Ann Arbor

Logic Solutions adds 7 jobs, develops new Showcase sales app

By Newsroom

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December 14, 2011

Logic Solutions has traditionally been a custom software maker, but the Ann Arbor-based company is going a bit more mass market with its latest product, Showcase. The iPad app (the Android version is still in development) is designed for companies with mobile sales forces. The app provides the normal catalog features, along with some custom-software touches, such as back-end CMS and 3-D rotating images of products. "We hesitate to call it a catalog app," says Angela Kujava, director of marketing for Logic Solutions. "It's so much more than that. It's really a highly integrated sales tool." Logic Solutions launched the app late last summer and has landed a few customers so far this year, including furniture and sunglasses companies. It is aiming for $1.44 million in revenue from that product in 2012. The 16-year-old company has also experienced some significant growth in 2011, hiring seven people in the marketing, sales and tech areas. The company now employs 38 in the U.S., including 35 in Ann Arbor. Kujava expects the firm to keep hiring in 2012. "We want to hire the right people," Kujava says. Source: Angela Kujava, director of marketing for Logic Solutions Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Menlo Innovations plans to triple office space, double headcount

By Tanya Muzumdar

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Community Development

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December 14, 2011

Come springtime, Menlo Innovations, a custom software developer known for its democratic culture and open-design office, will be moving into a 16,900-square-foot space at The Offices at Liberty Square at 500 E. Liberty St. in downtown Ann Arbor. The new space, all on one floor, nearly triples the square footage of its current Kerrytown office. To give that some scale, Menlo,s work space will more than double the size of a regulation baseball infield. "Especially for the type of work we do and the way we do it, people often come in look at Menlo and they wonder, if we look really full, they wonder where they will fit their project in our company, in our space. And so we have to kind of build out the space ahead of the curve," says Rich Sheridan, president and founder of Menlo Innovations. The firm's Kerrytown office was a tripling of its previous space, and now a tripling is taking place again. Menlo currently has 40 people on staff, a mix of full-time employees and independent contractors. Sheridan sees a doubling of that headcount in the next two years. "It's always a little hard to predict, but we're certain we had our best year ever in 2011, so all indications are pointing up." The build-out of the space is being finalized, with the move likely taking place in April. The office will be a big open room, with the high ceiling as a focal point, Sheridan says. "We always want everybody to be within what we call "eyeshot and earshot" of one another. We want to be able to see each other all the way across the room," he explains. "We often jokingly refer to our internal company communication system as 'high-speed voice technology.'" Quieter glassed-in conference rooms are available as needed, but conversing is a key part of the culture. "We don't like to use email when we communicate with each other internally in the company. We like communication that includes eyebrows." The enhanced space means bigger options, such as a moms' room, to fit the company policy of allowing new mothers to bring their babies to work. Additionally, Menlo will be establishing a permanent area to host training workshops that are open to the public. In its current office, the training area is set up as needed and then taken down. And looking ahead, a new business accelerator under the Menlo umbrella is also part of Sheridan's vision. Menlo will also be sharing the floor, or more precisely, a door and a glass wall, with TechArb, the University of Michigan accelerator for student start-ups. The presence of TechArb as a neighbor was a definite factor in Menlo's choice of a new home. Sheridan adds, "I'm teaching an entrepreneurship practicum right now at [U-M] and some of my students are actually in that space right now, so I think this is a nice mixing of town and gown, if you will." Source: Rich Sheridan, president and founder of Menlo Innovations Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

In Ann Arbor, the bride wore green

By Newsroom

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Environment & Sustainability

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December 7, 2011

Here's another thing for bridezillas to worry about: whether their wedding is green enough. All kidding aside, if sustainable funerals are possible, why not weddings? An Ann Arbor couple proves it can done. Excerpt: "It was in August 2010, the Ann Arbor couple (Engel and Dyer) were married in a “green” outdoor wedding ceremony and reception near the Huron River fit to pay homage to their shared love of the planet and the outdoors. The trend toward green weddings certainly isn’t new, but researchers say it has evolved to allow lovers to incorporate their personal preferences and still afford their marriage." read the rest of the story here.

Walk This Way: The Challenge Of Pedestrian Malls

By Jon Zemke

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General

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December 7, 2011

The idea of establishing a pedestrian mall in downtown Ann Arbor has long been discussed but never acted upon. Concentrate's Jon Zemke looks at how some communities have found great success with their people-only plazas, but most have encountered failure. Would Tree Town buck the odds or struggle like the rest?

Clean Energy Coalition continues hiring in downtown Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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December 7, 2011

The Clean Energy Coalition is hiring, again. The downtown Ann Arbor-based non-profit dedicated to sustainability practices has hired two people in November and has two job openings in communications and marketing, and one for an intern. The non-profit currently employs 20 people full-time, four independent contractors, and two interns. The six-year-old non-profit has moved from smaller offices in Ypsilanti's Depot Town to a bigger office just north of downtown Ann Arbor to accommodate its growth. "It would be nice to see us grow and add another 10 employees," says Sean Reed, executive director of the Clean Energy Coalition. The Clean Energy Coalition has landed several million dollars in grant funding in recent years, including $15 million from the federal stimulus package. That money is part of Michigan's $31 million Green Fleets project, which will integrate more alternative fuels and advanced fuel-efficient technology (i.e. bio-diesel) into municipal vehicle fleets. The non-profit is also working to help make local government buildings more energy efficient. The non-profit has doubled in size in each of its six years. Its 2010 revenue reached $1.5 million and it expects to go above $6 million in 2011. "We have a real diversity of grant-funded projects and services that we are managing," Reed says. "The volume of those have continued to grow." Source: Sean Reed, executive director of the Clean Energy Coalition Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Lakeside Software opens Ann Arbor R&D office

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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December 7, 2011

Lakeside Software has followed up on its announcement from earlier this year to open an office in downtown Ann Arbor. The Bloomfield Hills-based software developer plans to use the research and development facility for product design and development of its management software solutions for the Windows operating system. Its SysTrack software combines comprehensive system monitoring capabilities with sophisticated analysis for applications and users to create a total management solution. "We plan to hire about 195 people over the next five years," says Brinton Baker, chief marketing officer with Lakeside Software. "The Ann Arbor facility will receive those first hires. I see the majority of these 195 people being in the Ann Arbor area." The 14-year-old company received a $731,000 tax break from the Michigan Economic Development Corp to establish the R&D facility in Ann Arbor. Lakeside Software had been looking at moving to Silicon Valley to be around other IT and software firms, but it found a comparable tech cluster in Ann Arbor. "There is a tremendous quality of people there," Baker says. "The level of expertise is what we're really looking for." Source: Brinton Baker, chief marketing officer with Lakeside Software Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

IT firm Red Level Networks opens Ann Arbor office, adds 3 jobs

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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December 7, 2011

Novi-based Red Level Networks has opened a satellite office in Ann Arbor as the IT firm is going after more work in what is arguably Michigan's foremost tech cluster. "We're going where the business is and the business seems to be growing in Ann Arbor," says David King, president of Red Level Networks. "We feel there is an opportunity for us to have a presence there." Red Level Networks has grown significantly in its eight-year run so far, notching double-digit revenue gain and expanding to 20 employees and the occasional intern. It hired an intern six months ago as one of three new employees this year. The firm hopes to add one more job before the new year. "We're adding about four clients a month," King says. "We have been growing quite a bit. In fact, 2011 will be our best year yet." Source: David King, president of Red Level Networks Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

AMMA Center of Michigan goes solar

By Tanya Muzumdar

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Development News

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December 7, 2011

The Amma Center of Michigan, a non-sectarian organization that follows the teachings of Indian spiritual leader Amma, is looking skyward for its energy sources. The center recently installed three solar photovoltaic systems at its Ann Arbor property. The roof- and ground-mounted systems, 27.6 kilowatts in total, are composed of 112 U.S.-manufactured solar panels, says Prasad Gullapalli, president of Srinergy, a Novi, Mich.-based solar provider. With the application of DTE Energy incentives, the installations have a financial payback of under five years, according to Gullapalli. The reduction in energy expended over the next 25 years is likened to planting more than 53 acres of forest, powering close to 30,000 homes for 24 hours, and avoiding the release of 621 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. He expects solar power will get a boost in Ann Arbor due to the city's adoption of a PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program, which finances energy efficiency and clean energy enhancements for commercial properties via a special property tax assessment. "The payback is going to be really good because of the PACE initiative," Gullapalli says. Source: Prasad Gullapalli, president of Srinergy Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Video Vault Of Midnight

By Keith Jefferies

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General

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November 30, 2011

Welcome to geek heaven. Vault Of Midnight is pretty much the coolest store in Ann Arbor. Games, ugly dolls, cool figurines, books you never heard of, and, yes, lots and lots of comics. There's enough eye candy here to make your head explode. Check it out.

Insect cyborgs to the rescue?

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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November 30, 2011

Okay, tell us this doesn't sound like the set-up for a really creepy sci-fi novel where everything goes wrong: Insect cyborgs used as emergency first-responders. Excerpt: Professor Khalil Najafi, the chair of electrical and computer engineering, and doctoral student Erkan Aktakka are finding ways to harvest energy from insects, and take the utility of the miniature cyborgs to the next level. "Through energy scavenging, we could potentially power cameras, microphones and other sensors and communications equipment that an insect could carry aboard a tiny backpack," Najafi said. "We could then send these 'bugged' bugs into dangerous or enclosed environments where we would not want humans to go." Read the rest of the story here.