2010 – Page 12 of 78

Ypsilanti’s Clean Energy Coalition gives out $4.4M in building retrofit grants

By Newsroom

●

October 20, 2010

Ypsilanti's Clean Energy Coalition will be funneling $4.4 million in grant money to seven distressed Michigan cities for clean energy programs.Pontiac, Hamtramck, and Highland Park are among the cities receiving funds from the Michigan Public Service Commission through the "Cities of Promise" program. Cities will receive $463,000 for installation of renewable energy technology and setting up a revolving energy fund to pay for the energy management support and future investments.Joshua Brugeman, a divison manager with the CEC, says the initial money helps distressed cities overcome two key hurdles: not having capital for the investments, and not having the budget to pay a staff person to manage them. "We provide them with that initial seed capital to improve their buildings from an energy perspective, establishing an ongoing program and revolving energy fund, to turn that initial seed capital into future investments," he says.Although the cities are distressed, it's still important to invest in energy because of the savings and jobs it could create long-term, says Jenny Oorbeck, also a CEC division manager. And the funded staff person is also important: "You need someone who knows what they're looking at," she says. "We feel like we're doing the right thing for them, helping them put their arms around the data they need to understand and set up a program going forward."The CEC is still working out the details of what the final investments will be. Also, some cities, including Pontiac and Hamtramck, received federal stimulus money, so the CEC can co-invest with that funding to create a more robust program.The CEC, a non-profit organization that works with both public and private partners for smart energy strategies, has also subcontracted with the company Planet Footprint to keep tabs on the energy usage and savings for the cities, which will help them make informed decisions about their energy projects.Other cities receiving funds are Benton Harbor, Flint, Muskegon Heights, and Saginaw. All seven cities are part of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority's Cities of Promise program, a program created in 2006 to help redevelopment in distressed urban cities.Sources: Jenny Oorbeck and Joshua Brugeman, division managers for Clean Energy CoalitionWriter: Kristin Lukowski

SEMCOG snags $2.8M Sustainable Communities grant

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

October 20, 2010

The region's planners hope to use the cool $2.8 million awarded to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments to unify transportation with sustainable housing and redevelopment.Paul Tait, SEMCOG executive director and an Ypsilanti resident, says the Sustainable Communities grant will help in part because the region's older central cities, including Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, are facing challenges with declining property values and state revenue sharing."Communities are all looking at 20-30 percent less revenues than they had just a few years ago," he says. "At the same time, our older communities have aging infrastructure -- roads, bridges, sewer and water systems -- that are all getting older."The grant will help communities look at how they can be sustainable over the long haul, including better linking workforce training to the business communities; redeveloping older community assets, such as the Ypsilanti Ford plant; and looking at housing, streets, green infrastructure, and energy efficiency. Also necessary is taking a look at infrastructure -- those roads, bridges, and water and sewer systems -- which is about to reach crisis status, Tait says."Those are older systems, and if we can't find the revenue to replace, repair, or rebuild them, our quality of life is going to suffer," he says.Conan Smith, executive director of the Michigan Suburbs Alliance and also a Washtenaw County commissioner and member of SEMCOG's executive committee, adds that plans for the grant include more of a physical connection between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, including growing neighborhoods in the Washtenaw Avenue corridor and connecting those places with the rest of the region.The grants, from a partnership between the US Dept of Housing and Urban Development, the US Dept of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency, focus on actually implementing plans, rather than just funding yet another study. "We really want to make a difference as quickly as we can," Tait says. "Just to do more plans to sit on a shelf doesn't make our region and our communities more sustainable. We've got to make a difference."Source: Paul Tait, executive director, SEMCOG; Conan Smith, executive committee member, SEMCOGWriter: Kristin Lukowski

Ann Arbor’s East Stadium bridges score $14M federal grant

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

October 20, 2010

Anyone who's driven down East Stadium Boulevard lately will be happy with this news: The bridges project was awarded almost $14 million for repairs.Ann Arbor will receive $13.9 million from the US Dept of Transportation for the failing East Stadium bridges, for which Ann Arbor has been trying to secure funding for years. The funds pay for all but $9 million of the project.Homayoon Pirooz, project management manager for the city of Ann Arbor, explains that the bridge has been down to two lanes for the last year and a half while the funding was nailed down. The construction plans are ready, and now the city is waiting to see if some additional funding will come through. It will likely take several months for paperwork and contract bidding, with construction expected to begin by next summer."This is huge," Pirooz says. "If we didn't have this money, and we had to pay for the project by our own local dollars, it would have a huge impact on our ability to keep up with some of the future construction projects that we also need to undertake in the next couple of years. We spend $7 million to 8 million a year on road projects, so that's about two years of construction work." AnnArbor.com is reporting that an MDOT official hinted yesterday that that funding, another $4.5 million worth, would be coming through. The Stadium Boulevard corridor has already been affected by the narrowed road and the limitation to heavy truck traffic. "That's a system that is not functioning like it's supposed to," he says. "Our whole region will benefit from an improvement like this."The bridges, which carry more than 48,000 vehicles per day, have been reduced to one lane since January 2009 after an inspection discovered a small deflection in one of the beams. The bridge over South State Street was built in 1917, and the bridge over the railroad tracks in 1928.Source: Homayoon Pirooz, project management manager for the city of Ann ArborWriter: Kristin Lukowski

Wireless Ypsi plans to double customer base, expand nationally

By Newsroom

●

Entrepreneurship

●

October 20, 2010

Ypsilanti's wireless co-op is becoming the city's wireless startup now that Wireless Ypsi is spreading its wings and picking up customers across Metro Detroit and even the U.S.Wireless Ypsi started out two years ago when local community activists Steve Pierce and Brian Robb wanted to bring free Wi-Fi to downtown Ypsilanti. The startup now has 100 customers and the service covers large swaths of the city, including downtown, Depot Town, parks along the Huron River, and some neighborhoods. It's also in the process of setting up a wireless network in downtown Clawson and is receiving similar requests from communities, apartment complexes, and businesses across the metro area."This is the growth phase," Pierce says. "We're trying to turn it into a full business." That can be a tricky transition, going from community project to for-profit venture. Wireless Ypsi still provides its services for free to the city of Ypsilanti, including heavily used service at its public housing projects. So far 85,000 unique devices have logged onto the Wireless Ypsi's Meraki-based Wi-Fi network. An average of 1,000 unique devices use it every day, creating another perk that raises the city's quality of life. "It's a wonderful extra when you can carry your notebook around anywhere and surf the net," says Eric Maurer, a developer and landlord with 100 apartments in Ypsilanti, including 25 downtown. Mark Maynard (Ypsilanti's blogger, puppet debator, and local art baron) calls it "a nice thing to have" that helps showcase the freedom to do new things and turn them into businesses that Ypsilanti offers. The venture is keeping Pierce, Robb, and a few independent contractors busy right now. They hope to double their customer base within the next year and spread it not only across Metro Detroit but the continent, too, in an effort to make the venture profitable. However, the duo still plans to keep offering Wireless Ypsi free to its hometown."We'll give back to our community that we live and work in because we love this place," Pierce says.Source: Steve Pierce, co-founder of Wireless Ypsi; Eric Maurer, co-owner of Maurer Management; and Mark Maynard, creator of MarkMaynard.comWriter: Jon Zemke

NanoBio lands $1.5M Defense grant, to add positions

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

October 20, 2010

It's a growth pattern rather than a holding pattern for NanoBio, as evident by its handful of new hires and a $1.5 million federal grant.The biopharmaceutical company has made five hires in the last year, expanding its staff to 25 employees and three interns. It expects to add five more staffers in the next 12 months. They will be kept busy with the 10-year-old company's new $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Dept of Defense.NanoBio will partner with the University of Michigan Medical School to study the use of nanoemulsion-based therapies in the form of topical treatments for protection against burn and wound infections suffered by soldiers in battle. NanoBio expects this grant will help lay the foundation for a clinical trial and commercialization in about three years."This is another step in the process of developing this product," says John Coffey, vice president of business development for NanoBio. He adds that his company expects this product to attract the attention of a number of larger pharma-based firms.NanoBio spun out of the University of Michigan and focuses on developing and commercializing vaccines for infectious diseases. The spin-off accomplishes this with a robust vaccine delivered through a nasal spray, which company leadership expects will be able to move medicine to a more proactive stance, rather than being merely reactive. The firm received a six-figure state tax credit this summer for its planned $1.4 million investment in Ann Arbor and the expectation of creating 32 new jobs over the next five years.Source: John Coffey, vice president of business development for NanoBioWriter: Jon Zemke

U-M’s Dare to Dream program awards another $40K to student start-ups!

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

October 20, 2010

A handful of start-ups that are dreaming big took a step towards reality now that they have received seed funding from the Dare to Dream program at the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.The program gave $40,000 in seed capital grants to promising start-ups at the university and in the Ann Arbor area. Thirteen companies received the awards and also tenancy at the TechArb incubator for student-founded businesses. Among the big winners were Bebaroo, a subscription-based rental service for baby clothes, and OWN, which develops comprehensive point-of-sale software for coffee houses. Both businesses received $10,000 each.The Dare to Dream program is part of a growing entrepreneurial-based curriculum that focuses on what the school calls "action-based learning." Those programs include the Wolverine Venture Fund and the Social Venture Fund, which are run by students and make significant investments in real, growing companies with ties to the university or Ann Arbor."It's one thing to work on a case study and it's another thing to work on your own business idea," says Paul Kirsch, associate director of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. The Dare to Dream program distributes up to $100,000 per academic year to students at the university who are creating their own innovative businesses. It has awarded more than $700,000 to over 1,000 student entrepreneurs since it began in 2002.Source: Paul Kirsch, associate director of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Ross School of BusinessWriter: Jon Zemke

Adeona Pharma does $17.5M deal with Swedish drug maker Meda; seeks more partnerships

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

October 20, 2010

Corporate partnerships are the key words when it comes to Adeona Pharmaceuticals' future potential.The Ann Arbor-based drug development firm locked up a $17.5 million deal with Swedish drug maker Meda. Adeona Pharmaceuticals has five drugs in various stages of development and hopes to form another similar corporate partnership or two this year."The drugs are extremely exciting," says James Kuo, chairman and CFO of Adeona Pharmaceuticals. "They address the needs of large pharma."The 7-year-old company specializes in drugs that address problems in the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's, licensing those at the clinical stage to large pharmaceutical companies. It currently has a dozen employees and a few independent contractors, up from a headcount of seven early last year.Source: James Kuo, chairman and CFO of Adeona PharmaceuticalsWriter: Jon Zemke

Plymouth Venture Partners Fund II makes first investment, looks to reach $30M in size

By Newsroom

●

Economic Development

●

October 20, 2010

Plymouth Venture Partners Fund take two is now in action, making the first investment for the Ann Arbor-based venture capital firm's second fund.Plymouth Management Company invested in Lansing-based IDV Solutions, which creates business intelligence software called Visual Fusion. It's the first investment of what Jeff Barry, partner of Plymouth Management Company, expects will be 20 deals in growth-stage companies over the next 3-4 years for this fund."We expect to do 1-2 more investments before the end of the year," Barry says.The 7-year-old VC firm now has five employees and two interns after adding a new partner over the last year. So far the firm has raised $16 million for Plymouth Venture Partners Fund II, which it expects to grow to $30 million in size. The company invests in second-stage, Michigan-based firms that are creating scalable technologies in areas like software, medical devices, or advanced manufacturing. Some of its previous investments include Accuri Cytometers, Incept BioSystems, and Janeeva.Source: Jeff Barry, partner of Plymouth Management CompanyWriter: Jon Zemke

Calif.-based InTouch Health sets up R&D operations in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

●

Healthy Communities

●

October 20, 2010

Let's all give a warm welcome to InTouch Health, the latest new economy-based startup to set up shop in Ann Arbor. The California-based robotics firm is setting up its research and development operations (after being recruited by Ann Arbor SPARK) in the Valley Ranch Business Park, which will be home to 3-4 people to start."It will begin with a software engineering team," says Dave Adornetto, CFO and executive vice president of operations at InTouch Health. "It will grow as the business grows."InTouch Health develops, manufactures, and markets robotics technology for the medical field. The 8-year-old firm has more than 50 patents pending. Its principal product is Remote Presence Technology, which provides physicians with a single interface for provide care into ICUs, patient wards, operating and procedure rooms, all on one network. InTouch Health employs 100 people and has recently received an investment from Farmington Hills-based venture capital firm Beringea. The company chose to set up its R&D operations in Ann Arbor because of its close proximity to the University of Michigan and its deep pool of engineering and robotics talent. It is also looking at setting up a large-scale manufacturing presence in Michigan.Source: Dave Adornetto, CFO and executive vice president of operations at InTouch HealthWriter: Jon Zemke

Dump the cat litter scoopers; U-M students create technology to separate oil from water

By Newsroom

●

Innovation News

●

October 20, 2010

The answer to cleaning up the Gulf Oil spill from last summer could be in the development process at the University of Michigan. Or at least that's what a trio of its graduate students think.Anish Tuteja, Arun Kota, and Gibum Kwon have developed a filter membrane that promises to catch toxicities like oil while letting water pass through. The trio are working with the university's Office of Tech Transfer to commercialize the new technology and recently had it on display at U-M's 10th annual Celebrate Invention event.What makes the new technology unique is that it filters out pollutants like oil or industrial waste. This way clean up crews can spray the new polymer onto a filter-like device, like a coffee filter, and use it to gather oil in large bodies of water. Most other similar applications work the other way around. "It should be very easy to scale up," says Tuteja, an assistant professor of material science and engineering at U-M.The group is working to publish a scientific paper on the new technology and license it out in the hopes of bringing it to market within 3-5 years.Source: Anish Tuteja, assistant professor of material science and engineering at the University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke