Cataphora, a Menlo Park, CA-based software company that specializes in applying its technology to the modeling of individual and organizational behavior, has just opened an office in Ann Arbor, MI. Cataphora said it made to move to take advantage of local talent, most notably from the University of Michigan.
“The decision was made to expand outside Silicon Valley, and Ann Arbor was the first place we thought of,” says Cataphora spokesman Tim Smith. “Elizabeth [Charnock, CEO] knows what the students at University of Michigan are capable of.”
Cataphora’s founders, Charnock and Steve Roberts, are U-M alumni. Company leaders connected with officials at Ann Arbor SPARK at a “Michagain” CEO dinner held in California last year, and expressed interest in opening an office near the university. Ann Arbor SPARK began working with Cataphora to help relocate and initiate operations, including site selection and talent recruitment.
“Cataphora’s senior management have a lot of roots in Michigan, and they are committed to this area,” says Donna Doleman, vice-president of marketing, communications, and talent for Ann Arbor SPARK. “We see them as a high-growth-potential company.”
Cataphora operates in the cutting-edge field of analysis and understanding of digital character as it relates to both individuals and organizations. In the months leading up to the Michigan office opening, Cataphora received support from Ann Arbor SPARK and the University of Michigan’s Business Engagement Center.
