Ann Arbor, MI’s Strata Oncology launched in 2015 with a mission to help bring free tumor sequencing to as many patients as possible. To help accomplish that mission, the genomics startup has established the Strata Precision Oncology Network, a group of cancer centers collaborating to help boost access to precision medicine. Last month, Strata announced … Continue reading “UT, Aurora Health Join Strata Oncology’s Free Genomic Testing Network”
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."
Want to Hire a Kid Down the Street to do Yard Work? ToDoolie Can Help
It used to be fairly simple to hire neighborhood kids to help move heavy objects or perform other household chores for a small fee. I’m not sure if the Internet and video games are to blame, or a general degradation of American civil discourse is the reason, but it seems a lot harder to connect … Continue reading “Want to Hire a Kid Down the Street to do Yard Work? ToDoolie Can Help”
Invanti Seeks Entrepreneurs to Help Crack America’s Toughest Problems
When Maria Gibbs and Dustin Mix were working on degrees at the University of Notre Dame a few years ago, they noticed a gap in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. They were used to attacking big problems as part of their university research, but they weren’t seeing similar issues being addressed by entrepreneurs, which they felt … Continue reading “Invanti Seeks Entrepreneurs to Help Crack America’s Toughest Problems”
Five Years In, Grand Circus CEO Reflects on Detroit Tech, Coding Boom
It seems like it was only yesterday when we covered the debut of Detroit’s Grand Circus, but the tech school is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The local tech scene has grown since 2013, as has the popularity of Grand Circus and other coding schools nationwide, which run short-term programs aimed at bestowing the skills needed … Continue reading “Five Years In, Grand Circus CEO Reflects on Detroit Tech, Coding Boom”
How Will Mobility Industry Take Shape? Lux Capital’s Farshchi Weighs In
Shahin Farshchi, a partner at Silicon Valley VC firm Lux Capital, describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as a gearhead, Trekkie, and recovering engineer. He’s a Bay Area native who spent part of his career working at GM’s tech center just outside of Detroit in Warren, MI. He’s into cars, space (as in the final … Continue reading “How Will Mobility Industry Take Shape? Lux Capital’s Farshchi Weighs In”
PawnGuru Raises $2.5M Series A, Plans Expansion into Latin America
PawnGuru, a startup focused on digitizing the pawn shop experience, has raised $2.5 million in a Series A funding round. The investment was led by the Impact America Fund and Invest Detroit, with additional contributions from angel investors. Since its inception in 2015, the company has raised a total of $3.7 million. Jordan Birnholtz, PawnGuru’s … Continue reading “PawnGuru Raises $2.5M Series A, Plans Expansion into Latin America”
Startup Bloomscape Aims to Make Urban Houseplant Delivery Blossom
Being a Detroit apartment-dweller can be tough on a person who is used to being surrounded by more verdant landscapes. I consider myself a member of this tribe, and last summer, I was so restless that I grew some cherry tomatoes from seed in my living room. This Frankenstein’s monster of a plant climbed over … Continue reading “Startup Bloomscape Aims to Make Urban Houseplant Delivery Blossom”
Uber’s Driverless Fatality Sparks Fallout and Finger-Pointing
The fallout from Uber’s autonomous car fatality continues today, with a number of new developments. We’re recapping them very quickly here, and adding two reaction quotes we received from Carrie Morton, deputy director of the University of Michigan’s Mcity research facility and test bed, and Shahin Farshchi, a partner at Lux Capital, a Silicon Valley … Continue reading “Uber’s Driverless Fatality Sparks Fallout and Finger-Pointing”
Uber Suspends Driverless Testing After Fatal Accident in Arizona
The inevitable has happened. An autonomous Uber car hit a pedestrian in Tempe, AZ, and caused her death. The ride-hailing giant has suspended testing on driverless cars in Arizona, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Toronto, according to the New York Times. This is the first known death of a pedestrian caused by a self-driving car on … Continue reading “Uber Suspends Driverless Testing After Fatal Accident in Arizona”
Five Unlikely Competitors in the Race for Driverless Cars: Slideshow
Now that we know autonomous vehicles are going to be a real thing, we are watching an entirely new industry unfold. Because of the sweeping societal changes that self-driving cars are likely to bring—they’ll change transportation the most, but also could affect the way we care for the elderly, live in our homes, deliver goods … Continue reading “Five Unlikely Competitors in the Race for Driverless Cars: Slideshow”
Mighty AI’s Training Data Helps Mcity Drive Mobility Projects Faster
Last June, when Seattle-based startup Mighty AI opened a second office in Detroit, the company said it chose the Motor City over Silicon Valley because of its proximity to automotive customers and a firm belief in the future of autonomous navigation. Mighty AI has just deepened its ties to the Great Lakes State with the … Continue reading “Mighty AI’s Training Data Helps Mcity Drive Mobility Projects Faster”
New U-M Tech Transfer Director Maps Plan for Entrepreneurial Outreach
Last spring, Ken Nisbet, the longtime director of the University of Michigan’s technology transfer office, announced his retirement. After a nationwide search, Kelly Sexton was hired as Nisbet’s successor earlier this year. We called Sexton to hear more about her background as well as her plans for commercializing innovations born at U-M. Sexton is a … Continue reading “New U-M Tech Transfer Director Maps Plan for Entrepreneurial Outreach”
Indianapolis Startup Octiv Acquired by Conga, Expects Growth in ‘18
Indianapolis-based productivity software startup TinderBox launched in 2010 before becoming Octiv in 2016. Now, Octiv has been acquired by Conga, a Colorado company specializing in document automation. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. David Kerr, Octiv’s CEO, says Conga has been around for about 10 years. It started out making software that … Continue reading “Indianapolis Startup Octiv Acquired by Conga, Expects Growth in ‘18”
New U-M Center Aims to Combat Spread of Fake News, Info Apocalypse
We’re all painfully familiar with the now ubiquitous term “fake news.” It first popped up during the 2016 presidential election, when media observers began seeing a proliferation of dubious news stories online that seemed engineered for maximum disruption and chaos. Since the election, the term “fake news” has evolved to be an almost meaningless catchall … Continue reading “New U-M Center Aims to Combat Spread of Fake News, Info Apocalypse”
Playboy Article: Detroit is “Silicon Valley of Smart Mobility Tech”
We’ve all heard the cliche about reading Playboy only for its articles, but it turns out that the magazine really does have some stellar reporting. On Monday, Playboy posted an article that brings some validation to southeast Michigan’s role in the development of autonomous vehicles. Titled “Detroit is Becoming the Silicon Valley of Smart Mobility … Continue reading “Playboy Article: Detroit is “Silicon Valley of Smart Mobility Tech””
Applied Research Associates Teams with MSU on Autonomous Vehicle R&D
The Michigan State University Foundation, an independent nonprofit that supports the commercialization of university inventions, has a new tenant in its 300,000-square-foot corporate research park in East Lansing. Applied Research Associates (ARA), a contract R&D firm based in Albuquerque, NM, has moved a team to Michigan in order to support MSU’s autonomous vehicle research and … Continue reading “Applied Research Associates Teams with MSU on Autonomous Vehicle R&D”
May Mobility CEO: We’ll Beat Waymo, Uber, and Cruise to Market
When we spoke with Ed Olson, CEO of May Mobility, in January, he told us that his driverless-vehicle company had raised a little over $11 million in seed funding in 2017. Last week, May disclosed more details about its $11.5 million seed round: it was led by venture investment arms of Toyota and BMW, and … Continue reading “May Mobility CEO: We’ll Beat Waymo, Uber, and Cruise to Market”
Roundup, Part Two: Venture Fellows, IoT Pitch Contest, Clinc, More
On Tuesday, we published a roundup of innovation briefs from across the state. The year has gotten off to such a busy start that we’re back with part two. Without further ado, here’s a look at Michigan’s recent technology news: —Last month, the Michigan Venture Capital Association kicked off its annual Venture Fellows program, which matches … Continue reading “Roundup, Part Two: Venture Fellows, IoT Pitch Contest, Clinc, More”
Roundup, Part One: NextEnergy, Application Deadlines, U-M News, More
Even though we’re hardly two months into the year, 2018 has already been packed with local innovation news. In fact, we have so much material that we’re splitting this roundup into two parts; the second part will run later this week. Here’s a look at some of the recent tech news unfolding across Michigan: — … Continue reading “Roundup, Part One: NextEnergy, Application Deadlines, U-M News, More”
Bolstra Raises $1.5M to Grow SaaS Customer Management Platform
Carmel, IN-based Bolstra, a startup focused on customer success management software, has raised $1.5 million in seed funding. Contributors to the round include Elevate Ventures, 4G Ventures, Allos Ventures, Collina Ventures, and VisionTech Angels. Bolstra CEO Haresh Gangwani says his company differs from competitors in its dedication to customer engagement. Because customer success management, which … Continue reading “Bolstra Raises $1.5M to Grow SaaS Customer Management Platform”
Bosch’s Acquisition of SPLT is Big Win for Detroit Mobility Startups
SPLT, the Detroit-based ridesharing startup and Techstars Mobility alum, announced today that it has been acquired by automotive supplier Bosch, which has its U.S. headquarters in metro Detroit. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Anya Babbitt, SPLT co-founder and CEO, describes the acquisition as “a most fortunate outcome.” SPLT was established in 2014 … Continue reading “Bosch’s Acquisition of SPLT is Big Win for Detroit Mobility Startups”
Father-Daughter Startup Seeva Turns Old IP into New Driverless Tech
[Correction, 2/23/18: See below.] The mobility sector has spawned plenty of unlikely alliances that have led to new products and business models for self-driving vehicles. But it’s hard to get more unlikely than Seeva, a Pacific Northwest mobility startup with Detroit roots, run by a vivacious daughter and her retired father, and based on technology … Continue reading “Father-Daughter Startup Seeva Turns Old IP into New Driverless Tech”
Schurz Communications Acquires Online Tech, Plans National Expansion
Online Tech, an Ann Arbor, MI-based cloud computing company operating since 1994, has been acquired by Schurz Communications, a media conglomerate headquartered in Mishawaka, IN. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Online Tech, which also has data centers in Indianapolis and Kansas City, MO, is a pioneer in healthcare IT. The company specializes … Continue reading “Schurz Communications Acquires Online Tech, Plans National Expansion”
MSU, Texas A&M to Study How Driverless Cars Affect Future Workforce
This week, the Ypsilanti Township, MI-based American Center for Mobility, in collaboration with AARP and Waymo, announced that it has commissioned a study on how autonomous vehicles will impact transportation jobs in the future. The study is being conducted by Michigan State University and Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute. According to a press release, the purpose … Continue reading “MSU, Texas A&M to Study How Driverless Cars Affect Future Workforce”
Forget Austin or Toronto, Indianapolis Has What It Takes to Win HQ2
Twenty North American cities have made the final cut in Amazon’s search for the location of its second headquarters, or HQ2, and the Seattle tech giant has the world on pins and needles as it finishes deliberations. With a project so large in scope—HQ2 is expected to create thousands of jobs and generate billions in … Continue reading “Forget Austin or Toronto, Indianapolis Has What It Takes to Win HQ2”
Fintech Startup Autobooks Raises $10M from Group of Midwestern VCs
Autobooks, the Detroit-based financial technology startup spun out of Billhighway in 2015, has raised $10 million in a Series A1 funding round. Contributors included Draper Triangle, Baird Capital, Detroit Venture Partners, Invest Michigan, and CU Solutions Group. Steve Robert, CEO of Autobooks, says this latest round comes a few months after the company raised a … Continue reading “Fintech Startup Autobooks Raises $10M from Group of Midwestern VCs”
Uber and Waymo Reach $245M Settlement in Driverless Tech Lawsuit
After months of breathless anticipation and a week of bro-tastic testimony, the Waymo v. Uber lawsuit, in which Google’s driverless tech arm sued the ride-hailing pioneer over allegedly stolen autonomous vehicle technology, is over. In a surprise move, Uber announced today that it has settled with Waymo, offering the company 0.34 percent of Uber’s equity at its current … Continue reading “Uber and Waymo Reach $245M Settlement in Driverless Tech Lawsuit”
Genomenon and Saphetor Announce Collaboration to Share Genomic Data
Genomenon, a University of Michigan spinout that has created a search engine for genomics literature, this week announced a collaboration with Saphetor, a Swiss company that offers precision medicine analysis. Genomenon CEO Mike Klein says the partnership broadens the productivity of each company’s platform and benefits their users. Last year, Genomenon went live with Mastermind, … Continue reading “Genomenon and Saphetor Announce Collaboration to Share Genomic Data”
IU Health Expands Precision Genomics Program for Cancer Patients
When Gwen Brack was a junior in college, she was diagnosed with stage IV rectal cancer. She sought treatment, but the cancer soon returned and then spread to her liver and bladder. She underwent rounds of chemotherapy and nine surgeries, but the cancer kept growing. Eventually, she was referred to Indiana University Health’s precision genomics … Continue reading “IU Health Expands Precision Genomics Program for Cancer Patients”
After Record-Breaking 2017, Invest Michigan Expects Another Big Year
Invest Michigan, the Detroit-based early-stage capital fund, had an eventful 2017 and is off to a busy start already in 2018. We caught up with CEO Charlie Moret for an update and to find out what’s ahead for the fund in the coming year. Invest Michigan, established in 2014 by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, … Continue reading “After Record-Breaking 2017, Invest Michigan Expects Another Big Year”
A.I. Meets Ethnography: Spatial Drives Mobility Via Social Media Data
We’ve all heard the old chestnut about being careful what we say on social media, because once it’s posted to the Internet, it lives on in perpetuity. Despite those warnings, people reveal an enormous amount about their lives, opinions, and preferences on sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and a Cincinnati-based startup called Spatial is … Continue reading “A.I. Meets Ethnography: Spatial Drives Mobility Via Social Media Data”
Bessemer Makes First Indiana Investment, Leads Zylo’s $9.3M Series A
When Indianapolis-based cloud software company Zylo was making the rounds in the Bay Area last year, talking to potential investors, the company kept hearing that it should meet with Silicon Valley firm Bessemer Venture Partners. Bessemer had never backed an Indiana tech company before but the meetings must have gone well, because Zylo has announced … Continue reading “Bessemer Makes First Indiana Investment, Leads Zylo’s $9.3M Series A”
After Conquering Detroit Auto Show, Carmera to Expand Mapping Service
At the North American International Auto Show, which just wrapped in Detroit, New York-based Carmera won best in show at the startup competition hosted by AutoMobili-D, and also received startup of the year honors in the autonomous driving category from the state’s PlanetM program. Not bad for a company that just exited stealth mode a … Continue reading “After Conquering Detroit Auto Show, Carmera to Expand Mapping Service”
Ford Buys Autonomic, TransLoc as It Rolls Toward Autonomous Future
The mobility sector’s mergers and acquisitions continue at a furious pace, the latest being Ford’s announcement this week that it bought TransLoc and Autonomic, two startups it had been partnering with as part of its efforts to get self-driving cars on the road. The terms of the deals weren’t disclosed, but one of the acquisitions … Continue reading “Ford Buys Autonomic, TransLoc as It Rolls Toward Autonomous Future”
Armune Bio’s Cancer Detection Tech Finds New Home with Exact Sciences
The annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, held earlier this month in San Francisco, is a popular venue for biotech companies to announce new deals and milestones achieved. One such announcement from this year’s event has largely flown under the radar: Madison, WI-based molecular diagnostics company Exact Sciences acquired Armune BioScience, a cancer diagnostic startup with … Continue reading “Armune Bio’s Cancer Detection Tech Finds New Home with Exact Sciences”
Health Analytics Firm Springbuk Closes $20M Round, Plans Hiring Spree
It’s been a great month for the Indianapolis innovation community. Indiana’s capital city made the list of 20 municipal finalists vying to become the location of Amazon’s second headquarters, and a spate of local tech startups have hit new milestones. One of those startups, Springbuk, announced last week that it has raised $20 million in … Continue reading “Health Analytics Firm Springbuk Closes $20M Round, Plans Hiring Spree”
Cargo Zooms Ahead with New Cash, Plans to Expand to 10 Cities
Score one for mobile convenience stores. Cargo, a New York City-based graduate of the Techstars Mobility accelerator, announced Monday it has raised more money from investors, reached its one millionth passenger, and will soon expand from test markets in New York, Chicago, and Boston to new cities . We caught up with Cargo founder and … Continue reading “Cargo Zooms Ahead with New Cash, Plans to Expand to 10 Cities”
After Whirlwind 2017, May Mobility Plans to Expand Driverless Fleet
May Mobility, the autonomous vehicle startup based in Ann Arbor, MI, had an action-packed 2017. The company launched in January, completed a stint in the Y Combinator accelerator over the summer, put driverless shuttles on downtown Detroit streets through a small pilot program in October, and raised more than $11 million over the course of … Continue reading “After Whirlwind 2017, May Mobility Plans to Expand Driverless Fleet”
IU Spinout CyUtil Helps VR Developers Create More Immersive Products
Imagine you’re a world history teacher in rural Indiana who wants to give students the chance to tour the great pyramids of Egypt—feeling the sun’s warmth on their faces and smelling the aromatic spices used to cook the food eaten by pharaohs—without leaving the state. Thanks to virtual reality technology being developed by Indiana University … Continue reading “IU Spinout CyUtil Helps VR Developers Create More Immersive Products”
Detroit Auto Show Puts Big Focus on Mobility Technologies, Startups
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) kicked off this week in Detroit, allowing industry affiliates and media to get an early look before the show opens to the public this weekend. For the second year in a row, NAIAS highlighted the mobility sector’s potential business models and offered glimpses of how the trillion-dollar market … Continue reading “Detroit Auto Show Puts Big Focus on Mobility Technologies, Startups”
SkySpecs Snags $8M to Expand Drone-Powered Turbine Inspection Service
Drone startup SkySpecs announced this week that it has raised an $8 million Series B funding round. The investment in the Ann Arbor, MI-based company was co-led by Germany’s Statkraft Ventures, the Capital Midwest Fund, and UL Ventures, and also included contributions from returning investors such as Huron River Ventures and Venture Investors. A lot … Continue reading “SkySpecs Snags $8M to Expand Drone-Powered Turbine Inspection Service”
Cahoots Hires Manager, Partially Opens 24,000-Square-Foot Tech Hub
In 2015, Joe Malcoun and Guy Suter first told Xconomy about their plans to create a tech hub in downtown Ann Arbor, MI. “Guy and I are an explosive, dangerous mix, because we have a hard time saying no to cool ideas and we love risk,” Malcoun said during the interview, explaining why the two … Continue reading “Cahoots Hires Manager, Partially Opens 24,000-Square-Foot Tech Hub”
Toyota, Ford, Aptiv, Baidu Lead Crowd Pushing Mobility at CES
In the past, the tech conference CES has primarily highlighted consumer electronics and other cool gadgets, but as automakers continue their quest to be taken seriously by the tech industry, the Las Vegas show held every January has increasingly become the venue of choice for car companies that want to show off their latest autonomous … Continue reading “Toyota, Ford, Aptiv, Baidu Lead Crowd Pushing Mobility at CES”
Dentsu Aegis Buys HelloWorld, formerly ePrize, for an Undisclosed Sum
When we first visited the headquarters of HelloWorld in 2012, the company was still called ePrize and was swiftly outgrowing its Pleasant Ridge, MI, digs. After several years of exponential growth, HelloWorld announced last week that it has been acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network, based in the U.K. The financial terms of the deal were … Continue reading “Dentsu Aegis Buys HelloWorld, formerly ePrize, for an Undisclosed Sum”
Pixo VR Aims to Virtually Train People Who Work in Dangerous Jobs
Imagine that you’ve just gotten hired for a job building skyscrapers. Would you rather complete your job training out on a narrow precipice hundreds of feet in the air, or in a virtual reality simulation of that work environment, where your feet could remain firmly planted on terra firma while you learn the tricks of … Continue reading “Pixo VR Aims to Virtually Train People Who Work in Dangerous Jobs”
Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures
Jill Ford, the city of Detroit’s former head of entrepreneurship and innovation, says she was already interested in the mobility field when she landed a new job last month with Toyota AI Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based investment arm of the Toyota Research Institute. “After hearing about Toyota AI Ventures and its mission, I was fascinated by … Continue reading “Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures”
E-mail Pioneer Borenstein Sees Hope, Flaws in Chaotic Tech Industry
Nathaniel Borenstein, chief scientist at e-mail management company Mimecast, wears many hats: he’s a pioneer in the development of e-mail, a lay theologian, a grandfather who is married to his high school sweetheart, a vegetarian, a former “cyber banker,” and a pacifist. However, he is best known for successfully sending the world’s first e-mail attachment … Continue reading “E-mail Pioneer Borenstein Sees Hope, Flaws in Chaotic Tech Industry”
Hc1 Uses Artificial Intelligence to Uncover Opioid Crisis Insights
As the opioid crisis continues to wreak havoc on the nation’s health and productivity, an Indianapolis-based startup called hc1 is applying artificial intelligence to a vast array of datasets in an attempt to uncover insights aimed at decreasing opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction. Brad Bostic, CEO of hc1, describes his venture as a healthcare relationship … Continue reading “Hc1 Uses Artificial Intelligence to Uncover Opioid Crisis Insights”
Roundup: NextChallenge Winners, Strata Oncology Trial, MCWT & More
What a long, strange year it’s been, with no shortage of news coming out of the technology sector. As we say goodbye to 2017, here’s a final roundup of innovation news from around the state: —Detroit cleantech incubator NextEnergy, in partnership with Denso, DTE Energy, and Wells Fargo, has named Ontario’s SmartCone as the winner of the … Continue reading “Roundup: NextChallenge Winners, Strata Oncology Trial, MCWT & More”
American Center for Mobility Officially Opens, Announces 2018 Plans
There were times when American Center for Mobility (ACM) CEO John Maddox wasn’t sure it would happen on time, but last week, the first phase of the Ypsilanti Township, MI-based test bed officially opened on schedule after more than a year of construction. Two ACM members, Visteon and Toyota, also announced they would begin autonomous … Continue reading “American Center for Mobility Officially Opens, Announces 2018 Plans”