Ypsilanti

Ypsilanti’s ISSYS lands $1.5M NIH grant for pre-clinical studies

By Newsroom

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February 8, 2012

Integrated Sensing Systems has scored a $1.5 million grant from the National Institute of Health to help the company finish the pre-clinical work on its new technology, which wirelessly monitors the heart. "It's the last stage of a very long process before you get to human trials," says Nader Najafi, president & CEO of Integrated Sensing Systems. The Ypsilanti-based firm, commonly known as ISSYS, designs and develops microelectromechanical systems for medical and scientific sensing applications. Its latest piece of technology is an implant for the heart that allows medical professionals to wirelessly monitor the heart. "So you can monitor the heart on demand even with home monitoring," Najafi says. ISSYS, founded in 1995, has been working on this technology for 12 years. It has a staff of 30 and plans to add another 2-3 jobs this year. It will continue clinical trials of the technology for the next two years. After that, Najafi hopes to begin work on human trials, while also receiving FDA approval so it can begin sales. Source: Nader Najafi, president & CEO of Integrated Sensing Systems Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Double Time: A Conversation with Vince Chmielewski

By Jon Zemke

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General

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February 8, 2012

It's been said that the candle that burns at both ends shines twice as brightly. There's little doubt that entrepreneur Vince Chmielewski embodies the spirit of that saying. Working a full time job at U-M and running a successful web design firm on the side (not to mention growing family duties), you can't help but wonder when he sleeps.

Ypsilanti’s In The Mix (or Vice Versa)

By Nicole Rupersburg

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General

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February 1, 2012

Where can you get pastries, coffee, fashion, and furniture under one roof? Oh, and a little opera and theater too? The Mix Marketplace is the latest cool idea to pop up in Ypsilanti's increasingly DIY downtown. It's where retail, community, and culture meet to create a one-of-a-kind destination. Concentrate gets the skinny.

Solar Goes Up in Ypsi

By Tanya Muzumdar

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Development News

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January 25, 2012

More high wattage (the renewable kind) is topping roofs (and now, poles) in Ypsilanti this winter. When temperatures turn warmer, probably by next month, the Ypsilanti Food Co-op will be adding solar panels to generate another four kilowatts of power. This is on top of the co-op's existing 2.3-kilowatt roof system, says Dave Strenski, founder and volunteer coordinator of Solar Ypsi, a network of solar installations around Ypsilanti. The original panel installation is now five years old. "We've been in the solar business for a while now," Strenski says. And in a first, Solar Ypsi has partnered with Wireless Ypsi, a free broadband internet collective also based in the city, to perch a solar-powered wireless internet radio atop an old telephone pole on Frog Island. The new set-up is already getting six to eight users daily, says Strenski, and the parties are planning on a couple more installations at yet-to-be-determined spots. The co-op was able to secure the panels at a cost of 84 cents per watt from now-defunct solar manufacturer Evergreen. With other equipment and labor (including volunteer labor), the system will end up costing $2.58 per watt installed. Since prices are coming down due to an influx of less expensive panels from China, Strenski estimates systems can be had for three to four dollars per watt, installed – about half the cost in years past. At current power costs, Strenski figures on a payback period of about 10 years, which in actuality will be less, due to continually rising power rates. An average solar installation lasts 30 years, he says, giving the system a very high return on investment. Those interested in solar would do well to check the list of renewable energy contractors on the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association's website, Strenski advises. "If you want to do solar, now's a good time," he says. Source: Dave Strenski, founder and volunteer coordinator of Solar Ypsi Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

From Scratch: Unity Vibration Kombucha

By Kelly Quintanilla

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Entrepreneurship

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January 25, 2012

Is it tea or is it an alcoholic beverage? For Rachel and Tarek Kanaan, owners of Unity Vibration Kombucha, the state's question had potentially far-reaching consequences for their probiotic drink business. But instead of over-reacting, they adapted by adding kombucha beer to their product line. It's turned out to be one of the best decisions they ever made.

Video Haab’s

By Keith Jefferies

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Arts & Culture

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January 25, 2012

Every family diner should dream of growing up to be like Haab’s; to have a menu that fits on a placemat, a waitstaff that cares like mom, and enough batter and fry to make anything taste good. This is Ypsilanti restaurant and happy hour scene is what keeps "family restaurant" from being dirty words.

Not one, two, three, but four new restaurants coming to downtown Ypsi

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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January 18, 2012

The restaurant scene in downtown Ypsilanti is heating up times four with the upcoming openings of four new eateries, one of them a reopening of a beloved institution that feels to some as old as Ypsi itself. Wolverine Grill on Michigan Avenue, a diner-style restaurant with kitsch galore and a reputation of being like one of the family to locals, will be reborn under the same name and operated by a new chef and manager. "It's going to keep parts of the menu and the things people loved. But it's going to be rebooted. It's going to be great," says Teresa Gillotti, city planner for Ypsilanti. Some freshening-up improvements are being made to the restaurant with the possibility of completing a more extensive renovation down the road, Gillotti says. Across the street from Wolverine is a major overhaul of the former T.C.'s Speakeasy, which is making way for Red Rock, a barbecue restaurant that is being reconfigured to put an impressively crafted bar in the center. Parts of the building are being repurposed and the overall history is being preserved and enhanced, Gillotti says. Wolverine is expected to re-open for business in early February and Red Rock should open in February or March. Going through a soft opening in prep for an official launch in coming days is Wurst Bar on Cross Street in downtown. It replaces Theo's Bar & Grille, a popular Eastern Michigan University bar. Wurst Bar will offer a menu of gourmet brats and burgers for meat eaters and vegetarians and also specialty beer and freshly prepared foods. It may team up to smoke a sausage for the new Red Rock. The fourth of the new bunch of restaurants and the last to open, as the owner is just now beginning official planning on the foreclosed property, will be an Italian restaurant on Washington Street. The Italian owner will complete a major renovation of the two-story building. The first floor will house the restaurant and the second floor will be a continuation of the restaurant or separate retail. "It's funny how all this is happening at once," Gillotti says. "It's exciting that we're going to have such a mix of restaurants, new styles of restaurants to add to downtown." Source: Teresa Gillotti, city planner, Ypsilanti Writer: Kim North Shine

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

Ypsilanti: Under The Radar

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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January 18, 2012

Public TV's local travel guide, Under The Radar, makes Ypsilanti its focus, indulging in a little local dining and drink. Excerpt: "On this episode of Under The Radar Michigan, we start things off in Ypsilanti at a restaurant that took us so far back in time, lunch was only 40 cents. We also discover some very cool places to live right downtown, and show you a classic tavern that the famous frequent. " The Ypsilanti / Leland episode is scheduled to be rebroadcast on WTVS, channel 56 in Detroit, Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., Wednesday at 3:30 a.m., and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Watch the entire episode here (which includes a piece on Leland).

DeNovo Sciences aims at $1M seed round with Accelerate Michigan win

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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December 14, 2011

DeNovo Sciences has its sights set on closing a seven-figure angel round within the next few months, thanks to the boost from its big win at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. Of course it doesn't hurt to have the competition's $500,000 top prize to start with. Kalyan Handique, the start-up's new CEO, says the win "definitely helps move our investors toward signing a term sheet," which he expects will happen by the time his company closes its first investment round in the first quarter of 2012. "We want to get to $1 million in funding so we're on track next year," Handique says. "We plan to make our prototype next year." DeNovo Sciences is developing a method of transmitting blood samples from a remote region to a clinical laboratory via cell phone technology as an early warning system for cancer. The one-year-old start-up has gone from its three co-founders volunteering at last year's Accelerate Michigan competition to get access to the entrepreneurs and investors there to landing the top prize this year. It recently hired Handique, a co-founder of HandyLab, as its CEO and moved into new space at the Michigan Life Science & Innovation Center in Plymouth. DeNovo Sciences' team of four has also lined up a number of consultants and business experts so it can further build out its team next year. That looks like it will be happening sooner than they expected with the Accelerate Michigan hype. "The win is definitely helping us speed up the entire process," Handique says. Source: Kaylan Handique, CEO of DeNovo Sciences Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.