers. Hey, now there's a mouthful. Still, it's the kind of cutting-edge technological innovation that Ann Arbor has become synonomous for.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Pound for pound, Ann Arbor-based Quantum Signal is tops for cool-geek technology. From video gaming to controls for unmanned aerial drones to camouflage detection and recognition, the company sees a world of possibilities for its core technologies. They've got their virtual mitts in military applications, industrial robotics and computer gaming, blurring the line between armchair warriors and real world applications
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Tom Hendrickson
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
What makes a city successful? Concentrate's sister publication, Model D, takes over the Detroit Yacht Club from time to time to host its thought leader speaker series. Guest Carol Coletta of CEOs For Cities talks about investing in an Ann Arbor - Detroit partnership as an integral part of transforming southeast Michigan's economy and culture.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Retrofitting an 80 year-old downtown building with cutting edge green technologies is no easy task. But when your architecture firm is renown for its sustainable designs it makes sense to walk the talk. Metromode takes a tour of A3C's (Ann Arbor Architects Collaborative) ambitious eco-sensitive renovation.
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Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Robots. Dragons. Record label. Quack! Media tossed out the rule book for selling music, books and videos to create an alternative media empire in downtown Ann Arbor. From irreverant educational videos to hip coffee table mags, they create high-tech, handmade quality entertainment.
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Tom Hendrickson
Monday, April 07, 2008
La Rochefoucauld once said, "To eat is a necessity, to eat intelligently is an art." Leave it to a university town to embrace the genius of food. From Zingerman's to Eve, Durham's smoked fish to Morgan & York's artisanal cheeses, the farmer's market to Main Street's restaurant row, just thinking about Ann Arbor and is enough to make your mouth water.
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Tom Hendrickson
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Keith Jefferies
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tom Hendrickson
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Tom Hendrickson
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Xoran Technologies is on a mission to cut healthcare costs through efficiency and innovation. It's been a winning strategy for both the company and Ann Arbor's growing life sciences industry
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