Ann Arbor

Amplifinity hires 4 as it adds services, clients, and rebrands

By Newsroom

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January 25, 2012

What was once uRefer is now Amplifinity, and it's growing. The downtown Ann Arbor-based startup landed a multi-million dollar seed capital round last year and has leveraged it to hire four people in the last year. The 5-year-old firm also plans to bring on interns this summer as it continues to build up its team beyond its staff of 15 people. "You'll definitely see us growing," says Molly McFarland, marketing director of Amplifinity. "You'll definitely see us hiring." Amplifinity specializes in referrals and helping companies, such as ESPN and Direct TV, maximize these referral systems. The company rebranded in December to reflect that the referral business has changed to the point where it's not just as simple as one person telling another to use this product. "What we found is that the world of advocacy and building brands is much bigger than that," McFarland says. "There is so much more than that linear referral process." To capitalize on this, Amplifinity has expanded its product and service offerings. For instance, it has added software that allows people to upload video testimonials and other similar services where companies can capitalize on Internet advocacy through channels like social media. Source: Molly McFarland, marketing director of Amplifinity Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

POTUS returns to Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Education

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January 25, 2012

Maybe it's that he can't get enough Zingerman's. Whatever the reason, Barack Obama will be landing in Ann Arbor to give a speech at U-M, just three days after his State Of The Union speech. Excerpt: "This is the president's 10th visit to Michigan since taking office. He was in Michigan in October to visit GM's Orion Assembly plant with the South Korean president and spoke in Detroit on Labor Day. It will be his second visit to speak at the University of Michigan. In May 2010, he delivered the commencement address at Michigan Stadium, where he urged students to participate in democracy and get all points of view." Read the rest of the story here.

U-M students’ waste-to-energy startup looking to raise $2M

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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January 25, 2012

A quartet of University of Michigan students came up with an idea for a bioreactor that could use methane to heat water. After winning several business plan competitions, the founders of ReGenerate are finally being asked to turn their concept into a real-world technology. Excerpt: "Having proven adept at winning business plan competitions, it's time for waste-to-energy company ReGenerate Solutions LLC to win some actual customers. The Ann Arbor-based startup, founded by four University of Michigan students, is in the midst of raising a seed round of up to $2 million to move it from proof-of-concept stage to commercialization." Read the rest of the story here.

Former U-M student hosts NPR’s “Snap Judgment”

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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January 25, 2012

Before Michigander Glynn Washington created Snap Judgment (and won the Public Radio Talent Quest contest), he was a U-M law school student and a spoken word poet in Detroit. Now, he hosts the weekly story-telling show on National Public Radio (which can be listened to as a podcast). This week his show, entitled Hand Of Fate, features a tale of being a transfer student at U-M. Check out the show here.

AATA’s new transit center takes shape, more hybrid buses carry the load

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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January 18, 2012

The floor plans and designs for the new Blake Transit Center for the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority are nearly finalized as the AATA folds in public feedback on how the center should look and function. The new transit center will replace the current one on Fourth Street in downtown Ann Arbor. It will be larger and built with improved signage, customer service technology and other amenities. The opening comes as the AATA, or The Ride, looks to expanding service beyond Ann Arbor, connecting it beyond Ypsilanti to Detroit and in other destinations, adding more stops and adjusting routes to fit its Reimagine Washtenaw proposal. In addition, The Ride has added 10 hybrid vehicles to its fleet, bringing its fleet to 51 percent hybrid. It's also taken out of service old buses that were purchased in 1996 and replaced them with hybrid electric-diesel models. Public feedback was received last week on the new transit center at two meetings where plans were on display and surveys were taken. “We’re looking for input from the community to make the new transit center a dynamic transportation hub and a welcoming destination in the downtown area,” TheRide’s manager of maintenance and BTC Project Manager Terry Black says in a statement. Source: Mary Stasiak, manager of community relations, AATA, The Ride Writer: Kim North Shine

Ann Arbor’s re:group adds 3 jobs, expands into healthcare field

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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January 18, 2012

Ann Arbor-based re:group is growing its bottom line and staff by adding more health-care businesses to its customer list. "We really have made a concerted effort to grow our business," says Carey Jernigan, director of business development for re:group. "We expect to grow significantly this year. I hope to double our revenue." The downtown-based firm that specializes in branding and Internet marketing has added the likes of St. Joseph Mercy Health System to its roster. The firm now serves companies in a variety of industries, such as finance, bio-tech, retail and franchising. re:group has hired three people over the last year, expanding its staff to 20 employees, a few independent contractors, and an intern. It is also looking to add an account executive later this year, on top of a few more expected hires. Source: Carey Jernigan, director of business development for re:group Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Michigan Business Challenge Competition attracts 45 teams

By Newsroom

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Education

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January 18, 2012

The Michigan Business Challenge, a business plan competition at the University of Michigan, is entering its second of four rounds this week, judging 14 student-led start-ups that span a wide variety of industries. The Michigan Business Challenge attracted 45 teams, comprising 145 students interested in starting their own business. They are competing for $60,000 in cash prizes, including the grand prize of $20,000. "We have a number of web-based businesses," says Anne Perigo, program coordinator for the Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and the manager of the Michigan Business Challenge. "We have a number of student teams that are looking at medical devices or assistive technologies." The student-led start-ups complete an executive summary for their proposed business. Those that make it to the later rounds of the competition write a marketing and financial overview for their company and finish a complete business plan. These teams also pitch their businesses to a panel of judges comprised of entrepreneurs and investors. The competition will wrap up by Feb 17. "The Michigan Business Challenge is one of several programs the Zell-Lurie Institute and Ross School of Business runs that engages student entrepreneurs across the university," Perigo says. "Our number one goal is to give these students the tools and experience to become successful entrepreneurs." Source: Anne Perigo, program coordinator for the Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Hyundai’s $15M investment to lead to 50 new jobs

By Newsroom

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Innovation News

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January 18, 2012

Hyundai is sinking $15 million into its Hyundai America Technical Center, an investment that promises to create 50 jobs in the Ann Arbor-based facility. "The Ann Arbor area has had the good fortune of being an increasingly bigger cluster of automotive research and development activity among a number of different nameplates," says Paul Krutko, president & CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. The Ann Arbor area is home to a number research and development centers for automakers, most notably Toyota, which employs more than 1,000 people at two technical centers. Hyundai plans to invest $5 million into its technical center, the Hyundai America Technical Center, in Ann Arbor over the next five years. The Korean automaker is also building a world class Hot/Cold Weather Dynamometer Test facility at its Superior Township location south of Ann Arbor. To help make this investment attractive, the state of Michigan will fund the construction of a new power substation that will power the building. Ann Arbor SPARK also played a key role in making this investment possible. The economic accelerator agency helped Hyundai secure more than $2.5 million in new business development incentives from the state and Superior Township. Source: State of Michigan and Paul Krutko, president & CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Ann Arbor’s Cybernet Systems aims to hire 10-20 this year

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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January 18, 2012

Cybernet Systems watched its revenue numbers climb in 2011 and expects its staffing numbers to rise this year. The Ann Arbor-based tech firm has enjoyed 10 percent revenue growth in 2011 through increasing sales of its Information Assurance Management System (a data protection service) and new contracts with the U.S. armed forces. Cybernet Systems plans to keep going after this business this year and expects to expand its Ann Arbor headquarters staff to 50-60 people by adding 10-20 jobs in 2012. "We're going after these larger types of contracts and more sales," says Charles Cohen, vice president of research & development for Cybernet Systems. "That will tie into more jobs in Michigan." Cybernet Systems has made a large chunk of its sales to the U.S. armed forces. It has created and sold an ammunition sorting machine used by ground troops. It has also developed an enhanced PC tablet computer called the Xplor that helps soldiers with data collection and inventory maintainence. "Our other programs are growing quite nicely," Cohen says. Source: Charles Cohen, vice president of research & development for Cybernet Systems Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Kids TV show shot in Ann Arbor helped by film incentives

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Arts & Culture

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January 18, 2012

What do you get when you combine three talented tots and $191K in film incentive support? Ariel, Zoey & Eli Too, a syndicated kids show that reaches millions of cable subscribers. Excerpt: "The nationally syndicated weekly children's show features Ariel and Zoey Engelbert, 13 -year-old twins from Ann Arbor, and their 10-year-old brother, Eli. The siblings perform skits, musical numbers and interview special guests. The show is carried nationally on THECOOLTV nationally Monday-Friday at 4:30 p.m. An episode this week—scheduled to be rebroadcast Feb. 1—featured former University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr as a special guest. Locally, the show can be seen on Comcast 296, WOW 102, or digital channel 20.2 over the air from Detroit." Read the rest of the story here.