Ann Arbor

U-M hosts first Indie Korean film fest in U.S.

By Newsroom

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October 10, 2012

Yeah, "Gangnam Style" has thrust Korean pop culture into the U.S. mainsteam but the Korean film industry has really been making its mark on international cinema. This year sees the national debut of a Korean independent film festival. And it's happening at U-M. Excerpt: "“I decided to go with independent film because independent film has not been considered important, not even in South Korea,” Lee said. “I just want to show the diversity of Korean cinema.” Lee explained that an independent Korean film is produced outside of the three main production studios in South Korea — CJ Entertainment, Showbox and Lotte Entertainment, which are comparable to Paramount, 20th Century Fox and Universal Studios in the US. Lee said about 90 percent of South Korean films are produced through these three studios." Read the rest here.

Underground Printing opens three new locations

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 10, 2012

If the term "slow retail" were to ever catch on like say "slow food," it would be because of companies like Underground Printing. The Ann Arbor-based custom printed apparel provider (think t-shirts and embroidered clothing) has grown thanks in part to its enhanced technology and burgeoning Internet presence. However, its real growth is coming with new retail spaces. "The technology is what we bring to back up the retail stores," says Rishi Narayan, owner of Underground Printing. "The physical presence is why we have been able to grow. People feel comfortable with that." The 11-year-old business has retail spaces across the U.S. that employ 150 people. Those include three new stores in Nebraska, North Carolina and in a former Blockbuster space in Ann Arbor. That growth has allowed the company to add a second shift to its production line and expand its Ann Arbor staff to 100 people. "Our services have caught on and continue to grow primarily through word of mouth," Narayan says. Source: Rishi Narayan, owner of Underground Printing Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Better downtown parking coming for Ann Arbor cyclists

By Newsroom

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In The News

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October 10, 2012

The Ann Arbor DDA is making room for bike riders in the popular Maynard St parking garage - 50 bikes. Given that it means giving up just two auto spaces that seems like pretty good math to us. Excerpt: "The authorization of $30,000 from the DDA’s parking fund – for design, fabrication and installation of the bicycle storage facility – was given at the board’s Oct. 3, 2012 meeting. Similar “cages” in other cities use a chain-link fencing material. However, the DDA hopes that a more aesthetically pleasing option can be identified." Read the rest here.

Zombies in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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October 3, 2012

The Freep has a great photo slide show of Saturday's zombie walk. Excerpt: "The undead came to life Saturday for the annual Zombie Walk to benefit Food Gatherers of Ann Arbor. Participants met at Pinball Pete’s in Ann Arbor to drop off nonperishable food donations. From there, they hobbled and crawled to the Three Corpse Circus Horror Film Festival at the Michigan Theater. Organizer Bambi Slevin, 32, of Ypsilanti said about 60 people participated this year and donated two bins of food." Check it out here!

Ann Arbor AutoBike seen as a “promising disruptive technology”

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 3, 2012

What is the Disruptive Investor? Well, according to their site they are "dedicated to uncovering the most commercially promising disruptive technologies. Our mission is to connect the most disruptive technologies to the investment, licensing and acquisition communities." Get it? Ann Arbor's AutoBike gets singled out for notice. Excerpt: "For most people, the purpose of a bicycle is to take leisurely rides and have fun. Some riders, however, do not shift gears at the right time. They therefore exhaust themselves faster or may have to walk their bicycles up otherwise manageable hills. These situations tarnish the entire cycling experience and make people less likely to ride. The AutoBike solves this problem by automatically shifting gears for the cyclist." Read the rest here.

Hacker Tour stops in Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 3, 2012

The SF start-up ReadyForce has decided that the current job search process is broken. With that in mind they've launched HackTour 2012,"n 8 week national bus tour designed to connect fast growing startups and tech companies to top computer science and engineering students across the country." Ann Arbor U-M was one of its 27 stops. Excerpt: "At the College of Engineering career fair Tuesday, the van was parked outside emblazoned with the logos of the 26 companies sponsoring the eight-week swing through 27 campuses across the country. The website is a cross between LinkedIn, Match.com and Monster.com that connects college students with companies interested in hiring them." Read the rest here.

Video Art In Public Places

By Roger Rayle

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Arts & Culture

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October 3, 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.

Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, & Saline are on the National Solar Tour map

By Tanya Muzumdar

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Development News

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October 3, 2012

The sun may be lower on the horizon now, but solar activity is rising, beginning with the National Solar Tour in October. Nine installations in Ypsilanti, along with one each in Saline and Ann Arbor, will be open to visitors interested in seeing solar. Eight of those sites are within approximately one mile of each other in and near downtown Ypsilanti. The Ypsi Food Co-op and River Street Bakery at 312 North River Street sport three installations. Other hotspots are: Krzyzanski Apts A,B,C at 403 Huron Street; Ypsi City Hall at 1 South Huron Street; Adams School at 503 East Oak Street; Frog Island Park at 600 Marketplace; and the Corner Brewery at 720 Norris Street. Power Panel, the provider of the large installation at the Corner Brewery, will be presenting at the brewery at 12 and 2 p.m. And local solar installer John Wakeman will be speaking about the "25% by '25" legislation, an initiative to require that Michigan utilities obtain 25% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025 (the current requirement is 10% by 2015), will be speaking there at 1 p.m. "We have [panels] on roofs, things on awnings on the side of buildings. We have micro-inverters, regular inverters...it's a lot of examples in a short distance," says Dave Strenski, volunteer coordinator of Solar Ypsi, points out. Strenski will be at City Hall throughout the day to answer questions, and Solar Ypsi volunteers will staff some of the other spots. Other displays within driving distance will be at the Graf residence at 6232 Munger Road in Ypsilanti and the Bredernitz residence at 2114 Windmill Way in Saline. All sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Also in conjunction with the National Solar Tour, Novi, Michigan-based Srinergy will host a bus tour of residential and commercial solar installations that day. Ann Arbor's AMMA Center will be a featured stop. Click here for more information and to register. Both tours take place on Saturday, October 6. Sources: Dave Strenski, volunteer coordinator of Solar Ypsi; Srinergy Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

A daily commuter train from A2 to Detroit in our near future?

By Newsroom

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In The News

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October 3, 2012

Most American metroploitan areas have several daily commuter trains between the region's largest city and the surrounding suburbs. Wouldn't it be nice if we could join them? Finally? Excerpt: "The paper reported that the Michigan Department of Transportation "is in the process of spending more than $500 million to purchase the tracks between Dearborn and Kalamazoo from Norfolk Southern and improve them, according to officials at the meeting." " Read the rest here.

OcuSciences grows team as it pushes toward commercialization

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 3, 2012

OcuSciences is growing its product portfolio and its staff in Ann Arbor, leveraging its ocular test for diabetes technology. The Ann Arbor-based start-up, a University of Michigan spin-out, is developing an ocular diagnostic technology for metabolomic diseases that allows doctors to diagnose patients with diseases like diabetes by scanning their eyes. The process has the potential to be more accurate and catch a diabetes diagnosis much earlier than traditional methods. The 4-year-old company is already selling the high-end version of its product (retails for $115,000) and is preparing to sell the lower-cost version of it ($30,000-$35,000) before the end of this year. "That will be a high-volume device," says Kurt Riegger, CEO of OcuSciences. The company has hired two people over the last year, expanding its staff to eight people. That could grow again as it continues to spin-out more versions of its principal technology. OcuSciences conducted a clinical trial for a new version of its technology that can work with therapy for Dry Age Related Macular Degeneration, which can cause blindness in older people. The firm is currently conducting two, two-year clinical trials on the technology with an international partner that Riegger declined to name. If the therapy proves effective, Riegger hopes it will prove to be a viagra for the eye by helping it improve delivery of nutrients to the eyes and removal of waste products from it. "We hope we can slow and reverse this disease if we can catch it early enough," Riegger says. Source: Kurt Riegger, CEO of OcuSciences Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.