2010 – Page 17 of 78

MyBandStock gets micro loan, spreads coast to coast

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September 29, 2010

MyBandStock plans to spread its reach to both coasts via a micro loan from the Ann Arbor SPARK-administered Michigan Microloan Fund Program.The 2-year-old start-up focuses on connecting bands to their fans by selling shares in a band's album or giving fans a chance to get closer to the artists. The 6-person firm plans to use the micro loan, which is usually for about $50,000, to help pay for travel costs between Ann Arbor and the entertainment hubs on both coasts. "We're back and forth from Michigan and Los Angeles and New York," says Drew Leahy, co-founder of MyBandStock. "That money is going to help us meet more potential clients."The Ann Arbor-based firm recently opened an LA office and is signing clients in both New York and LA. The company plans to keep its headquarters and technology operations in Ann Arbor and make 2-3 hires over the next year.Source: Drew Leahy, co-founder of MyBandStockWriter: Jon Zemke

U-M’s tech transfer director says innovation = economic recovery; Xconomy takes note

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Entrepreneurship

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September 22, 2010

It's easy to say the road to economic recovery starts with new innovation. University of Michigan tech transfer guru Ken Nisbet tells us how in a recent Q&A with Xconomy.Excerpt:With an annual research budget of more than $1 billion, the University of Michigan is a leading hub of new technological inventions and entrepreneurship. It’s serving as a wellspring of new ideas and startups that are helping to lead the economic recovery in the Great Lakes State.Ken Nisbet plays a key role in advancing technologies developed on campus in Ann Arbor to the marketplace. He’s the executive director of tech transfer at the university, and his office often serves as a conduit between the academic inventors and the business community (composed of corporations, venture investors, and entrepreneurs) that can provide the financing and other resources to commercialize technologies.Nisbet, 60, joined the tech transfer team at the university in 1996 after a career in various engineering and marketing positions at Ford Motor Company, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Nortel. (He also bleeds maize and blue, having received both his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and his MBA from U-M.)Read the rest of the story here.

UM’s College of Architecture and Urban Planning takes over Liberty Lofts commercial space

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Arts and Culture

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September 22, 2010

The University of Michigan will soon put the commercial space of a loft building to good use.The U-M Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning will be using 19,000 square feet of Liberty Lofts, on the western edge of downtown, for architectural research, says Kim Broekhuizen, a public affairs specialist for the university. "The (college) examined several university space options, but none met the school's needs," she says.She couldn't yet offer details on what specifically the space would be used for.Developer Ron Mucha, a member of Morningside Ann Arbor, says he's expecting the space to be occupied around the first of November, and construction is already underway. "We think that this is a good use for the property, complementary with the neighborhood and surrounding uses."Liberty Lofts residential units had sold out several years ago, winning awards along the way for its redevelopment of an old factory on the western edge of downtown. The commercial section of the building remained up for sale or lease.Source: Ronald Mucha, developer with Morningside Ann Arbor and Kim Broekhuizen, spokeswoman for the University of MichiganWriter: Kristin Lukowski

US-23/Geddes roundabouts nearly complete

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Community Development

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September 22, 2010

Work on the three roundabouts that now make up the interchange at Geddes Road and U.S. 23 is about to come full circle.Dave Dykman of the city of Ann Arbor's project management unit says the interchange project is about to wrap up, with a target date of October 31 or even earlier. As of last week, the east side of the project was complete except for a final paving, and ramp work was being finalized. Concluding the project will be some final landscaping, paving of asphalt paths, and installment of lights.The improvements also include some pedestrian walks on a path to the south of the interchange, and a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge that crosses U.S. 23. "We anticipate there will be much more pedestrian and nonmotorized use," Dykman says.The Geddes Road project employs three roundabouts in place of traffic lights at the on/off-ramps for the exit and the intersection of Geddes and Earhart Road. "The city's very excited about this project," he says. "I think it'll be a definite and vast improvement to traffic flow at that interchange, and we look forward to opening it up."Roundabouts, a.k.a. traffic circles, are seen as the most cost-effective way to improve flow and relieve congestion at an intersection without expanding it. Modern roundabouts include a central island to guide the vehicular traffic and splitter islands at each leg of an intersection. One-way traffic moves around the central island, where entering traffic must yield to the traffic already in the roundabout. Traffic circles slow and calm traffic, resulting in fewer accidents. They also decrease delays and cut down on the number of idling vehicles, reducing air pollution.Source: David Dykman, project manager for the city of Ann ArborWriter: Kristin Lukowski

Domino’s Farms celebrates 25 years of diverse business environments

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Arts and Culture

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September 22, 2010

Twenty five years ago, Domino's Farms opened as Ann Arbor's premiere office address, boasting about 1 million square feet of space and marquee tenants in its namesake pizza company, a law firm, and the University of Michigan's Med Sport, the university's first outpatient care center outside of U-M Hospital. Today the iconic campus overlooking the intersection of M-14 and U.S. 23 on Ann Arbor's northeast side is the home to dozens of companies and non-profits of all shapes and sizes. More than 2,000 people work at the complex, which attracts about another 1,000 people who do business there. More than 50 companies call it home, ranging from Domino's Pizza to smaller law, engineering, and insurance firms. "We really cover all facets from entrepreneurial and research to professional," says John Petz, director of government and community relations for Domino's Farms. It is now about 94 percent occupied. The spaces still up for lease range in size from 800-15,000 square feet. "We can still handle start-up companies to companies in the first and second phase of growth," Petz says.The accompanying petting zoo/farm, which comes complete with a herd of buffalo, complements the complex's Prairie-style architecture, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. That influence can be seen in everything from the main building's long, horizontal design from the freeway to the furniture in its conference rooms."It has a timeless, American iconic design," Petz says.Source: John Petz, director of government and community relations for Domino's FarmsWriter: Jon Zemke

EMU, U-M partner on $1M climate change grant

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Community Development

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September 22, 2010

Eastern Michigan University is leading a group of the state's top universities, including Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, that are sharing in a $1 million federal grant to add educational programs about climate change."We have all kinds of different people who are associated with it," says Sandra Rutherford, a geo-science education professor at EMU and the lead investigator for the grant.The project plans to set up a national network of educational partnerships devoted to incorporating climate change and its effects into school curriculums. It will focus on pairing those who are working on climate change research with research and educational programs in the Great Lakes region. Everyone from science teachers to business stakeholders to the general public is targeted for the program. Within the next two years, these educators should be able to access a network of researchers and scientists focusing on climate change. The three universities are working with the College of Exploration of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, and a consulting faculty member from Ashland College.Source: Sandra Rutherford, geo-science education professor at Eastern Michigan UniversityWriter: Jon Zemke

Sustainability has become a hot major at U-M

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Innovation News

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September 22, 2010

Sustainability is not only a buzz word at the University of Michigan these days, it's a way of academic life. The university has experienced a sharp increase in green studies, whether they be majors that revolve around sustainability or environmentally friendly certificates that complement traditional degrees, such as business administration."We're excited because we have seen explosive growth in sustainability-related programs across the university," says Mike Shriberg, education director at the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute at U-M.So far undergraduate enrollment in the Program in the Environment has more than doubled from 128 students in 2005 to an estimated 291 today. Master's-level enrollment at the School of Natural Resources and Environment has jumped 83 percent to 225 students today. The Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise enrollment doubled to 45 students.A lot of these students see a big blue ocean of opportunity in sustainability related fields where jobs have become plentiful and seemingly ever expanding."There has been booming growth in the clean energy sector," Shirberg says. "That has been happening lately even when all of the other sectors are down."Source: Mike Shirberg, education director at the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute at the University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke

Accelerate Michigan Student Idea Competition quarterbacks student entrepreneurs

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Entrepreneurship

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September 22, 2010

The University of Michigan has some big expectations for the Accelerate Michigan Student Idea Competition, an offshoot of the inaugural Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition."It's a great opportunity for our students and the state of Michigan," says Doug Neal, managing director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in U-M's College of Engineering. "I'd love to see 1,000 students participate in Accelerate Michigan."That would put it on par with U-M's 1,000 Pitches competition, which attracted 2,065 participants in 2009; more are expected this year. Neal says the two competitions are quite similar because they both require students to primarily pitch business ideas.The Accelerate Michigan Student Idea Competition offers a $50,000 prize to any college student attending school in the state. Participants must submit a one-page business plan, a three-minute video pitch, and formulate a 15-minute live pitch. The deadline for applications is October 22. For information, click here.The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is offering $1 million in prizes to start-ups in Michigan or planning to move to Michigan. The idea is to showcase the state's entrepreneurial ecosystem to a large audience of investors in town for the Big Chill hockey game at Michigan Stadium on Dec. 11. Source: Doug Neal, managing director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke

Dataspace to grow its 1099 workforce

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Economic Development

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September 22, 2010

Local companies aren't just growing from hiring employees. Some are making moves by adding independent contractors (commonly called 1099 for their IRS code), such as Ann Arbor's Dataspace.The downtown-based tech firm, founded in 1994, still has a staff of about 10 people. However, it has augmented its headcount by bringing on a couple of 1099 contractors over the last year. The firm expects to add another 2-5 independent contractors within the next year to help maintain its flexibility for new projects and revenue growth."I don't think 20 percent growth this year is out of the question," says Ben Taub, CEO of Dataspace.Dataspace focuses on tabulating and interpretation of sales numbers and coming up with ways to take advantage of them. It's also working on business intelligence consulting, which is sees as a growing sector in tight economic times.Source: Ben Taub, CEO of DataspaceWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor tech firms lock down $1M in federal grants

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Community Development

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September 22, 2010

More than $1 million in seed capital is heading toward three Ann Arbor-based start-ups, all Ann Arbor SPARK clients, thanks to federal grants.Akervall Technologies took in $120,000 from the U.S. Dept. of Defense Small Business Innovation Research program to develop the second generation of the Protech Dent mouth guard. Arbor Photonics received a $44,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant for its development of high power, single-emitter fiber laser modules with exceptional beam quality and narrow line width. However, the biggest winner is OG Technologies, which received nearly $1 million from the U.S. Dept of Energy. The 12-year-old company will use the $933,000 for the development of an optical caliper, a measurement tool for hot objects. Put simply, it's creating a camera that can take comprehensive pictures of extremely hot objects, such as newly made steel slabs. The new technology is expected to have primarily industrial uses. However, OG Technologies President Terry Liddy believes it has the potential for broader applications."We should have beta sites in steel mills within two years," Liddy says.He expects the grant, which should fund the rest of the technology's development, will allow the company to add to its staff of 11 employees and a couple of summer interns. The hope is the company will hire a handful of new staff, including engineers, assemblers, and salespersons.Source: Ann Arbor SPARK and Terry Liddy, president of OG Technologies Writer: Jon Zemke