Technology & Innovation

Coverage of innovative research, development and deployment of technology and technological advance, including hardware, software and software as service.

Axiobionics plans Ann Arbor move, to create 100 new jobs

By
●
Economic Development
●
June 17, 2009

Ann Arbor took another one from Columbus, and this doesn't have anything to do with sports. Axiobionics has called Columbus home for 15 years, but it's packing up and heading to the land of Maize and Blue before the summer is over. The life sciences company, formerly BioFlex, is bringing its dozen or so jobs and plans to hire another 100 here within the next five years. The firm had looked at sites across the nation, but choose Ann Arbor after receiving a $1.4 million state tax credit over seven years. Locations Axiobionics considered included Arizona and Texas. The company also liked Ann Arbor's established software community and access to a top-notch teaching hospital like the University of Michigan Hospital."This is just a good environment for therapy and rehab," says Joel Dalton, vice president of Axiobionics. "That's something that Ohio lacks."Axiobionics develops and markets medical devices for pain control and neuro rehabilitation in patients with severe spinal cord and brain injuries. This therapy system uses customized electrical stimulation devices designed to improve stability, build muscles and increase circulation in prosthetic patients. Axiobionics plans to invest $2.89 million as part of its relocation. Some of those new hires that comes with that investment will be made in the near future.Source: Joel Dalton, vice president of AxiobionicsWriter: Jon Zemke

Latest in Technology & Innovation
Dexter Research Center plans to expand, hire 47
By
●
Community Development
●
June 17, 2009

Sometimes the sirens call for strategic partnerships is too strong to keep companies where they were founded. Not so with the Dexter Research Center.The 31-year-old firm has renewed its lease on life by choosing to expand in its hometown, a move that will lead to 47 new jobs in the next five years. The defense contractor has strategic partnerships in Ohio and Massachusetts that were wooing the firm away from Michigan. A $313,000 state tax credit over seven years helped quiet them."We have always been here in Michigan," says Cory Ziegler, controller of the Dexter Research Center. "We enjoy being here."The Dexter Research Center manufactures infrared thin-film thermopile and silicon detectors used in the automotive, oil and military industries. It's also working on new products in what will be the $3 million expansion the firm plans to undertake. "The last couple of years we have had some good growth but we realized we need more products," Ziegler says.The Dexter Research Center employs 58 people and has 4-5 positions open right now. It expects to hire another 2-3 people on top of those by the end of the year. Source: Cory Ziegler, controller of the Dexter Research CenterWriter: Jon Zemke

NanoMAG, Tangent Medical take best of SPARK Boot Camp
By
●
Education
●
June 10, 2009

Two local companies are leaping out of the box after taking best in show at Ann Arbor SPARK's Spring Boot Camp. Well, sort of.NanoMAG and Tangent Medical Technologies each took home $5,000 and a wealth of information from the intense training for entrepreneurs. NanoMAG is creating a new type of Magnesium compound that weighs one quarter as much as steel. Its possible uses range from military armor to biocompatible stents and implants. Tangent Medical Technologies, A University of Michigan spin-off, creates a new class of intravenous fluid delivery catheters. The idea is these new catheters will meet unmet clinical needs and improve patient care. "Our boot camp experience was intense and invaluable," says Merrell Sami, co-founder of Tangent Medical Technologies. "The information was concise, the deliverables were practical and very important at our stage and our drill instructor, David Olson, has been instrumental in seeing our project survive."The entrepreneurial boot camp is a unique combination of hands-on learning and one-on-one mentoring facilitated by SPARK. It is an intensive two-day business planning and preparation event designed to help early stage technology businesses refine their business concept and to attract additional funding and resources. The next boot camp is set for November.Source: Merrell Sami, co-founder of Tangent Medical Technologies and Ann Arbor SPARKWriter: Jon Zemke

Sakti3 to invest $1.1 million in Ann Arbor move, create 112 jobs
By
●
Economic Development
●
June 10, 2009

Sakti3 is looking to cash in on hybrid battery technology and to do so in Ann Arbor. The start-up looks to invest $1.1 million in Tree Town and create 112 new jobs.

Ann Arbor’s IMRA expansion nearly complete
By
●
Development News
●
June 10, 2009

Work is nearly complete on IMRA America's expansion in Ann Arbor. All that's left is the asphalt paving and landscaping at the facility on the eastern edge of town.Now that construction is finished, the fiber laser company plans to start moving into the space slowly over the next year before hosting a grand opening next year."We have a lot of big equipment we need to move into the building," says Dennis Hawley, facilities manager for IMRA America.The 20,000-square-foot expansion practically doubles the firm's space. That's all research-and-development space at the company's home on Woodbridge Avenue, just east of the city limits off Dixboro Road, north of Geddes Road. It plans to fill up that extra space with 20 new employees. IMRA America is also applying for LEED certification for the expansion. Source: Dennis Hawley, facilities manager for IMRA AmericaWriter: Jon Zemke

Virtual Health, Real Success
By
●
Health
●
June 10, 2009

Michigan could take a lesson from Healthmedia. From it's early struggles to find local investment to its recent purchase by Johnson & Johnson, the innovative software-as-service company has stayed committed to remaining in Ann Arbor.

University of Michigan students ready solar car for its day in the sun
By
●
Economic Development
●
June 10, 2009

The latest version of the University of Michigan's famed solar car is getting ready to ride again. Excerpt:It's sleek, it's fast, and, yes, it's powered by the sun.University of Michigan students have high hopes for the latest solar car."To win the World Solar Challenge in October," said John Federspiel, who will be a senior in mechanical engineering in the fall and is the crew chief on the solar car project.The annual race across Australia, which draws college teams from across the globe, will be the first test of the car, dubbed Infinium.U-M has placed third three times, though it has won a similar race, the North American Solar Challenge, five times.Read the rest of the story here.

Video Solidica
By
●
Community Development
●
June 10, 2009

We have officially entered the realm of sci-fi style technology. Ann Arbor's Solidica makes wireless sensors that can not only communicate the status of distant vehicles and machinery, but also predict where systems might fail. It's a brave new world after all.

Merit Network upgrades with 10G Routers, hires 6
By
●
Education
●
June 3, 2009

Ever wish your Internet connection would just fix itself? It's more capable of doing just that if you use Merit Network.The Ann Arbor-based non-profit manages high-bandwidth communication lines between the major universities in the Midwest in cities like Ann Arbor, Chicago and Detroit. It recently finished upgrading its system with 10 gigabit routers and with new ones going in Chicago, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. This helps the system fix its own problems before they snowball out of control and crash. "It's really important with that much traffic going over these lines to help keep resiliency and efficiency up," says Elwood Downing, vice president of member relation, marketing and communications for Merit Network.Merit Network has also been upgrading its staff this year. It has hired six people since January, including two more last week. Those hires have been in network operations and research and development. That bumps its staff up to 65 people and up to a dozen interns from the likes of the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. Merit Network hopes to continue to hire throughout the year.Source: Elwood Downing, vice president of member relation, marketing and communications for Merit NetworkWriter: Jon Zemke

Go-Payroll.com switches to online accounting, hopes to hire 2
By
●
Economic Development
●
June 3, 2009

Newspapers aren't the only businesses fighting to make the jump to the Internet age. It seems like accounting software is in a similar boat.Matt Cantillon's accounting software company was known as MPCSoft for 25 years until it made the jump to online and became Go-Payroll.com a few weeks ago. Now it offers its services, such as payroll and billing, through the web with open-source software. It has two payroll service providers and five small businesses using its product."And that's with no marketing," Cantillon says.The Ann Arbor-based company is aiming to have 35-50 regular customers and 4-5 payroll services signed up by the end of the year. That should allow the four-person firm add a couple more this year.Source: Matt Cantillon, owner and CEO of Go-Payroll.comWriter: Jon Zemke

Our Partners

30044
30045
30046
30047
30049
Washtenaw ISD logo
Eastern Michigan University
Ann Arbor Art Center
UMS
U of M Arts Initiative
Engage EMU
Ann Arbor Housing Commission

Don't miss out!

Everything Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, in your inbox every week.

Close the CTA

Already a subscriber? Enter your email to hide this popup in the future.