2009 – Page 95 of 98

Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship to mix it up in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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January 14, 2009

The call is going out for all new economy entrepreneurs in the Great Lakes to come to the Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship in Ann Arbor on Jan. 22. The event will serve as a forum and mixer for entrepreneurs and innovators from more than just the Mitten State but also all the states that border the Great Lakes. "We're trying to build education and we're trying to build growth," says Gerry Rosten, planning chairman for the Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship. He also runs his own consulting company for start-ups call Pair of Docs. This is not something new. The Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship has been at this for nine years, and has watched a number of successful start-ups participate over that time. They include ElectroJet, which has been sealing deal after deal in Asia, and Hybra-Drive Systems, a big winner of 21st Century Jobs Fund money."The companies we have been putting up for presentations and into the pitch competition have become very successful," Rosten says.This year's showcase presenter is Roger Newton, CEO of Esperion Therapeutics. There will also be an elevator pitch competition and an interactive workshop.The event will be held between 4-9 p.m. at the Morris Lawrence Building in Washtenaw Community College. Pre-registration costs $9 or $20 at the door. Source: Gerry Rosten, planning chairman for the Annual Collaboration for EntrepreneurshipWriter: Jon Zemke

GM taps U-M for battery research, to open $5 million research lab

By Newsroom

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Innovation News

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January 14, 2009

In the race to develop batteries for tomorrow's electric-based cars, the University of Michigan is leading the pack.General Motors is partnering with U-M to develop the advanced batteries for its next generation of electricity-based automobiles, like the Chevrolet Volt. That means GM is giving the university $5 million to establish the Advanced Battery Coalition for Drivetrains Labratory, which will call Ann Arbor home. Ann Marie Sastry, a prominent engineering professor at U-M, will lead the lab. Satsry is a big player in advanced battery research and pushing forward the further electrification of the automobile. She is the director of the Energy Systems Engineering Program at U-M (where GM sends its engineers to learn about electric cars) and is the CEO of Satki3, an Ann Arbor-based start-up that focuses on developing high-powered automotive batteries.The lab will accelerate the design and testing of advanced batteries for electric vehicles. GM has been betting big on the success of that technology, pinning its future hopes of profitability to the likes of the Volt and recently announced Cadillac Converj.Source: University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor’s Menlo Innovations opens Chicago office, plans to hire

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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January 14, 2009

Menlo Innovations isn't just an Ann Arbor firm anymore. It's an Ann Arbor and a Chicago business, now that the software design firm has opened a Windy City sales office - with a staff of one. For now. "I would almost call it a sales outpost at the moment," says Rick Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations.That's on top of the staff of 60, six interns and a gaggle of independent contractors who work for Menlo Innovations' downtown Ann Arbor headquarters today. That number is up from about 40 people just a year ago. The company also hopes to add another 15 people in 2009.Menlo Innovations has been able to achieve this growth thanks to a strong financial performance in 2008. Revenues are up 40 percent last year and are expected to grow at the same rate this year.The Chicago office is expected to help boost Menlo Innovations' client list (and thus revenues) this year. Lauren Taylor Sheridan, a graduate of Indiana University, is helping launch the Chicago office.Source: Menlo Innovations Writer: Jon Zemke

Advanced Photonix aims for 30 percent growth, signs new contracts

By Newsroom

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Innovation News

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January 14, 2009

It's been a fast ride to growth for Advanced Photonix and its Picometrix subsidiary (a University of Michigan spin-off). The Ann Arbor-based business employed about 30 people in 2005. It has a staff of more than 160 employees and the occasional summer intern today. AP even has a couple of positions open right now, looking for people who specialize in optical engineering. "We've grown tremendously in the last four years," says Richard Kurtz, CEO of Advanced Photonix.The technology firm keeps aiming high, reaching for 30 percent revenue growth each year for the foreseeable future.Advanced Photonix specializes in making optimum electronic semiconductor sensors. These sensors are used by a wide variety of fields, ranging from homeland security's search for WMDs to eye scanners for the healthcare industry. Meanwhile, Picometrix focuses on making sensors for the telecommunications industry, one of the firm's most promising new sectors.Picometrix has also done work with NASA, which is also reupping with the company's technology this year.Source: Richard Kurtz, CEO of Advanced PhotonixWriter: Jon Zemke

Vampires in Ypsilanti

By Newsroom

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Arts and Culture

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January 14, 2009

Vampires are all the rage right now, especially in Ypsilanti where a locally produced movie about them is being filmed.Excerpt:An evil blood-sucking vampire named Michael will be prowling the streets of Ypsilanti Saturday night.Evil Genius Entertainment is filming a portion of its movie “The 6th Extinction” at 4 p.m. Saturday on Park Street.The movie is about a blind date gone bad when main characters Michael and Shelly go out for dinner. Michael is bit by a vampire while Shelly is in the restroom and he spends the rest of the movie hunting her, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Read the rest of the story here.

What keeps Running Fit on the move?

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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January 14, 2009

Running Fit is getting more and more Ann Arborites to joing the race.Excerpt:The main goal of Running Fit isn't hard to define."What we try to do every day is bring people to the dark side," co-owner Randy Step said of running, a hobby he's helped build into a business. But it's not the only goal of the Ann Arbor-based company.Part of their business plan is centered on regular running events. In the past year, the store has raised tens of thousands of dollars for different causes around southeastern Michigan, including leukemia and lymphoma research and maintenance at local parks.The company was recently honored for its community service with the Ubuntu Award, an industrywide independent running store award."It works both ways because we also build a strong running community that helps build our store," Step said. "We're being recognized for what we do and what our customers understand about it."Read the rest of the story here.

Tech Transfer: Reinventing Ann Arbor’s Economy

By Jon Zemke

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Economic Development

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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.

MASTERMIND: T.R. Durham

By Constance Crump

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General

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January 14, 2009

Who says you can't get great seafood in the Midwest? T.R. Durham's Tracklements and Smokery has earned an international reputation for its delectable smoked fish. How much of a reputation? In 2007 his shop sold seven tons of cold-smoked salmon.

Real Kidz In Ypsilanti

By Amy Whitesall

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Arts and Culture

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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.

Clean Energy Coalition saves energy with Rebuild Ypsilanti Program

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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January 14, 2009

The Clean Energy Coalition's Rebuild Ypsilanti Program is off to a fast start with a number of commercial building owners signing up for the program's energy audits."We have 20 people already interested in energy audits," says Greg Vendena, project manager for the Clean Energy Coalition.The program offers energy audits for office, retail, restaurant and multifamily residential buildings. Organizers hope to perform 10-20 audits by July and have five actually follow through with the recommendations. The theoiry is that by improving a building's energy efficiency you'll prolong its usability."It's worth the money saved from the operating costs because that is money that could be put toward more important things," Vendena says. "It also reduces pollution and improves occupant safety and health."For information, contact Vendena at greg@cec-mi.org or (888) 818-0987 ext 702. Source: Greg Vendena, project manager for the Clean Energy CoalitionWriter: Jon Zemke