[Updated 4/24/14 and 4/25/14. See below.] When we last reported on Hybra Advance Technology, a Traverse City, MI-based consumer electronics startup, it was September 2013, and the company was days away from closing an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign. Now, half a year later, Kickstarter backers are up in arms, some going so far as to … Continue reading “Why Are Hybra’s Kickstarter Backers So Upset? CEO Joe Thiel Responds”
Author: Sarah Schmid Stevenson
Sarah is a former Xconomy editor. Prior to joining Xconomy in 2011, she did communications work for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan House of Representatives. She has also worked as a reporter and copy editor at the Missoula Independent and the Lansing State Journal. She holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Native American Studies from the University of Montana and proudly calls Detroit "the most fascinating city I've ever lived in."
ProNAi Therapeutics Closes on $59.5M to Advance Cancer Drug
ProNAi Therapeutics, a Plymouth, MI-based developer of novel nucleic acid treatments targeting cancer and other genetic diseases, said this week that it has closed a Series D financing round worth $59.5 million. The round was led by Vivo Capital of Palo Alto, CA, and included new investors Frazier Healthcare Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, Adams Street Partners, … Continue reading “ProNAi Therapeutics Closes on $59.5M to Advance Cancer Drug”
MSU Event Showcases Homegrown Biology, Biometrics & Blueberries
Michigan State University held its fourth annual Innovation Showcase last Wednesday. It was a chance to show the world some of the innovative technology and startups coming out of the university. The MSU Innovation Center also recognized the MSU Inventor of the Year, Innovator of the Year, and Tech Transfer Achievement Award winners. A few … Continue reading “MSU Event Showcases Homegrown Biology, Biometrics & Blueberries”
MoneyTree Reports $35.6M in MI Venture Deals Last Quarter
Venture capital funding surged nationwide during the first quarter of 2014, driven mainly by substantial investments in expansion-stage IT and software companies, according to the MoneyTree Report being released today. That trend extended to Michigan, where MoneyTree reported that 14 companies snagged $35.6 million in venture capital investment during the first quarter of 2014. Though … Continue reading “MoneyTree Reports $35.6M in MI Venture Deals Last Quarter”
U-M Spinout H3D Unveils “Game-Changing” Nuclear Detection Tech
Detecting nuclear radiation is easy. All you need is a simple, inexpensive Geiger counter. But to be able to precisely identify both the type of radiation and where it is coming from is much more challenging. That’s crucial for everything from searching for possible nuclear weapons in shipping containers to performing routine maintenance or emergency … Continue reading “U-M Spinout H3D Unveils “Game-Changing” Nuclear Detection Tech”
Have a Sweet Tooth? Bocandy’s Service Might Be for You
I am a candy fanatic, and I unfortunately have the cavities to prove it. When I spent a summer living in British Columbia in the 1990s, I fell in love with Coffee Crisp candy bars. It’s a bit like a Kit Kat, but with mocha-flavored frosting. After I returned to the U.S., I realized I … Continue reading “Have a Sweet Tooth? Bocandy’s Service Might Be for You”
Roundup: Aastrom, Gale, STEM summer camps, Beringea, HelloWorld
Here’s a look at news you may have missed from around Southeast Michigan’s innovation community: —Aastrom Biosciences (NASDAQ:[[ticker:ASTM]]) has appointed Ross Tubo as chief scientific officer and David Recker as chief medical officer. Tubo was formerly vice president of stem cell research and chemokine biology at Genzyme, where he oversaw R&D for two of the first … Continue reading “Roundup: Aastrom, Gale, STEM summer camps, Beringea, HelloWorld”
State Allots $6.8M to Invest Michigan Fund for Seeding Tech Startups
The Michigan Strategic Fund board announced today that is has designated $6.8 million in new state money for the Michigan Pre-Seed Fund 2.0, an investment fund targeting early-stage tech startups statewide. It will be managed by Invest Michigan, a new Detroit-based nonprofit led by Charlie Moret, a Connecticut transplant who most recently served as TechTown’s … Continue reading “State Allots $6.8M to Invest Michigan Fund for Seeding Tech Startups”
Plymouth Ventures Invests in Certified Security Solutions
Plymouth Ventures, a venture capital firm in Ann Arbor, MI, has made the first investment from its third fund in Certified Security Solutions (CSS), a company based in Cleveland, OH. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. CSS is an information security company—it’s been in business more than a decade—that focuses on identification and … Continue reading “Plymouth Ventures Invests in Certified Security Solutions”
Is Sentinl’s Biometric Trigger Lock the Future of Gun Safety?
When Detroit-based engineer Omer Kiyani was 16, he was shot in the mouth. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time—the crime happened in what he describes as “no different than an average American neighborhood.” Kiyani didn’t know the perpetrator, who has never been caught, but one of the few facts to emerge … Continue reading “Is Sentinl’s Biometric Trigger Lock the Future of Gun Safety?”
Michigan Startups Working to Bridge IT Talent Gap
[Corrected 4/4/14, 6:01 p.m. See below.] Detroit’s shortage of information technology talent is not a new problem, but it does seem to be getting more pronounced as the number of tech startups taking root in Michigan grows. In 2012, Dice.com designated Detroit as the fifth-fastest growing tech city in the nation. And in 2013, Michigan’s … Continue reading “Michigan Startups Working to Bridge IT Talent Gap”
New Michigan State Medical Society-Backed Fund to Help Startups Grow
Late last month, the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) announced the launch of Quantum Medical Concepts, a first-of-its-kind fund for early-stage medical startups based in Michigan. Companies funded by Quantum will also have the opportunity to get business support and coaching through a partnership with Common Wealth Enterprises, a startup management firm that runs the … Continue reading “New Michigan State Medical Society-Backed Fund to Help Startups Grow”
WaitTime Hopes to Find Shortest Beer Line at the Ballpark
Today is the home opener for the Detroit Tigers, a day when busloads of suburbanites descend upon downtown to engage in extreme day drinking and related mayhem to celebrate the start of the Major League Baseball season. Wouldn’t it be great if revelers could pull up an app to check which beer lines in Comerica … Continue reading “WaitTime Hopes to Find Shortest Beer Line at the Ballpark”
MI Roundup: MGCS, XanEdu, A2B Bikeshare, Self.conference
Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s innovation communities that you may have missed: —There is less than one week to apply for the annual Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS), where 90 high-growth, innovative ventures will compete to secure one of the 40 slots to present at this year’s event. Applications for presenting companies … Continue reading “MI Roundup: MGCS, XanEdu, A2B Bikeshare, Self.conference”
Detroit’s LithFire-X on Lithium-Ion Battery Fires and Flight 370
On March 18, pilot Chris Goodfellow wrote a widely shared op-ed for Wired detailing what he believed happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8. He had no doubt, he wrote, that the plane experienced a catastrophic fire, which explains why the plane’s communications systems … Continue reading “Detroit’s LithFire-X on Lithium-Ion Battery Fires and Flight 370”
Carcode’s Prize-Winning App Allows Customers to Text Car Dealerships
It’s an auto industry pain point that might seem simple: How do car dealerships communicate with potential customers through text messaging? A startup called Carcode based in Seattle and Ann Arbor, MI, thinks it has the answer, and its solution won the grand prize last month at a hackathon sponsored by car-shopping website Edmunds.com. For … Continue reading “Carcode’s Prize-Winning App Allows Customers to Text Car Dealerships”
App Competition Open to Wayne State Students, Faculty, Alumni
Blackstone LaunchPad, a Wayne State University program funded by the New Economy Initiative and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation that offers resources and guidance to student entrepreneurs and inventors, is on a mission to spur the creation of apps. The LaunchPad is teaming up with the university’s office of economic development in a new competition open … Continue reading “App Competition Open to Wayne State Students, Faculty, Alumni”
Detroit’s 6th Man Apps Scores With Advanced Basketball Analytics
NCAA bracketeers, are you shaking your fists at the sky over Ohio State’s massive crap-out yesterday? Don’t feel bad—I had OSU going to the Elite 8 because my brain was obviously malfunctioning when I filled out my bracket. (But I’ll make up for that error in judgment when the Michigan State Spartans win the whole … Continue reading “Detroit’s 6th Man Apps Scores With Advanced Basketball Analytics”
Advanced Engine Maker EcoMotors Aquires Katech
When we caught up with Allen Park, MI-based EcoMotors earlier this month, Amit Soman, the company’s president and chief operating officer, told us to expect an acquisition soon. That came to fruition this week when EcoMotors announced it has acquired Katech, a Clinton Township, MI-based manufacturing company known for developing advanced engines and powertrains. The … Continue reading “Advanced Engine Maker EcoMotors Aquires Katech”
Sakti3 Named Affiliate of Joint Center for Energy Research Storage
Sakti3, an Ann Arbor advanced battery startup named as one of the world’s 50 most innovative companies in 2012 by the MIT Technology Review, has become affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR). JCESR, which is run by Argonne National Lab, is an important research organization that unites … Continue reading “Sakti3 Named Affiliate of Joint Center for Energy Research Storage”
Mendelson Urges Detroit Startup Community to Reach Out, Collaborate
When Jason Mendelson came to Ann Arbor in 2005, he was armed with a list of qualities he thought a city needed in order to foster an entrepreneurial culture: A creative class of people (especially on the technical side); strong universities spinning off people and ideas; capital; management talent; an engaged community with a desire … Continue reading “Mendelson Urges Detroit Startup Community to Reach Out, Collaborate”
See You Later at Xconomy Xchange: Nurturing a Startup Ecosystem
Start off your St. Paddy’s Day celebration right with our Xconomy Xchange event today, featuring Jason Mendelson on sustaining and nurturing a startup ecosystem. Mendelson is the managing director and co-founder of the Foundry Group, a Boulder, CO-based venture fund that invests in early-stage information technology, Internet, and software startups. He’s also a metro Detroit … Continue reading “See You Later at Xconomy Xchange: Nurturing a Startup Ecosystem”
Xconomy Xchange: Meet Panelists Carla Walker-Miller and Moses Lee
On Monday, Xconomy is hosting an event featuring Jason Mendelson, a metro Detroit native and a University of Michigan alum who went on to co-found the Foundry Group, a highly successful venture fund based in Boulder, CO. Mendelson will discuss how to sustain and nurture a startup ecosystem. After his chat, a panel of local … Continue reading “Xconomy Xchange: Meet Panelists Carla Walker-Miller and Moses Lee”
U-M Students’ Books to Teach Kids About Steve Jobs, Entrepreneurship
Sara Abraham and Reda Jaber created a bucket list of things they wanted to do as a couple, and near the top of that list was writing a children’s book. They both attend the University of Michigan; she’s finishing up a bachelor’s degree in Global Health on her way to becoming a teacher, and he’s … Continue reading “U-M Students’ Books to Teach Kids About Steve Jobs, Entrepreneurship”
Sen Sigma Out to Battle Bad Welds, Save Manufacturers Millions
Defect formation, Jyoti Mazumder says, is a huge problem in manufacturing. According to Mazumder, a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the University of Michigan and founder of Sen Sigma, hundreds of millions of dollars are wasted every year on defective products in the United States, with a big chunk of those defects occurring … Continue reading “Sen Sigma Out to Battle Bad Welds, Save Manufacturers Millions”
Detroit’s Backstitch Offers Users a Way to Sift Through the Web’s Noise
If you’re like me, you spend your days toggling back and forth between a dozen or so tabs crowding the top of your computer screen: One for e-mail, a few for social media, a few for news, one to monitor college basketball in anticipation of the NCAA tournament, and one for celebrity gossip for when … Continue reading “Detroit’s Backstitch Offers Users a Way to Sift Through the Web’s Noise”
MI Social Entrepreneurship Challenge Offers Prizes, Pitch Opportunities
Michigan Corps, a non-profit organization supporting social innovation, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation yesterday kicked off the 2014 Michigan Social Entrepreneurship Challenge, a statewide business competition with $60,000 in prizes—and more—on the line. It’s the competition’s second year, and Michigan Corps’ executive director Elizabeth Garlow says this time around, there are “tons” of new … Continue reading “MI Social Entrepreneurship Challenge Offers Prizes, Pitch Opportunities”
Engine Maker EcoMotors Scores Second $200M Chinese Partnership
Allen Park, MI-based EcoMotors said this week that it has formed a joint venture with First Auto Works Jingye Engine Company (FAWJY) to develop, manufacture, service, and sell its advanced engine technology in China. Amit Soman, EcoMotors’ president and chief operating officer, says the deal is worth more than $200 million, and construction will start … Continue reading “Engine Maker EcoMotors Scores Second $200M Chinese Partnership”
Will Snyder’s Proposed Immigration Reforms Boost Entrepreneurship?
During his State of the State address in January, Michigan governor Rick Snyder, who likes to refer to himself as “the most pro-immigration governor in America,” unveiled a bold plan to revitalize beleaguered Detroit—and to boost economic growth in the whole state. He called on the federal government to grant Michigan 50,000 visas over five … Continue reading “Will Snyder’s Proposed Immigration Reforms Boost Entrepreneurship?”
Xconomy Xchange: Meet Panelist Brentt Baltimore
On March 17, Xconomy is hosting an event featuring Jason Mendelson, a metro Detroit native and a University of Michigan alum who went on to co-found the Foundry Group, a highly successful venture fund based in Boulder, CO. Mendelson also is a talented musician. He was the lead vocalist in the music video spoof that … Continue reading “Xconomy Xchange: Meet Panelist Brentt Baltimore”
Roundup: Google Demo Day, Merit Network, U-M, Plymouth Ventures
Here’s a look at some of the news from around Michigan’s innovation ecosystem that you might have missed: —Google Demo Day, where seven Detroit startups pitched to win a chance to present their business ideas to a group of Google executives during an April trip to Mountain View, CA, was held last week at Grand … Continue reading “Roundup: Google Demo Day, Merit Network, U-M, Plymouth Ventures”
Ann Arbor’s Merit: Using e-Commerce to Send Kids to College
David Merritt’s e-mail sign-off reads “stay remarkable,” and it’s clear he takes that motto seriously. The son of parents dedicated to helping others—his father is the pastor of a Detroit church—Merritt, a former captain of the University of Michigan men’s basketball team, says he’s always been conscious of young people’s needs. “Especially kids in the … Continue reading “Ann Arbor’s Merit: Using e-Commerce to Send Kids to College”
U-M, Ohio State Partner in $148M Lightweight Materials Effort
In a speech today, President Obama will detail plans for the $148 million American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII), a new high-tech manufacturing research facility that will be located outside of Detroit in Canton, MI. The institute is set to open this spring; officials say it’s expected to bring 10,000 jobs to the Midwest … Continue reading “U-M, Ohio State Partner in $148M Lightweight Materials Effort”
Ingress, Google, and Linda Besh: How a Mobile Game Augments Reality
When I first met Portalyst, she was at the Detroit Public Library, surrounded by her fellow agents in Resistance Detroit. There were BelaWren and Commander Lobo, a bookish married couple from Royal Oak, MI, and B33rhun73r (Beerhunter), a software developer so named for his appreciation of craft brewing. They were all glued to their phones, … Continue reading “Ingress, Google, and Linda Besh: How a Mobile Game Augments Reality”
New Economy Initiative Scores $33M in New Funding
Nine of the New Economy Initiative’s (NEI) ten original funders have committed another $33 million to the initiative, which allows the NEI to continue its work supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in Southeast Michigan. The William Davidson Foundation has come on as a new funder. “We have a heavy focus on entrepreneurial and innovation outputs with … Continue reading “New Economy Initiative Scores $33M in New Funding”
A2B Bikeshare Aims to Build a Better Bike-Sharing System
Millennials are famous for being not terribly keen on owning cars. Instead, they’re interested in alternative forms of transportation, such as public transit, on-demand hourly car rentals, and bike sharing. This is causing a major shift in the way car companies woo customers; January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, for instance, marked the … Continue reading “A2B Bikeshare Aims to Build a Better Bike-Sharing System”
Wisconsin, Michigan Researchers Partner on Non-Food Biofuels
According to a December report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Patricia Dehmer, chief science officer for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), was recently asked to name a program funded by her office that was producing tangible results. Her response? Madison’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) and five other similar research centers across the … Continue reading “Wisconsin, Michigan Researchers Partner on Non-Food Biofuels”
AlertWatch Scores FDA Approval, Investment from U-M Student Fund
University of Michigan spin-out startup AlertWatch announced this week that it has received FDA approval to sell its patient monitoring software to hospitals. “We’re thrilled,” AlertWatch CEO Justin Adams says. “It took a lot of work.” AlertWatch makes software, originally developed at U-M’s Venture Accelerator, that helps anesthesiologists monitor patients in the operating room. The … Continue reading “AlertWatch Scores FDA Approval, Investment from U-M Student Fund”
Jason Mendelson Returns to Detroit to Talk Startup Ecosystems
When Jason Mendelson delivered the keynote speech at the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium two years ago, he made it clear he was feeling bullish about Detroit’s future prospects. Mendelson is a metro Detroit native and a University of Michigan alum who went on to co-found the Foundry Group, a highly successful venture fund based in … Continue reading “Jason Mendelson Returns to Detroit to Talk Startup Ecosystems”
Benefit App Aims to Help Schools Make Fundraising “Frictionless”
Benefit, a startup based in Grand Rapids, MI, has created technology to disrupt a traditional method of school fundraising. With the SCRIP method, schools buy discounted gift cards and then sell them at a markup to parents, with the difference going toward the school. SCRIP does away with the old, cumbersome door-to-door pizza kit and … Continue reading “Benefit App Aims to Help Schools Make Fundraising “Frictionless””
Ann Arbor’s 3D Biomatrix Clears Final Hurdle to Patent
Ann Arbor-based 3D Biomatrix, a life sciences company spun out of the University of Michigan in 2010, announced this week that it has received a notice of allowance from the U.S. patent office for the technology behind its Perfecta3D hanging drop plates, which are used by researchers to grow cells in culture. The notice of … Continue reading “Ann Arbor’s 3D Biomatrix Clears Final Hurdle to Patent”
Co-working Spaces: Not Just for Big Cities Anymore
In 2011, when Todd Luhtanen opened up Metro Work Space in Livonia, MI, a suburb of Detroit, he did so with the idea of offering startups in the suburbs the same kind of coworking facility that can be found in big cities. On Monday, he opened a second location a few miles to the north … Continue reading “Co-working Spaces: Not Just for Big Cities Anymore”
Detroit Encore Entrepreneurs Blaze New Trail With LithFire-X
Gerry Flood has spent his career pioneering and selling preparedness. For 20 years, he was a salesman for AAA. He also started his own metro Detroit-based company, called CeaseFire, which manufactured automatic fire suppression products. CeaseFire garnered such a reputation for expertise that when ValuJet flight 592 crashed in the Everglades in 1996 after a … Continue reading “Detroit Encore Entrepreneurs Blaze New Trail With LithFire-X”
Detroit-Based Inventev Wins Big at Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship
The Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship conference was held yesterday in Livonia, MI, drawing startups and investors from around the state of Michigan. At the conference, the winners of the Great Lakes Entrepreneurship Quest (GLEQ) business plan competition were announced. Startups also competed in an elevator pitch contest. Conference organizers say that more than 200 entrepreneurial … Continue reading “Detroit-Based Inventev Wins Big at Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship”
Ford Taps Researchers at Stanford, MIT to Develop Automated Vehicle Tech
Last month, Ford unveiled its hybrid research vehicle, a Ford Fusion designed to help test automated driving, to a crowd of international reporters at its headquarters in Dearborn, MI. Last week, Ford announced it will partner with researchers at Stanford and MIT to continue its work developing automated vehicle technology. Greg Stevens, global manager for … Continue reading “Ford Taps Researchers at Stanford, MIT to Develop Automated Vehicle Tech”
U-M Spinoff HygraTek Strives to Build a Better Coating
When Anish Tuteja was first pondering the technology that would eventually form the backbone of HygraTek, a University of Michigan spinout, he considered the humble cooking pan. Tuteja was doing post-doctoral work at MIT at the time, and he noticed that water will bead on a pan, but oil spreads. He started thinking about how … Continue reading “U-M Spinoff HygraTek Strives to Build a Better Coating”
Detroit Auto Show Spotlights Wearable Technology and Connected Cars
The 2014 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is wrapping up in Detroit this week, and this year’s edition marks the first time I’ve ever seen a smart bike on display at a car show—which, in a way, is a sign that the auto industry has bounced back and is seeking innovative ways to differentiate … Continue reading “Detroit Auto Show Spotlights Wearable Technology and Connected Cars”
Compuware Flags Massive, Mysterious Chinese Internet Outage
[Updated 1/23/14, 12:55 p.m. See below.] It was roughly 3 p.m. in China on Tuesday when Heiko Specht, a Compuware performance specialist based in Munich, noticed a huge drop-off in Chinese Web traffic going to .com, .net, and .org domains. Detroit-based Compuware has monitors all over the globe for just such an event; according to company officials, … Continue reading “Compuware Flags Massive, Mysterious Chinese Internet Outage”
Students Converge on Detroit for Record-Breaking Weekend Hackathon
After 36 feverish hours, the third MHacks event had finally reached its culmination late Sunday afternoon at the Qube in downtown Detroit, and this was the scene: Multi-colored towers of sleeping bags and pillows; plates of partially eaten chicken and broccoli casserole; a graveyard of empty water bottles and pop cans. Hundreds of bleary-eyed students … Continue reading “Students Converge on Detroit for Record-Breaking Weekend Hackathon”
Roundup: iRule, Blackstone LaunchPad, Co-Working in Detroit
Here’s a look at some of the news you may have missed from around Southeast Michigan’s innovation community: —IRule, a Detroit-based startup that has created a smartphone-based remote control, won the Consumers Electronics Association’s Mark of Excellence award for “Control Product of the Year” at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. IRule was … Continue reading “Roundup: iRule, Blackstone LaunchPad, Co-Working in Detroit”