Concentrate Media

Arboretum Ventures heralded for funding of life science companies

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

The typical model of venture investment is to attract a large pool of subscribers to fund portfolios, but this model doesn't always work in the life sciences waiting game. Ann Arbor's Arboretum Ventures is a firm cited for its small syndicate approach. Excerpt: "A broad syndicate is supposed to reduce the risk that a start-up will run out of cash and enable the company to bargain from a strong position with new investors or collaborators. When a syndicate is united, it can do just that. But the difficulty health-care investors have had in selling companies or taking them public recently has forced them to hold positions longer. As years go by, investor groups that started strong can fray. Syndicate members may develop different agendas depending on how the rest of their portfolio is performing. One member is counting on a company to produce big returns and wants to hold out for a 10X; another wants to exit soon. Some members have plenty of cash reserved, while others run short. Meanwhile, pay-to-play provisions punish firms that are unable to continue participating in a company’s financing rounds." Read the rest here.

Beal, Inc. launches CityFARM to focus on urban agriculture

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

CityFARM, the latest start-up launched from Beal Inc., has a dual purpose: create more urban gardens and help alleviate hunger in Metro Detroit. The Ann Arbor-based social entrepreneurial venture specializes in designing, building and maintaining urban gardens. The start-up has a couple of projects in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area and is aiming to have 25 under its belt by the end of the year. "Organic urban gardening can make a real difference in communities, both in the environment and job development," says Lauren Maloney, farming genius & business manager for CityFARM. CityFARM's first project is the Adams Street Farm, a demonstration garden in downtown Ypsilanti. CityFARM will install a new garden bed at the Adams Street Farm for every new client it adds this year. The garden will feature 2,000 square feet of growing space, which could allow for up to 6,000 pounds of food production. "All of the food produced there will be donated to Food Gatherers," Maloney says. CityFARM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Beal Inc and employs three people. Maloney is about to graduate from the University of Michigan this spring with a masters degree in conservation biology. CityFARM is offering urban farming internships for this spring and summer. For information, contact Maloney at lmaloney@WeAreCityFARM.com. Source: Lauren Maloney, farming genius & business manager for CityFARM Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

3D Biomatrix adds to team as 3D cell matrices gain market traction

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

Last year was all about the development and launch of 3D Biomatrix's principal product. This year it's all about gaining traction and generating revenues. "This is the year we get all of the adapters rolling," says Laura Schrader, CEO of 3D Biomatrix. "This is a real turn-key year for us." The University of Michigan spin-off (it calls the university's Venture Accelerator in Ann Arbor home) develops and makes 3D cell matrices for cell growth in testing. These small scaffoldings provide small dips for the cells to develop. Most of the current products on the market offer flat surfaces, such as slide or Petri dishes. 3D Biomatrix launched in 2010 and introduced its product late last year. That process allowed the company to hire one employee and bring on two independent contractors. The start-up expects that this year of evangelizing its product and going for global sales will allow it to add one or two more jobs to its team of three employees and two independent contractors. "It has been an impressive launch so far," Schrader says. Schrader recently won the Elevator Pitch contest at the ACE event earlier this month. She hopes to build a lot of little wins like that and new clients to build up 3D Biomatrix this year. Source: Laura Schrader, CEO of 3D Biomatrix Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Eternal Entrepreneur: A Conversation with Mike Burns

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

Mike Burns is a born entrepreneur, and at 58, he could easily run rings around guys half his age. Or fly rings around them, as the case may be (he pilots WW2 era P-51 Mustangs). More importantly, Burns is an entrepreneur who believes in doing business in Michigan. It's why he sources nearly all the components to his iPad accessory, the Handeholder, locally. And it's not just a recession thing. It's part of his overall business philosophy.

At Michigan Green Communities Workshop, green minds think alike

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

At this week's Michigan Green Communities Workshop organized by a team of five graduate students affiliated with U-M's School of Natural Resources, municipalities and non-profits around southeast Michigan will be sharing the latest environmental infrastructure know-how. The workshop will provide an update to the Michigan Green Communities Challenge, a reporting mechanism for communities to track sustainability activity and share information with one another. The Economic Energy Analysis tool will also be making its debut there. The tool is "a framework and a model for different communities to assess their baseline energy consumption patterns," says Courtney Lee, a graduate student at U-M's School of Natural Resources and one of the organizers. It uses modeling to estimate how much a community is spending on energy imports and how much energy is being lost during transmission. The city of Detroit will make a presentation on the greening of its operations, followed by the cities of Wyandotte, Eastpointe, and Huntington Woods. Ann Arbor-based Clean Energy Coalition, NextEnergy, and the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office will also be featured presenters. Additionally, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) will make a presentation focusing on green infrastructure, including its Green Streets program. "We are working with Oakland County, Macomb County, Wayne County and the city of Luna Pier to develop projects along road corridors that can manage some of the stormwater running off the streets through low-impact development and practices, like planting of bioswales and street trees with under drains using green infrastructure techniques, specifically along identified roadways within this corridor area," says Angela Ayers, an environmental planner for SEMCOG. The workshop, to be held on Friday, Feb. 24 at NextEnergy in Detroit, is the third in a series being offered around the state. Others were recently held in Traverse City and Muskegon. "In the previous two workshops, communities presented on a really wide range of activities, from energy efficiency and conservation and land use planning, so it's really a very wide variety of activities," says Seth Federspiel, workshop organizer and U-M School of Natural Resources graduate student. Representatives from various state agencies, 10 nonprofits, and 16 municipalities, including the city of Ann Arbor, will be in attendance. Sources: Courtney Lee and Seth Federspiel, workshop organizers and U-M School of Natural Resources graduate students; Angela Ayers, environmental planner for SEMCOG Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Evigia Systems' sensor products score award from Frost & Sullivan

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

Evigia Systems has garnered the prestigious independent industry recognition for its wireless sensor and RFID products, winning the Product Line Strategy Award for Wireless Sensing Systems from Frost & Sullivan. Accolades like this and continuous growth have allowed the Ann Arbor-based company to expand their business in Michigan. "We have been continuously growing," says Navid Yazdi, CEO of Evigia Systems. "The business we are in is a rapidly growing market. This is an incredibly resilient market." Evigia Systems develops and creates wireless sensing products. Its EV3 platform delivers smaller size, higher energy efficiency and lower cost products which allow significant improvement in the performance and cost of wireless sensing networks. Yazdi declined to say how many people in total work at Evigia Systems, but did say the seven-year-old company has added four people in the last nine months. That has been on the strength of its sales to government and commercial entities, such as the U.S. military, aerospace and transportation markets. This year Yazdi plans to have Evigia Systems release a few new products and expand in the new markets, such as industrial asset tracking and condition monitoring. Source: Navid Yazdi, CEO of Evigia Systems Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Coherix hires 15 as it lines up growth capital investors

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

Coherix is hiring new team members and raising tens of millions of dollars in growth capital to help it reach the next level. The Ann Arbor-based firm creates high-speed, high-definition 3D visualization and inspection software designed to improve the management of manufacturing processes. Its high-tech optical-based measurement and inspection products help find efficiencies in the automotive and semiconductor industries. The seven-year-old start-up now employs about 50 team members and a few interns after adding 15 people over the last year. The company has also been raising a round of growth capital to help fund its latest expansion, most of which appears to take place overseas. "Over 70 percent of our advanced manufacturing work goes to Asia," says Dwight Carlson, chairman & CEO of Coherix. "It will only increase over time. That tells you a lot right there." Most of the capital Coherix has raised comes from Asian funders focused on advanced manufacturing. Carlson says most of his experience with U.S. investors reveals they are more digital-tech oriented while manufacturing is put on the back burner. Does that mean Ann Arbor is in danger of losing Coherix? Carlson puts it this way: "Coherix China will be much bigger than Coherix Ann Arbor." "Asia is interested in manufacturing," Carlson says. "From my perspective America is not. How are you going to be globally competitive if you don't?" Source: Dwight Carlson, chairman & CEO of Coherix Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Chelsea's historic Longworth Complex is for sale: Cost, $1

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

The chance to buy a wealth of building space in downtown Chelsea for $1 is now on the table. The city of Chelsea is now accepting redevelopment proposals for the historic Longworth Complex of three connected buildings totaling over 18,500 square feet. Proposals are contingent upon a developer committing to a minimum $1 million in investment in the property and also to placing it back on the city's tax rolls. The site is considered part of downtown Chelsea's listing on the National Register of Historic Places and thus qualifies for a 20% federal historic tax credit for rehabilitation. REU assistance (a water and sewage subsidy) and a $200,000 federal asbestos remediation grant are also on offer. The complex includes the the 760-square-foot 1947 Art Moderne-styled Daniels Showroom at 118 North Main St; the two-story, 7,600-square-foot 1901 Mack Building at 102 Jackson St.; and the site-cast concrete block 1905 Chelsea House-Livery Barn at 110 Jackson St., with 10,200 square feet spread over two floors. A circa-1960s 1,600-square-foot addition to the rear of the livery that housed the now-defunct Longworth Plating facility is included in the property sale but not the developable square footage, as a developer would most likely choose to demolish it, says Tom Girard, a board member of Preservation Chelsea, a non-profit advocate for redevelopment and preservation of historic properties. Girard characterizes the buildings as being "in pretty rough shape". New roofs, leak repairs and other structural work will need to be addressed. However, the complex is still seen as viable and suited for art studio and gallery space, a music or entertainment venue, or apartments with indoor parking. Other developers might consider it for office-oriented space with first-floor retail. "According to some history folks, this may be the only town in the country where the original depot, the original hotel, and the original livery are all still standing in their original location," Girard notes. "If the livery is torn down, and that's been bandied about by a number of folks, that's just a number of little things that would be lost in the process." The city of Chelsea has issued a request for proposals, which are due by April 27. Preservation Chelsea has sent information on the RFP to about 160 potential developers, construction firms, financiers, and potential tenants. There has been some interest, Girard says. "We won't see 160 people get interested, but if we get half a dozen serious proposals that responsibly redevelop the site, we'd be pretty excited about that." Source: Tom Girard, board member of Preservation Chelsea Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Ann Arbor's Well Coiffed Community

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

They have clients that travel from as far as a thousand miles away. Some offer their employees health and retirement benefits. Others have attracted loyal customers via social media and late night hours. They are the crème de la crème of Ann Arbor's hair salons.

U-M launches sustainable labs program

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

We're well-versed in plastics, paper, and glass recycling, but how about the reuse of toxic chemicals? The average laboratory consumes four to five times more energy and resources than an office or classroom space, making it a ripe target for "clean" washing and cuts in waste expenditures. Chemical reuse is just one of the instances in which the environment and the University of Michigan, which has over 500 research labs, are benefiting from green chemistry principles and practices. Last summer, U-M launched its Green Laboratory Operation for Sustainability, a certification program for sustainably-run labs. Think of it as LEED certification for the lab space. To date, 11 labs have been certified as "Sustainable Laboratories", and another three are midstream in the certification process, according to Dr. Sudhakar Reddy, sustainable chemistry coordinator for U-M's Office of Campus Sustainability. "The main reason to start this program is to address several areas like waste minimalization in the labs, pollution prevention, and introducing green chemistry, green purchasing, and green computing, to save on energy and utilities, and also looking to opportunities for chemical re-use and recycling and health and safety in the labs," Reddy explains. The program is in accordance with U-M's set of sustainability goals to achieve by 2025. Reddy envisions having between 100 to 200 labs certified by 2025. One newly certified facility, a production lab at U-M hospital, does 50-60,000 Pap smears and other tests every year. It's now recycling about 1,500 pounds of plastic, 200 gallons of Xylene, and 50 gallons of formalin annually. Meanwhile, an immunology lab in the Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building is looking into substituting less-toxic GelRed in place of ethidium bromide, a teragen, for DNA sequencing. "At the end of the experiment, your waste is non-toxic, opposed to ethidium bromide, which is very toxic," Reddy says. "It is very toxic to handle, very toxic to dispose of, and expensive to dispose of." In another instance of safe waste treatment practices being instituted at the university, "If the lab is using hydrochloric acid, at the end of the experiment hydrochloric acid can be treated with a mild base to make it a neutral waste and that can go down the drain and it would not affect our waste stream or the Huron River." And the Chemical Reuse Program collects unused and unexpired chemicals, such as acetone, from labs that are closing down and redistributes them. This savings on purchase and disposal costs of nearly 500 pounds of chemicals came to about $20,000 last year, Reddy says. "We are not sending a rock to the moon, just re-thinking, putting things into perspective, what's best for us," Reddy says. Yet, these save the planet efforts haven't gone unnoticed around the world. Reddy is fielding calls from other campuses around the country, as well as Asia and Africa, about the program. He will also be discussing U-M's effort at the 16th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering national conference this June in Washington, D.C. Reddy estimates about 300-400 people working at the certified labs are now employing sustainable practices. "Imagine this number goes to the thousands and tens of thousands, and I think that's what our goal is." Source: Dr. Sudhakar Reddy, sustainable chemistry coordinator for U-M's Office of Campus Sustainability Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Michiganders' fave city? Ann Arbor

2012-02-22T00:00:00Z

They may derisively call us The People's Republic Of Ann Arbor to our face, but secretly Michiganders have a crush on us. Excerpt: “The most popular of the 5 cities we tested was Ann Arbor. 63% of voters see it favorably to 13% with a negative opinion,” PPP wrote in a release. “It's no surprise given the city's liberal reputation that Democrats see it most positively (73/7), but Republicans generally have a good perception of it as well (53/21).” Grand Rapids came in second place, while Lansing came in third place." Read the rest here.

Public bus service from A2 to DTW is on the roadmap

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

At long last, an inexpensive, convenient, and greener option to ride to the airport from Ann Arbor. At its board meeting on February 16, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) will consider a resolution to award a two-year contract to Indian Trails, Inc., doing business as Michigan Flyer, to provide regular bus service from Ann Arbor's Blake Transit Center and other city locations to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Advance reservations on the service, to be known as AirRide, will cost $12 one-way and $22 round-trip (with restricted refundability); fully refundable and walk-up fares will be $15 one-way and $30 round-trip. Fare discounts are available for seniors, students ages 6-17, and those with AATA-issued ADA and Medicare cards. Children five and under will ride for free. An introductory promotional fare of $10 one way and $20 round trip will be offered, with possible volume discounts for groups of eight or larger. The AATA board meeting will be held on Thursday, February 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ann Arbor District Library. Source: AATA Feb. 16 board meeting packet Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

HandeHolder tablet accessory aims to gain mainstream American traction

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

HandeHolder, the handheld tablet computer accessory, has gained traction as a Michigan-made product in the Great Lakes State, but the Ann Arbor-based startup has its eyes on going national this year. HandeHolder has watched its sales on Amazon take off in recent months, with more units moving in the last two months than the previous nine months. The 19-month-old startup is working to get its products in big box retailers this year and is also undergoing preliminary tests to sell its products to branches of the U.S. military. "We're working very hard," Mike Burns, president & owner of HandeHolder. "We have dozens of lines in the water. Hopefully, this will ramp up so we sell thousands and thousands per week." The device is a handstrap that allows users to easily hold and use tablet computers. The device was inspired when Burns, owner of Burns Computing, got his first iPad. He nearly dropped it right away while using it for his company's race event app. A few minutes later he had created the first version of HandeHolder. Today the company ships thousands of HandeHolders and is developing more versions, including a holster-style and shoulder strap version. The company employs about half a dozen people and a few independent contractors who are trying to get more and more of mainstream America to adopt the product. "We're in the process of going aggressively after business to business groups," Burns says. Source: Mike Burns, president & owner of HandeHolder Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Decorative streetscapes, sidewalks to be planted in Dexter

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

With five weeks to go until spring, streetscape projects are shaking off the winter frost. The village of Dexter has a couple of projects in the wings. The first, on Main St. between Jeffords and Baker, will commence in early-to-mid April and should be done by mid-May, says Community Development Manager Allison Bishop. That will involve the installation of a dozen stamped concrete crosswalks during a mill and resurface of Main St. The crosswalks "will just be additional beautification to downtown and assist with pedestrian circulation," Bishop says. Following in late spring, around the first week of June, Central St. from the Mast Road Bridge to Second St. will be the focus of construction, according to Bishop. A road re-do, eight LED light fixtures on decorative street poles, trees, and new sidewalks to connect to the eventual Border to Border trail segment heading east from the village are in the plans. "They're high-impact, but pretty easy projects," Bishop says. Source: Allison Bishop, community development manager, village of Dexter Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

U-M grad recruits serial entrepreneur pop to Ann Arbor to grow Avomeen

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

Shri Thanedar spent a few years in Ann Arbor in the early 1980s conducting post-doctorate work at the University of Michigan's Department of Chemistry, but the serial entrepreneur ended up elsewhere in the U.S., founding and exiting startups. He sold the last of his startups and retired when fate, or more specifically his son Neal Thanedar, came calling him back to Ann Arbor. "At the time I was living on the beach in Florida," Shri says. "My son's preference was to stay in Ann Arbor and start something in Ann Arbor." Neal had just graduated from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business in 2010 and recruited his father to help him launch Avomeen Analytical Services. The Ann Arbor-based startup features a full-service chemical testing laboratory specializing in pharmaceutical testing and investigative analysis. Avomeen Analytical Services has grown from the father-son duo 14 months ago to 10 employees, four independent contractors and a few interns today. It has a client list with more than 200 companies from across the U.S. It plans to keep growing, attracting new clients and growing its brand with wins like coming out on top of the Startup America Super Bowl Pitch Contest at this year's ACE event in Ann Arbor. "We're growing very rapidly, at actually twice the rate as my previous companies," Shri says. He credit's Neal's enthusiasm and skills for driving that growth, which Shri expects will allow Avomeen Analytical Services to double its revenue and staff this year. Source: Shri Thanedar, CEO & owner of Avomeen Analytical Services Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Ann Arbor ranked as top city for singles

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

Though I'm certain they didn't speak to any of my unattached friends, Kiplinger's has concluded that Ann Arbor is the number one city for singles in America. Take for it what you will. No one said these things were scientific. Excerpt: "Nearly 43,000 students attend undergraduate, graduate or professional school at the University of Michigan, skewing the city's demographics toward the younger set. One in four residents is between 20 and 34; one in two is unmarried. While it’s true that undergrads and dive bars can be found around every corner –- a blessing or a curse, depending on your dating objectives -- Ann Arbor offers amenities for post-grad bachelors and bachelorettes, as well." Read the rest here.

Michigan Clean Energy Venture Challenge focuses on venture creation

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

The Michigan Clean Energy Challenge is evolving and the latest version has added a new word to the business plan competition's name: Michigan Clean Energy Venture Challenge. The Clean Energy Challenge began a few years ago, thanks to a partnership between the University of Michigan and DTE Energy. The idea is to create a platform to launch green-tech startups in Michigan with an annual prize purse of $100,000. This year's competition is shifting its focus from awarding the best of the startups with cash prizes to helping more of these startups make it to launch, hence the name change. "We're really focused on venture creation," says Amy Klinke, assistant director of small company initiatives at the Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering. "Before it was sort of a formal business plan competition. This time we let all the teams stay in and we grow them." This year, 16 student-led startups from six universities across Michigan will present their green technology solutions later this week for a chance to win a piece of the $100,000 pie. The Clean Energy Venture Challenge encourages students from Michigan colleges and universities to grow clean-energy solutions into thriving businesses. "We found in the past that a lot of the teams have great ideas but need mentoring and work," Klinke says. Source: Amy Klinke, assistant director of small company initiatives, Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Land use and access are covered in Ann Arbor's sustainability forum series

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

Last week over 90 people attended a forum on land use and access, the second in a series of four sustainability forums held by the city of Ann Arbor from January through April. The forum covered transportation, biking and pedestrian issues, Ann Arbor's greenbelt, its downtown, and how the city connects to the rest of the region. The next forum, on climate and energy, will be held on March 8, and the last, on community, is scheduled for April 12. The forums fit into the construction of the city's sustainability framework, which will consolidate all 200-plus of the city's environmental goals currently cited in over 20 plans and resolutions into a web-based archive accessible to the public and centered on the realms of resource management, land use and access, climate and energy, and community, according to Jamie Kidwell, sustainability associate for the city of Ann Arbor. One aim of the sustainability framework is "to increase accessibility to our goals and create an awareness not only at the staff level but in the community as well, as to what are our goals and how are we measuring progress and how are we doing on those goals," Kidwell explains. The city is considering using an annual forum discussion series to report to the public on its sustainability outcomes, she adds. City officials hope to have the framework complete by Earth Day, Kidwell, says, and then begin the next phase, a sustainability action plan to monitor progress toward goals enumerated in the framework. A draft of the goals is available here. Source: Jamie Kidwell, sustainability associate for the city of Ann Arbor Writer: Tanya Muzumdar

Huron Valley Financial grows staff 27 percent, eyes big acquisition targets

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

Ann Arbor-based Huron Valley Financial is poised to take a huge step forward this year through a potential large acquisition. "We have definitely grown," says Eric Bradley, president & CEO of Huron Valley Financial. "We added a branch in Clarkston in late 2010. In October, 2011, we have acquired Approved Mortgages in Canton. We worked with them in the 1990s so it made a lot of sense to acquire them. Both the acquisitions have propelled our growth." Huron Valley Financial is a full-service mortgage banking firm specializing in every area of mortgage lending, such as construction loans or refinancing. The 15-year-old firm employs 61 people and has grown its staff by 27 percent over the last year, including two recent hires. Bradley sees 2012 as a "watershed year" for Huron Valley Financial. The company has been looking at acquiring a couple of larger competitors. It was close to a deal last year but didn't move forward with it. Bradley thinks a similar acquisition is distinctly possible this year. "What we're finding is there are a lot of mortgage companies with a lot of loan office staff but they don't have the capital to effectively build the infrastructure and manage today's regulatory environment." Source: Eric Bradley, president & CEO of Huron Valley Financial Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Ypsilanti is the Real McCoy

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

Ever wonder where the phrase "It's the Real McCoy" came from? If you said Ypsilanti, then kudos. Our friends across the international border chronicle the man, the company, and the saying in a recent blog. Excerpt: "In a home-based machine shop in Ypsilanti, Michigan, McCoy carried out his own higher skilled work, developing improvements and inventions. His tinkering led to an invention that would not only change his life, it would save lives and serve to advance the industrial age significantly: a lubricator for steam engines that did not require the machinery to stop. His lubricator used steam pressure to pump oil wherever it was needed, even while the machine was working. It was soon used on engines and train locomotives, on Great Lakes steamships, on ocean liners, and on machinery in factories." Read the rest here.

WSJ names local startup as part of national farm to table movement

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

Servicing the local food movement has become the mission of several Internet startups in search of better ways to connect growers to eaters. The Wall Street Journal surveys firms across the nation, including A2's own Real Time Farms. Excerpt: "Meanwhile, former Silicon Valley engineer Karl Rosaen co-founded Real Time Farms LLC and is building a database of farms and their growing practices, making it possible, for instance, to find a place to buy a tomato grown without synthetic pesticides with a few clicks. So far, the site has growing-practice information for a few hundred farms." Read the rest of the story here.

Our Post-Pfizer Economy

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

When Pfizer left Ann Arbor it was hard not to view the glass as half empty. Five years and 16 start-ups later, that perspective has started to reverse. And in many ways, the transition from one large company to many more entrepreneurial efforts is exactly what our community and state needs to establish a healthier long term economy.

Ann Arbor singled out as Best College 'Sports' Town

2012-02-15T00:00:00Z

Buried in the latter half of an article about a shopping / college savings web program is a pitch for college towns that have topnotch sports offerings. Not surprisingly, Ann Arbor is cited as the gold standard for athletes seeking the right mix of competitive edge, academic training, and quality of life. Excerpt: "The University of Michigan is most famous for its football team, the Wolverines, who play in the severely packed confines of the ‘Big House,’ but the town of Ann Arbor where the school is located is the true ‘star.’ A great college, low crime rate and affordable housing all add up to make Ann Arbor the highest ranked location on the lists of ‘best college towns.’ It even beats out Palo Alto – the home of Stanford; and Madison – the home of the University of Wisconsin." Read the rest here.