Concentrate Media

Current Motor Co. finds success in fleet electric scooter sales

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Current Motor Co's business plan has focused on expanding its sales of electric scooters into South America, where the vehicles are popular. That plan is starting to gain traction this summer with the beginning of the company's first fleet sales. The Ann Arbor-based start-up manufactures an electric scooter that provides the same sort of mobility and capability as regular gas-powered scooters, but with a much smaller carbon footprint. Many of the two-stroke gas engines of the millions of scooters in South American countries like Brazil produce a lot of air pollution. That isn't an issue with Current Motor Co's electric scooters and solar-power charging stations. "It's actually a very practical fleet addition," says Lauren Flanagan, executive chair & interim CEO of Current Motor Co. "It's very popular, particularly with mobile, solar-powered charging stations." Flanagan says the company is in the midst of completing its first fleet sales in Brazil this spring and expects to complete more by the end of the year. It is also looking at making similar fleet sales in the U.S. as it attempts to hit the break-even point of selling 500 scooters within the next year. "We have a very lean model so we think that is possible," Flanagan says. Current Motor Co and its team of a dozen people closed on a Series A round of financing worth $2.4 million last year. Flanagan expects to begin fundraising for a Series B round worth somewhere between $5 million and $10 million early next year. The company is currently looking to hire a director of fleet sales and a couple of software engineers to develop mobile apps for its scooters. Source: Lauren Flanagan, executive chair & interim CEO of Current Motor Co Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Venture Investors begins investing out of 5th fund

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Venture Investors has a new investment fund, and the venture capital firm is aiming to spread some seed capital across Michigan this year. Venture Investors' fourth fund was worth $118 million and made 18 investments, including in local companies like Incept BioSystems, HistoSonics, NanoBio and Tissue Regeneration Systems. The venture capital firm is currently fundraising for its fifth fund, which has already made three investments. "We are currently working on a couple in Michigan," says Jim Adox, managing director of Venture Investors. "One will hopefully be within the next 60 days." Venture Investors has offices in Madison, Wisc., and Ann Arbor. Adox overseas the Ann Arbor office, which also employs a full-time intern. He is also looking to add an executive in residence. Venture Investors has traditionally made investments in university spinouts in the bio-technology and life sciences areas. Adox plans to expand that target area to include technology companies with this new fund. "The investment potential and prospects for tech companies have improved in the last few years," Adox says. Source: Jim Adox, managing director of Venture Investors Writer: Jon Zemke

Michigan jumps from 25th to 15th nationally in VC investment

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Venture Capital investment in Michigan is on the rise, bucking a national trend of shrinking VC investment, according to a new report from the Michigan Venture Capital Association. The report shows Michigan venture capital firms invested $242 million in local start-ups in 2012, allowing the Great Lakes State to jump to from its rank of 25th to 15th in a national venture capital ranking. "We have had growth with a lot of firms," says Carrie Jones, executive director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association. "We have had firms from out of state opening up offices here." The number of venture capital professioals in Michigan has jumped by 53 to 62 over the last two years. In comparison, the pool of national venture capital professionals has shrunk from 6,328 in 2010 to 5,887 last year. Ann Arbor is arguably the de facto capital for local VCs because of its large concentration of venture capital firms that specializes in investing in spin-outs from the University of Michigan in the life sciences, bio-technology and technology sectors. The total capital under management for Michigan has also spiked over the last two years, going from $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion. The average fund size has jumped by $3 million to $43 million. "Michigan is a real bright spot for the whole industry," Jones says. Source: Carrie Jones, executive director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

SVS Vision celebrates grand opening in Westgate

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Like Goldilocks' search of the best porridge, chair and bed, Cathy Walker, VP of marketing and advertising for SVS Vision, says the company's new branch in Ann Arbor's Westgate Shopping Center offers customers the benefits of being not too big, not too small, but just right.

"We can offer more than what some of the smaller places can because of our size," she says of the Mt. Clemens-based SVS Vision, "but we're not huge. We have a much more personal touch than what some of the big places have."

The 2,000 square-foot Westgate SVS Vision first opened in January, but celebrated its grand opening last weekend as the company's 57th branch. It the Ann Arbor area's second, joining an Ypsilanti location.

"We knew we didn't have enough locations in Washtenaw County, and we knew Ann Arbor was a place we wanted to be," says Walker. "The location in Westgate opened up and it made a lot of sense to us."

SVS Vision began nearly 40 years ago as a vision center servicing the auto industry. Walker says the company began to expand its brand in 2008 by opening retail stores for the general public. The company is now in a growth mode, with locations throughout Michigan and seven other states. Walker expects at least one more SVS Vision location to eventually open in the Ann Arbor area.

Source: Cathy Walker, SVS Vision Writer: Natalie Burg

Guest Blogger: Amanda Taylor

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Continuing our series of new college grads giving their post-grad outlooks, EMU alumna Amanda Taylor, who chose to remain rooted in Ann Arbor for her graduate psychology studies, writes on the area's educational and socioeconomic diversity.

Happy Memorial Day! Concentrate Takes a Holiday

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Concentrate will be taking next week off to spend time with friends and family, enjoy the start of summer, and pay our respects to those who sacrificed for our country. We'll be back June 5!

Herb David luthier traditions carried on with Ann Arbor Guitars

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Hesh Breakstone and David Collins never intended to be business owners. But when the pair of luthiers recently learned that their employer, Herb David Guitar Studio, would be going out of business, they decided to form their own business to carry on their guitar repair work, opening Ann Arbor Guitars just two months ago.

"It's had its challenges, but we've pulled it off much more smoothly than I thought we could," says Collins of the transition. "We kept the customers' instruments going through."

Tucked into the 1,000 square-foot workshop on the third floor of the iconic Herb David Guitar building on the corner of Liberty and Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor Guitars is building a business based on a set of harmonious opposites: old world repair tools and custom-designed guitar repair software, as well as corporate-minded business ethics and hands-on customer service.

"We both tend to be technologists," says Breakstone, "which is interesting, because we'll also use couple-thousand-year-old hide glue."

Between Breakstone, Collins and their third technician, Brian DeLaney, Ann Arbor Guitars brings an eclectic mix of resumes to their guitar repair operations. Breakstone, a retired corporate executive, began working with Collins as an apprentice some years ago. He picked an apt teacher. A former student and instructor at Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair, Collins worked with Old Town Lansing's Elderly Instruments before joining the team at Herb David. DeLaney has worked as a guitar tech for such big names as Ted Nugent, Sarah McLachlan, and Elvis Costello.

Though Collins says the growth of Ann Arbor Guitars is inevitable – due to the lack of luthiers in southeast Michigan, he says they could stay busy even if operating in secret – the team is committed to slow, steady growth, so as to keep turnaround time on their guitar repairs reasonable for customers.

Source: Hesh Breakstone, Ann Arbor Guitars Writer: Natalie Burg

Duo Security product selected for major online banking platform

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Online banking security may be getting a little tighter with Ann Arbor-based Duo Security's product behind it. Excerpt: "Duo Security, a cloud-based two-factor authentication company, announced today that Computer Services, Inc. (CSI) (OTCQX: CSVI) has selected Duo two-factor authentication (2FA) for its online banking platform. With Duo Security, CSI will deliver 2FA as an opt-in service to more than 140 financial institutions currently leveraging its Internet Banking platform." More here.

Dexter artist opens art, gardening, & design hub with 3.5-acre Bloom!

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

To say that the former Sloan's Nursery and Dexter Gardens has reopened under new ownership doesn't quite cover it. The new Bloom! Garden Center and Elemental Design on Baker Rd. in Dexter is a nursery, garden boutique, art gallery and hub of landscaping and design-related businesses.

"[Owner Traven Pelletier] wanted to have a place where a lot of people could explore their passion and work collectively," says Gretchen Warner of Bloom!

The eight-person office staff of Bloom! and Elemental Design is housed in a 1,600 square-foot space in a renovated historic barn on the 3.5 acre property. The innovative space also includes a 2,000 square-foot retail shop and a 700 square-foot art gallery.

"The gallery space is very neat because you can see up to the ceiling," says Warner. "We currently have four artists exhibiting and they're all local."

The businesses owned by Pelletier are joined by Poseidon Ponds & Landscaping and Serge van der Voo Landscapes, companies that serve as collaborators with Bloom! and Elemental Design as well as offering expanded services to customers.

Bloom! Garden Center opened in April just a few months after Pelletier took ownership of the property in January. After a tough month of weather, they celebrated their grand opening during the first weekend of May with sunshine and an outpouring of community support. Bloom! features locally-sourced flowers, trees and shrubs, and offers free gardening workshops.

In addition to office staff, Bloom! employs three project supervisors and seasonal work crews. Beginning this week, the business will host a booth from nearby White Lotus Farms offering fresh goat cheese, breads and produce.

Source: Gretchen Warner, Bloom! Garden Center Writer: Natalie Burg

Esperion Therapeutics adds 5 staff, preps for IPO

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Esperion Therapeutics is adding staff, closing on a round of seed capital and prepping for an initial public offering of stock later this year. The pharmaceutical firm's staff recently jumped to 13 people after making five hires over the last year. It also has a job opening for a senior director of clinical & PT staff. Helping make that expansion possible is the recent securing of $33 million in preferred stock financing. The seed capital round was led by Longitude Capital with Aisling Capital, Alta Partners, Domain Associates, Arboretum Ventures and Asset Management also participating. Tim Mayleben, Esperion Therapeutics' CEO, declined to comment on the company's growth because it recently filed for an IPO. IPOs come with quiet periods where company representatives are not allowed to promote the upcoming IPO, often leading them to decline speaking about the company altogether to be safe. Esperion Therapeutics has historically been an Ann Arbor-based company, scoring a $1.3 billion exit when Pfizer acquired it in 2004. Company founder Roger Newton reacquired the firm in 2008 and eventually moved to the Michigan Life Sciences Innovation Center in Plymouth, which is managed by Ann Arbor SPARK. Esperion Therapeutic's most advanced product candidate, ETC-1002, is being developed for patients with hypercholesterolemia and other cardiometabolic risk factors. ETC-1002 is a small-molecule metabolic regulator of imbalances in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and inflammation. It is being developed to address the underlying causes of metabolic diseases and reduce multiple risk factors associated with them. Source: Tim Mayleben, CEO of Esperion Therapeutics Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

50 years, 50 Stories: Story #3 Peter Dobson Fund

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Peter Dobson cared so deeply about environmental issues that he made sure his will included a gift to create an endowment to help protect and enhance the local ecosystem. Though he died at the young age of 21, Peter's passion for the environment lives on through the Peter Dobson Fund which has awarded more than $226,000 to support local environmental organizations.

Cinetopia International Film Festival is showtime in Ann Arbor

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

From June 6-9, Ann Arbor venues will be showing over 40 feature-length films culled from the world's major film festivals, many of which are making their North American or Michigan debut. Catch them at Michigan Theater, State Theater, University of Michigan's Angell Hall, and, for the first time, at the Detroit Film Theatre. Click here for more info.

Choreographing a New Future for Michigan Dance

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Kathy King proves that you don't have to move to the coasts to be an artist. After a stint in L.A., the dancer and choreographer returned to Michigan to start the Michigan Dance Project, an organization that is slowly but surely growing in size and stature.

Huron Valley Financial hires 15, opens Jackson office

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Huron Valley Financial is opening a new office in Jackson, the latest move in the Ann Arbor-based company's continued expansion across Michigan. The company specializes in originating residential mortgages. Its new office in Jackson will house two mortgage specialists and serve as the launchpad for the company's expansion into the Jackson market. "It seemed like a logical move to us," says Casey Daniels, vice president of business development for Huron Valley Financial. "The right opportunity with the right people presented itself to us, the right people being most important. The market is secondary." The 16-year-old firm has focused on the Ann Arbor market for most of its existence. It began expanding into other regional markets about two years ago. It now has six offices across southeast Michigan with the addition of the Jackson office. It is also looking at expanding into Lansing, Plymouth/Canton, Farmington Hills, Birmingham/Troy and Grand Rapids. "We realized that if we're really going to grow we need to reach to some different retail markets," Daniels says. The company now employs 70 people. It has hired 15 people over the last year. Daniels expects to keep that rate of growth going as the company continues to expand across Michigan. Source: Casey Daniels, vice president of business development for Huron Valley Financial Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Kentaro launches real-estate web product in Ann Arbor

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Kentaro, formerly Kentaro Web Design + SEO, has traditionally made its way through its first few years providing web services to local real-estate agents. Now the Ann Arbor-based business is coming out with its own web platform to serve the same purpose. Real Estate Espresso launched last month with a handful of local real-estate agents. The web platform serves as a lead-generation service for real-estate professionals by focusing on connecting home buyers and sellers with local agents. "This product is a means to automate a majority of the real-estate process," says Kentaro Roy, founder & president of Kentaro. The four-person firm hired a web developer about six months ago. It is currently working on perfecting Real Estate Espresso and developing a marketing plan for it. "We have gotten really good results and feedback from the first agents," Roy says. Source: Kentaro Roy, founder & president of Kentaro Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Speaker Event: The Care & Feeding of Student Entrepreneurs

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

Over the last few years TechArb, an incubator for student entrepreneurs, has been quietly nurturing the next generation of tech start-ups. Concentrate's May speaker event will feature the folks behind this innovative effort and student groups pitching their business concepts to the crowd. Sign up now for Thursday's Happy Hour event!

U-M Health System touted for leading-edge green practices

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

For seven years running, U-M Health System has ranked among the top hospitals in the country for healthy green infrastructure, garnering an Environmental Leadership Circle Award from Practice Greenhealth. Some reasons why: "In 2012, 3.5 million pounds of trash were diverted from the landfill through UMHHC’s recycling efforts. This resulted in an overall recycle rate of 28 percent for 2012... UMHHC requires all new buildings, additions and construction projects with a budget of $10 million or more to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver level. LEED is one of most widely accepted international rating systems for measuring the environmental impact of new construction." More here.

U-M grad's film, "Zug", wins Student Academy Award

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

And the Oscar goes to... Excerpt: "The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has selected a University of Michigan graduate's undergrad thesis film (Perry Janes' "Zug") as one of 15 winners in this year's Student Academy Awards competition. This is the first time in the history of the Student Academy Awards (which began in 1972) that a film by a U-M student has won. Janes, who grew up in different parts of metro Detroit (most recently Royal Oak), based "Zug" on a short story he’d written about two young men who are dared by classmates to visit mysterious Zug Island. "That's the coming of age, narrative, literal story of the film," Janes said. "The thematic idea of the film is that Detroit is a really polarizing place that people talk about in terms of extremes, when the reality of the place is … that these are regular people just living in the city, living their lives. These are two boys who, by virtue of having one foot in the city, one foot outside of it, get sucked into those mythic narratives. And then Zug becomes an allegory for testing them, and affirming the maybe more comforting reality underneath the way that people talk about (Detroit)." More here.

Michigan Hosts the Architectural & Industrial Design Event of the Year

2013-05-22T04:00:00Z

State Historic Preservation Office launches blockbuster show June 14 at Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills.

Madame Fromage finds Zingerman's cheeses tasty

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

We think cheese maven Madame Fromage, whose blog is followed by the likes of Zagat and the New York Times, finds Zingerman's cheeses to her taste. You'll want to try the Charloe, Sant Mateu, and Bitto after reading. Excerpt: "Last weekend, a pair of hobbits couriered some cheese from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Philadelphia in their luggage. The hobbits are a petit couple who, like mice, can eat their weight in cheese without gaining girth, and before coming to Philadelphia they scouted out the best shnibbles at Zingerman’s — thanks to some help from a cheesemonger named Chad.... I have never been to Zingerman’s, but I am intrigued by their catalogue and their books on cheese and service. I think fondly of the company as the “granola” Dean & Deluca; they are ruled by a Jerry Garcia-esque genius named Ari Weinzweig who has managed to turn the cheese retail industry into a kind of cult jam band, based on his anarchist approach to business. Cheese retailers flock to Michigan to study at his feet." More here.

Reimagine Washtenaw seeks feedback on future of Washtenaw Ave.

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

It's no secret that things are happening on Washtenaw Ave. From the forthcoming Arbor Hills Crossing shopping center to new pedestrian walkways, the corridor between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti is in the midst of a transformation. With these changes in mind, the multi-jurisdictional land use planning and public transit initiative, ReImagine Washtenaw, wants to get public feedback on the future of the avenue.

"We want the public to review various corridor cross-section alternatives and give us their preference," says ReImagine Washtenaw Project Manager Nathan Voght. "We’re also asking for feedback on best locations for mid-block pedestrian crossings, and where other pedestrian safety enhancements may be needed."

The initiative is already involved in multiple projects to make Washtenaw Ave. friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists and addressing traffic congestion and land use issues. Based on feedback from the public forums scheduled this month, future projects could address traffic congestion with a boulevard, a “road diet” or other variations. Voght says knowing what the public wants Washtenaw Ave. to be like will help ReImagine Washtenaw partners know how to act when the time is right.

"When MDOT funding becomes available, they will have a strong sense of what the community wants for the corridor," says Voght, "and we’ll be able to work quickly and efficiently to develop construction drawings for the work that achieves our goals."

The public forums will take place on May 28 and 29 at the Washtenaw County Service Center, May 30 at Carpenter Elementary School, and May 31 at EMU's McKenny Union. Additional details are available at: washtenawavenue.org.

Source: Nathan Voght, Washtenaw County Writer: Natalie Burg

Career Education in the Kitchen

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

To many, Food Gatherers is an organization that collects and provides sustenance for those in need. But feeding the hungry is only part of the equation. Teaching at-risk young adults to find careers in the food industry is another. And with an 87 percent graduation rate, the program is inching our community toward long-term solutions for hunger.

Thanks for listening, Michigan!

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

People across the state have helped "the Prosperity Agenda" radio show on Detroit news/talk 760 WJR win international acclaim

Rosales Insurance Agency opens Saline office with 3 new staff members

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

In a world in which so many people buy insurance from faceless companies online, Susan Kirk Rosales hopes to bring real relationships into the equation with her new business, Rosales Insurance Agency in Saline.

"We try to get to know our clients," says Rosales. "You're going to need us when you're in a time of need. You want to know that when we're there in a time of crisis, you can recognize that face."

In addition to insurance, Rosales offers financial services to her clients in the new E. Michigan Ave. office. Her office, which is affiliated with State Farm Insurance, opened in January and celebrated its grand opening this month.

"It's growing area here, a great place to be," Rosales says of her location, which formerly served as home to a dry cleaner. "We're in Saline, near Ann Arbor and near Ypsilanti. It's going very well."

Rosales recently moved back to the Ann Arbor area where she grew up after living in Texas for six years. She returned to the area to be closer to family. She hopes Rosales Insurance will grow to be deeply involved in the community through civic organizations and support of local kids' groups.

The new, 800 square-foot office currently employs Rosales and three additional team members. Source: Susan Rosales, Rosales Insurance Agency Writer: Natalie Burg

Commerce Guys to launch online mobile shopping app

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Commerce Guys is adding to its staff in America, hiring three people in the last year, adding another now, and is looking bring another three on soon. The Ann Arbor-based tech firm employs 48 people, including 18 in the U.S. The 5-year-old e-commerce company merged with a French firm three years ago. Commerce Guys also has two interns in Ann Arbor, who are French students working in the U.S. It is also in the process of hiring for a new position with a candidate from MichiganWorks! and has three more job openings for software developers. Commerce Guys is an e-commerce company that integrates Drupal, a popular open source content management system, with its customer's Internet sales platform. It is transitioning from a service-oriented firm to one that creates its own software platform thanks to a 30-percent jump in revenues. It is in the process of launching Commerce Mobile, a mobile app that brings the online shopping experience to consumers on any Apple mobile device. "The real value we can add is based around a repeatable product we can sell," says Scott Dahlgren, managing director, North America, for Commerce Guys. Commerce Guys is also working to make its Commerce Mobile platform customizable for its clients to help accelerate its adoption. "It really has the opportunity to grow adoption very rapidly," Dahlgren says. "It allows somebody to use it easily." Source: Scott Dahlgren, managing director, North America for Commerce Guys Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Ann Arbor State Bank adds 7 staff, opens new offices

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Ann Arbor State Bank is growing on a number of different fronts, expanding its loan portfolio, adding to its staff and opening new offices. The downtown Ann Arbor-based bank launched in 2009 and has grown to $187 million in assets with $153 million in deposits. It has grown its assets by $29 million in the last year, partly thanks to $20 million in new deposits over that same period. "Our growth is easily filled with deposits," says Peter Schork, president & CEO of Ann Arbor State Bank. "We have no triggers to stop making loans besides loan demand." Ann Arbor State Bank opened a mortgage office in downtown Ann Arbor last year, which now has a staff of 10 people. The bank also opened a loan office in Jackson with a staff of two people. Its commercial loans have grown from $83 million last year to $103 million today. "We have done very well in terms of growth and loan portfolio," Schork says. Ann Arbor State Bank has hired seven people in the last year. It now has a staff of 32 employees and the occasional intern. Source: Peter Schork, president & CEO of Ann Arbor State Bank Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Dynamic Edge hires 6 as it grows IT work in Ann Arbor

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Dynamic Edge is growing its business thanks to its customers' ability to sleep. The Ann Arbor-based IT firm's Fixed IT program specializes in providing a holistic and comprehensive solution for its customers. The idea is that Dynamic Edge's technology either comes in and takes care of IT problems before they crash a system or nips them in the bud before they even happen. "It allows people to sleep better knowing their systems are always up," says Bruce McCully, CEO of Dynamic Edge. "We updated our ability to do that for them." Sales of the the Fixed IT program have increased with existing customers, which has allowed the 14-year-old firm to add some additional clientele. Many of those customers are also looking for automated systems to help them deal with new healthcare and SEC regulations. The jump in revenues from that work prompted the company to hire six people, such as systems administrators, in the last year, bringing its staff to 39 employees and an intern. It also has four IT positions open right now, and a spot for an intern. Source: Bruce McCully, CEO of Dynamic Edge Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

FlockTAG's loyalty card technology hits major milestones in 1st year

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

A little more than a year ago, FlockTAG was a dream of a couple of entrepreneurs looking to reinvent customer-loyalty programs. Today it's a start-up with technology that can be found in numerous small businesses across most of Michigan's major cities. The downtown Ann Arbor-based start-up raised $250,000 in angel funding last year to create a technology platform that works as a universal loyalty card for a broad range of retailers and other businesses. That technology is now being used at 100 retail businesses in Detroit, Novi, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Bloomington (Indiana), Champaign (Illinois) and Columbus. It also has 100,000 card holders who have used them 1.2 million times. "We learned you can never be customer-centric enough," says David Lin, CEO & co-founder of FlockTAG. "How can we provide better user experience? How can we provide more value?" FlockTAG is looking to expand further throughout the Midwest later this year. It is now focusing on creating more customer engagement on how best to deliver customer data to businesses without overwhelming them with information. "It's really a careful balancing act," Lin says. FlockTAG has expanded its staff to a dozen employees and two interns. It recently made four key hires of sales and technology professionals. The 1-year-old business is also working to raise a Series A round of funding worth $1.5 million. It's presenting at the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium next week to help hit that goal. Lin hopes to wrap up its Series A financing this summer. Source: David Lin, CEO & co-founder of FlockTAG Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

DavaRay turns light into healing power for chronic pain

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Cliché tells us that sunlight is one of the best weapons to make something better. One Ann Arbor-based start-up is turning those words of wisdom into a business. DavaRay is developing a proprietary heat dissipation technology that uses light to stimulate the healing process. The technology uses a monochromatic LED ray to help soothe chronic pain. DavaRay claims that its Nanobeam 940 is used by a number of professional sports teams, including the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Pistons. "It's really getting a lot of attention in the sports industry," says David Arndt, co-founder of DavaRay. Arndt was inspired to start the business after suffering through chronic neck pain from a motorcycle accident. He found some relief in infrared therapy but the company that made the technology went out of the business, so the mechanical engineer decided to make his own product. The 6-year-old company now employs seven people and a couple dozen independent contractors. It is currently working to raise seed capital so it can ramp up production and marketing. The company will present at next week's Michigan Growth Capital Symposium. "We have gone from one guy with a sore neck from a motorcycle accident to treating thousands of patients with chronic pain," Arndt says. "We're taking it to the next level." Source: David Arndt, co-founder of DavaRay Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Solar power in limelight at TedX EMU event

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

In a quest to put 1,000 solar roofs over Ypsilanti heads, solar extraordinaire Dave Strenski spoke out at the recent TedX EMU event. Catch the video here.

Casa Bella Salon to open in Ann Arbor, benefit at-risk kids

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Some salons are just salons, but not the new Casa Bella on N. Maple Rd. The hair, nails and massage spa won't just be servicing the beauty needs of clients, but also a very special community need. Owner Kaliah Wolf says that 90 percent of Casa Bella's profits will be used to fund Caron's Crazy Corral, Wolf's new non-profit that pairs at-risk children with therapeutic horse lessons.

"Some of these kids' parents are drug addicts; some are in jail," says Wolf. "Our mission is to teach them that they are only limited by their dreams."

The seven-month-old 501(c)(3) is located on Sylvan Rd. in Chelsea and has received an outpouring of support and interested from the community already. Within three months of opening, Caron's Crazy Corral was serving 25 local kids. Wolf is now developing a 4H program at farm, and is partnering with other non-profits to expand their services to more kids in need.

In the meantime, the 785 square-foot Casa Bella joins a rush of occupancy at the Maple Rd. shopping center in which Juicy Kitchen, El Harissa Market and a new tattoo shop have or are scheduled to open this year. Wolf says the sense of community in the complex is what drew her to the location.

"Everybody in the shopping center has been helpful and friendly," she says. "It's a little downtown there. "

Though not technically open yet, Casa Bella has been servicing a few clients in their new location and Wolf plans to open to the public soon. The salon currently employs a staff of three and Wolf is looking to hire another stylist, massage therapist and makeup artist.

Source: Kali Wolf, Casa Bella Writer: Natalie Burg

All Paws Grooming brings love of pets and Ypsi-made products to Hewitt Rd.

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Annette Collins is no stranger to the pet business. Between herself and her four groomers at All Paws Grooming on Hewitt Rd. in Ypsilanti, the new business brings 47 years of experience to customers.

"People really like us because we're so dog-friendly," says Collins. "When the dogs come in they start wagging their tails, and everything is dog proof, so they can snoop around all they want."

All Paws Grooming opened in an approximately 2,000 square-foot bungalow in late March, and already, Collins says the business is even busier than she and her husband had hoped.

"We opened with a bang," she says. "Our pastor came and blessed the place when we opened, and we've had great success."

In both her dog grooming products and her retail items, such as collars and doggies' clothing, Collins focuses on stocking American-made inventory. She also carries several Ypsilanti-made products. As a local business, she says supporting other local entrepreneurs is a high priority.

Eventually, Collins hopes to add daycare, as well as dog obedience classes for her clients at the new facility. Clients also benefit from her son's massage therapy business, which is located above All Paws. Clients can get a massage after dropping off their pets for grooming.

Source: Annette Collins, All Paws Grooming Writer: Natalie Burg

Ann Arbor 8th cheapest city for new grads

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Unlike many other cities, it seems college grads can afford to live in Ann Arbor without being packed into apartments four-deep. Ann Arbor makes another nation's top 10 list, this time getting the shout-out for its reasonable cost of living. Excerpt: "Luxury high-rises are sprouting up like weeds in downtown Ann Arbor, so it may come as a surprise to some that the city is apparently one of the cheapest places in America to move after college. Appearing on yet another “top 10” list, Ann Arbor came in at No. 8 on Complex’s guide for thrifty recent college graduates which was headlined by No. 1 Spokane, Wash. According to the pop-culture website, typical monthly rent for one bedroom outside of the “city center” costs about $600. The costs for utilities, public transportation and “annual income needed for a living wage before taxes” (estimated at $19,738 for Ann Arbor) were also factored into the decision process." More here.

50 Years, 50 Stories: Story #2 Dawn Farm's Chapin Street Project

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

In 1998, the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation awarded a $12,000 grant to Dawn Farm to investigate best practices for establishing recovery-based transitional housing. The next day a crack house on Ann Arbor's Chapin Street was raided and closed, which provided a timely opportunity.

How to Get Skooled For Free

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

Got a craft you can teach to others? Always wanted to learn an unconventional skill, say, hula-hoop construction or spring foraging? The Ann Arbor Free Skool is dedicated to pairing knowledge with knowledge-seekers, free of charge.

Daily Beast ranks Saline High School in America's Top 300

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

And yet another set of national stats on public high schools, this one from Newsweek's Daily Beast, puts Saline High School, Chelsea High School, and Ann Arbor's Community, Huron, and Pioneer in the nation's top 1,000, with Skyline High School just a few slots behind. See the full list here.

HistoSonics looks to add jobs as it preps for clinical trials

2013-05-15T04:00:00Z

HistoSonics is getting ready to start clinical trials later this year, which will mark the beginning of the last product development phase for the Ann Arbor-based start-up. The 3.5-year-old firm, a spin-off from the University of Michigan, is developing a medical device that uses tightly focused ultrasound pulses to treat prostate disease in a non-invasive manner with robotic precision. The company's name, HistoSonics, is a combination of histo (meaning tissue) and sonics (meaning sound waves). HistoSonics recently finished its regulatory approval process and institutional board of review approval. It is now prepping to begin its first clinical study, which will take up to one year to complete. "I expect we will have this done in the next month or so," says Christine Gibbons, president & COO of HistoSonics. She adds that the main clinical study after that will take two to three years to complete. The company is currently looking to add two clinical research managers to its team of 10 employees and one intern. Making that possible is the $11 million in venture capital HistoSonices scored in 2009. It is in the process of raising a Series B round of seed capital. Gibbons hopes to land between $12 million and $15 million in the Series B. Source: Christine Gibbons, president & COO of HistoSonics Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.