Ann Arbor

Nanocerox to add 2-5 people next year, 15 people within three years

By Newsroom

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October 29, 2008

Six years ago Steve Swanson and Peter Gray saw more than a little potential in a University of Michigan spin-off company called Nanocerox.Then the Ann Arbor-based firm only employed three people but was making waves in the local research and entrepreneurial circles. Today it employs 20 people (after adding four people in the last year) and expects to take in $2.2 million in revenues, which is up from $1.75 million last year.Swanson expects that growth to continue for the near future, especially after Nanocerox recently landed $2.1 million in venture capital. That money includes $1.05 million from the state's 21st Century Jobs Fund and its expected to create another 25 jobs within the next few years. For now Nanocerox expects to add 2-5 people within the next year and another 15 within three years.Nanocerox holds an exclusive license to the U-M's patented process for producing highly pure, chemically-precise, uniformly-sized nanoparticles. This type of technology has become sought-after by the U.S. Dept. of Defense and member of the corporate defense industry. Nanocerox wants to develop this into a highly-lucrative niche-industry in southeast Michigan.Source: Steve Swanson, CEO of NanoceroxWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor’s Sungrace Software to add 6 people over next 6 months

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 22, 2008

The Sungrace name a family name. Sorta. Actually, it's a name Makarand Nalgirkar knows almost as intimately as his own.His father started the first Sungrace company (an engineering firm) in India several years ago. Nalgirkar and his brother started another Sungrace firm in India in 1997. Three years ago Nalgirkar started Sungrace Software in Ann Arbor.Today the company has grown its employee base to four people. It expects to add another six people within the next six months as capitalizes on some impressive quarterly growth statistics."The first quarter of this year was the best quarter we ever had," Nalgirkar says.That’s after the firm's revenue grew 200 percent in its first year and 60 percent the following year. It averages about 25 percent growth each quarter.Sungrace Software has been able to accomplish this by focusing on the quality of its product. It develops engineering software for everything but plans, trains and automobiles -- some of the most competitive areas for engineering firms. Sungrace’s software focuses on areas like architecture and the energy industry. Nalgirkar expects his firm to firm up its gains within the next year and build on them. In his eyes the company’s focus will be on continuing what it does best.Source: Makarand Nalgirkar, president and CEO of Sungrace SoftwareWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor’s Torrey Path plans to open data center

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 22, 2008

Torrey Path, the 1-year-old start-up, is off to a good start in Ann Arbor. The firm employs five full-time staffers, four people part-time and the occasional intern. It also just opened an office in California.Peter Dresslar started the firm after doing a stint as a consultant at a local pharmaceutical company. He discovered processes and designed software that can aggregate bio data easily and efficiently for research managers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields.The process has turned the firm to into an almost overnight success. Torrey Path counts three of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies as clients and hopes to expand its customer base to the low teens by 2010. But before that, Dresslar expects to break the $1 million revenue mark next year."We're at a point where our solutions are at a Beta stage, which makes it much easier to sell," Dresslar says.Which, of course, means more expansion for Torrey Path. The company plans to create a data center within the next year. It's currently looking at locations in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.Which will mean will mean another 5-15 jobs for the selected spot. Go Blue!Source: Peter Dresslar, founder and CEO of Torrey PathWriter: Jon Zemke

Plug-in Hybrids and Smart Grid Topics of Upcoming TechKnow Forum

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Economic Development

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October 22, 2008

Themed “Recharging Michigan,” the 2008 TechKnow Forum will bring auto and energy stakeholders together to talk about the Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) and the Smart Grid.“The goal for this forum is to explore two timely topics—the PHEVs and also the Smart Grid—that are also interdependent,” says Stephen Nose, with S-Y-N Associates, a strategy and sustainability consulting firm. “And rather than taking purely technical perspectives, we decided to take a multidisciplinary— more of a 360 degree—view.”The event is Thursday, Oct. 23 at the University of Michigan Power Center in Ann Arbor.PHEVs save money, reduce pollution and decrease dependence on imported oil. Forum guests will discuss these vehicles and the Smart Grid, which will power them.The PHEV panel includes industry representatives from Ford, Toyota and GM. Richard Curtin, with the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan, will also join the discussion. Curtin is conducting surveys to determine how much consumers will pay for this new technology.The Smart Grid discussion will include representatives from the University of Michigan, DTE Energy, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), Next Energy and the State of Michigan. You can click here for more information on the session.Source: Stephen Y Nose, S-Y-N Associates Writer: Ivy Hughes, Capital Gains

Nederveld hires 3 for Ann Arbor office, plans to add 2-3 more

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Arts & Culture

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October 22, 2008

Eighteen months ago Nederveld practically had no presence in Ann Arbor. Today the Grand Rapids-based architecture firm has a four-person office on the city's near north side.Three of those four people were hired within the last year as the 60-person firm (which also has an office in Holland) expanded its presence eastward. It isexpected to hire another 2-3 Ann Arbor employees within the next 90 days. "We wanted to expand and the timing was right," says Terry Sanford, principal of Nederveld. "We're really excited about the Ann Arbor market."Nederveld leaders have been interested in Ann Arbor for some time. They see it as Michigan’s most vibrant area outside of their own Grand Rapids home.The company became interested in Ann Arbor after working with local Tree Town developer Peter Allen. Nederveld's office is at 920 N Main St. a few doors down from Allen’s office. However, that might change soon as the company grows its Ann Arbor office."We're hoping we'll grow out of that space within three years," Sanford says.Source: Terry Sanford, principal of NederveldWriter: Jon Zemke

Meditrina Pharmaceuticals to use 21st Century grant to start clinical trails

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Economic Development

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October 22, 2008

Well, Meditrina Pharmaceuticals has the funding down today so it can get ready to do the clinical testing tomorrow.The Ann Arbor-based firm recently received a $2.6 million grant from Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund that will accompany $12.325 million more in matching funds. All of that money will help create 243 jobs over time as the company prepares its main product for a second clinical test.Meditrina Pharmaceuticals specializes in repurposing drugs for specific women's health issues. The company plans to start the second clinical trail early next year and begin commercializing it in 2012 at the earliest. The company has grown consistently in its short lifespan. It went from its two founders (Thomas A Collet and Holly Vene) in 2006 to eight employees and about a dozen contractors today. Meditrina's bread and butter is an aromatase inhibitor in combination with estrogen and progestin for the treatment of endometriosis. Repurposing the drug would allow it to lower estrogen levels in younger women so it can be used to help treat maladies like endometriosis and uterine fibroids.Source: Thomas A Collet, president, CEO and co-founder of Meditrina PharmaceuticalsWriter: Jon Zemke

The Life Sciences Orchestra

By Kim North Shine

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Arts & Culture

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October 22, 2008

"Paging Dr. Clarinet... " For the last eight years U-M's life sciences orchestra has been bringing together eighty or so of the university's most talented doctors, dentists, researchers, technicians and students to make beautiful music. And it doesn't matter how many letters they've got after their name. They have to audition like everyone else.

U-M researchers connect the dots for stem cells, aging and cancer

By Newsroom

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Education

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October 22, 2008

Stem cells, cancer and getting old – all buzzwords. They're also major players in new research on stem cells by the University of Michigan.University researchers are exploring the possibility that four genes previously identified as genes that can control cancer also play significant roles in stem cell formation and aging. These genes can switch on or off to prevent tumor formation along with control stem cells ability to replace worn-out tissues and shut them down during aging.The study helps explain why embryonic stem cells show much more potential than adult stem cells at regenerating damaged tissues. Put simply, it shows that adult stem cells lose their effectiveness as they age.Source: University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke

Q LTD takes on Yale as client, adds 1 person, expects to hire 1-2 more

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Economic Development

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October 22, 2008

Q LTD isn’t just young at heart, it's young at staff, too.The Ann Arbor-based firm recently added another person to its ranks, rounding out its office to 12 people. That new employee is described as a "young designer" who could help reinvigorate the consulting and design firm."We thought that was important to keep the energy of our people up," says Christine Golus, vice president and creative director for Q LTD.Q LTD is close to hiring yet another person and expects to bring in another 1-3 people in the near future. The company also just opened a satellite office in San Francisco and works closely with a company in Germany. That's a lot of geography for the little A2 marketing and design firm.Q LTD also just signed a contract to handle Yale University's Computing and the Arts program. They will develop the brand identity for this new interdisciplinary research and educational initiative. The idea is to establish brand voice, identity and Internet presence to support an the marketing and fund-raising foundation for the program. Yale's Computing and the Arts initiative integrates computing science and a specific arts focus drawn from art, history of art, music, drama and architecture. The initiative is based on the belief that the next generation of computing technologies will be inspired by the arts."It helps our growth because its outside Ann Arbor and Michigan, and it's a world renown university," Golus says.Source: Christine Golus, vice president and creative director for Q LTDWriter: Jon Zemke

Entrepreneurial executives getting a close look in state

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 22, 2008

Ann Arbor isn't just attracting innovative new businesses, but the entrepreneurs who create them.Excerpt:Kris Aalto had years of biomedical and management experience under her belt when she took a job at a local venture capital firm last October.The Tecumseh resident's new position: executive-in-residence at Ann Arbor-based Arboretum Ventures. For about a year, her main focus was to find the right startup company for the venture firm to invest in.Her focus also was finding the right fit for herself."You have to be scrappy to find your fit, but there are so many interesting projects in Ann Arbor, which really drew me to the area," Aalto said.Read the rest of the story here.