Category: Detroit

Varsity News Network Lands $3,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=543d8b58-f3af-4c42-a028-871d7cce0594 Date 2/18/2014 Company Name Varsity News Network Mailing Address 335 Madison Avenue SE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Company Description Varsity News Network increases exposure and recognition for high school athletes, and empowers students interested in media to gain experience in the field. In sports and advanced education, VNN pushes the boundaries … Continue reading “Varsity News Network Lands $3,000,000 New Funding”

Big Data and Business Analytics Symposium

Wayne State University is the host of this symposium, which will focus on pragmatic issues faced while deploying big data strategies to drive business success. The symposium will feature keynotes speeches and panel discussions; it’s open to all business and information technology executives, marketing professionals, and those interested in learning how to put analytics into … Continue reading “Big Data and Business Analytics Symposium”

Molecular Diagnostics Are in a Rut. The Industry Needs the FDA

Some of the more exciting ideas in biotech are coming up in molecular diagnostics. There’s cool science at work. A number of tests have potential to cut down on overtreatment, reduce waste in healthcare, and give physicians clever new ideas on how to help patients. But this industry, which accounts for less than 2 percent … Continue reading “Molecular Diagnostics Are in a Rut. The Industry Needs the FDA”

15 Places to Turn for Technology News That Really Matters

Nobody on their deathbed says they wish they’d spent more time reading tech blogs. Don’t get me wrong: It’s great that consumers and entrepreneurs have so many places today to get news about the world of Internet startups, mobile devices, software, and venture investing. Back in 1998-2001, the last time things were this crazy in … Continue reading “15 Places to Turn for Technology News That Really Matters”

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 Secures New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4543aa9d-8e7c-4d3c-8ab3-52df0aa8803c Date 2/14/2014 Company Name AlertWatch Mailing Address 600 Huron Parkway Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Company Description AlertWatch: OR is a secondary patient monitor for use in hospital operating rooms. AlertWatch aggregates data from multiple networks hospital IT systems and displays them at a central location. Once alerted, the clinician must refer … Continue reading “AlertWatch Secures New Financing Round”

AdAdapted Garners New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=baef87b1-82db-464f-8321-e878d103d661 Date 2/14/2014 Company Name AdAdapted Mailing Address 1327 Jones Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 40105 Company Description With AdAdapted, publishers define their own unique ad spots and advertisers can find the native opportunities that make sense for their brands. Like a banner ad, every ad is dynamic so publishers don’t have to … Continue reading “AdAdapted Garners New Financing”

Social Impact Challenge

The University of Michigan and Detroit Future City are seeking ways to improve transportation access for Detroit residents through a multidisciplinary, team-based student competition. Graduate students will collaborate to develop solutions that increase connectivity for Detroiters in three high-vacancy neighborhoods. Finalists will present their ideas to a panel; the winning team will receive $2,500 and … Continue reading “Social Impact Challenge”

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”

Detroit Week 2014

Celebrate Detroit’s entrepreneurs and innovators with a week’s worth of activities, including workshops, a demo day, networking receptions, and more. Click here for details and a full schedule of events.

Flipping the Flipped Classroom

Two of the hot topics in education in the last few years have been Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC’s) and the flipped classroom. I’ve been experimenting with both of them. What I’ve learned (besides being able to use the word “pedagogy” in a sentence) is 1) assigning students lectures as homework doesn’t guarantee the students … Continue reading “Flipping the Flipped Classroom”

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”

ArborMetrix Lands $1,300,000 Series B Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8354ff84-c154-4855-b6d9-277a844c9167 Date 2/11/2014 Company Name ArborMetrix Mailing Address 2929 Plymouth Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105 Company Description ArborMetrix’s combination of clinical insight and statistical science powers one of the most strategic and flexible solutions your organization can deploy to measure clinical performance and efficiency. Website http://www.arbormetrix.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount … Continue reading “ArborMetrix Lands $1,300,000 Series B Funding”

365 Retail Markets Garners Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6e05f165-0063-45bf-9596-dabfb8874aa6 Date 2/11/2014 Company Name 365 Retail Markets Mailing Address 1743 Maplelawn Troy, MI 48084 Company Description We are a Pure Michigan company. We love local business, and we translate our Michigan roots into global success. Founded in 2008, we have made incredible progress toward our goal of revolutionizing the vending industry. … Continue reading “365 Retail Markets Garners Series A Financing Round”

Xconomy Xchange: Jason Mendelson—Sustaining and Nurturing a Startup Ecosystem

Jason Mendelson is the managing director and co-founder of the Foundry Group, a hugely successful Boulder, CO, venture fund that invests in early-stage information technology, Internet, and software startups. He’s also a metro Detroit native and University of Michigan graduate who is passionate about Detroit and has valuable insights on nurturing vibrant innovation ecosystems. To … Continue reading “Xconomy Xchange: Jason Mendelson—Sustaining and Nurturing a Startup Ecosystem”

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””

The Young and Proven Biotech VCs From 2012. Where Are They Now?

One of the old saws in journalism is to “follow the money” when you’re looking for a story. But sometimes you learn even more by following the people. The people, in this case, are biotech venture capitalists. Regular readers of this column know that biotech VC has been going through a historic shakeout the last … Continue reading “The Young and Proven Biotech VCs From 2012. Where Are They Now?”

UpTo Obtains $550,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c6da3a08-1576-4928-a84b-b006ae09e9a9 Date 2/10/2014 Company Name UpTo Mailing Address 1555 Broadway Detroit, MI 48226 Company Description UpTo Lets You Glance Into the Future. Share what you’re going to be up to, see what friends are up to and discover new events. UpTo integrates with your calendar to make sharing simple. Website http://www.upto.com Transaction … Continue reading “UpTo Obtains $550,000 Series A Funding”

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Samantha? The Lessons of “Her”

Warning: Extensive plot spoilers. Like any effective science fiction movie, Spike Jonze’s Her has sparked a lot of important conversation and criticism, about everything from user-interface design to misogyny in filmmaking. But the reviews I’ve read all seem to miss one key point. Considered as a product, not a person (and we’ll get back to … Continue reading “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Samantha? The Lessons of “Her””

Sometimes It Pays to Be A Jerk

The concepts in my Lean LaunchPad curriculum can be taught in a variety of classes–as an introduction to entrepreneurship all the way to a graduate level “capstone class.” I recently learned being tough when you select teams for a capstone class pays off for all involved. Here’s why. Our Lean LaunchPad class requires student teams … Continue reading “Sometimes It Pays to Be A Jerk”

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”

5 Practical Tips for Startups to Develop a Solid Brand Reputation

Every company wants to build a strong brand. However, for startups in today’s crowded marketplace, it can be quite challenging to get a brand noticed and recognized. I believe it’s always a good idea to study the best brands in the world, and see how they do things. So here are a few key tips … Continue reading “5 Practical Tips for Startups to Develop a Solid Brand Reputation”

Not All Student Entrepreneurs Drop Out

Today’s generation of students has a high exposure to the Internet, smartphones, social and many other technologies from a very young age. It is not uncommon to see college students tinkering with technology, starting digital startups, and making millions (and occasionally even billions). Some drop out of school to build their business, but not all. … Continue reading “Not All Student Entrepreneurs Drop Out”

Celebration Soup

Kiva Detroit, D:Hive, and Detroit Soup are teaming up to host this event, where entrepreneurs will pitch their startup ideas. Attendees will then have a chance to vote on the winner. In addition, Kiva Detroit will be giving all finalists an opportunity to apply for a microloan of up to $5,000. For details, click here.

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”

The $1K Genome? So What? Illumina Is On a Quest for World Domination

People can argue all day about whether Illumina has, at last, given us the $1,000 genome. The answer does matter, because the cheaper it gets to sequence a whole human genome, the easier it will be to gather lots of them. That will help us understand what makes people different, and shed light on what … Continue reading “The $1K Genome? So What? Illumina Is On a Quest for World Domination”

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”

AdAdapted Receives $325,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6437dff7-e422-4498-a586-1f5b11d2cb9a Date 1/29/2014 Company Name AdAdapted Mailing Address 1327 Jones Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 40105 Company Description With AdAdapted, publishers define their own unique ad spots and advertisers can find the native opportunities that make sense for their brands. Like a banner ad, every ad is dynamic so publishers don’t have to … Continue reading “AdAdapted Receives $325,000 New Funding Round”

In California, Walgreens & Walmart Are Rethinking Retail Health

On January 1, 2014, a bill signed by Governor Jerry Brown fundamentally transformed how pharmacists operate in California. The new law allows pharmacists in the most populous state in the nation to independently prescribe vaccinations, hormonal contraception, smoking cessation medications, and travel medicine without physician oversight or supervision. Importantly, the bill declares that “pharmacists are … Continue reading “In California, Walgreens & Walmart Are Rethinking Retail Health”

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”

What the World Needs Now Is (Probably Not) a Pill for Perfect Pitch

I remember seeing an episode of Desperate Housewives during the show’s first season called Running to Stand Still. In the episode, Lynette, working mom of many, takes her kid’s ADD medicine in order to be supermom and create costumes for the school play while balancing all of her other tasks. It was a classic self-prescribed … Continue reading “What the World Needs Now Is (Probably Not) a Pill for Perfect Pitch”

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”

Gene Therapy Lurches Ahead, Sees Thorny Future Questions on Price

Imagine for a minute you’re a teenager with a rare genetic muscle disease nobody has ever heard of. No treatment exists. Your doctor says you might die if you ever eat pepperoni pizza. The medical literature says you’ll never get to be an athlete, get a real job, start a family. You’ll probably die in … Continue reading “Gene Therapy Lurches Ahead, Sees Thorny Future Questions on Price”

Leadership Summit: Building a New Michigan

Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) is hosting its second annual leadership summit. BLM will will unveil a report detailing the progress made on the Michigan Turnaround Plan’s New Michigan strategy, which calls for growing six distinctive areas to broaden Michigan’s economy: logistics, mobility, higher education, engineering, life sciences, and natural resources. The summit is free and open … Continue reading “Leadership Summit: Building a New Michigan”

Using Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Against an Age-Old Disease

When I started working on the research and science of leprosy more than a decade ago, people thought this chronic infectious disease would eliminate itself and burn out over time. We didn’t have time for that. Why? Nearly 250,000 new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year, and many more go undetected. Approximately 10 percent … Continue reading “Using Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Against an Age-Old Disease”

Bootstrappers Breakfast

Calling all hungry entrepreneurs who want to compare notes, exchange ideas, find partners, and learn from others’ mistakes: The Bootstrappers Breakfast is a chance for founders of early stage tech startups to chew the fat with other people who are serious about building a business. For more information, click here.

TechTown Fall 2013 Labs Venture Accelerator Showcase

For the past 12 weeks, TechTown’s startup teams have been working hard to develop their innovative business ideas and plans. At this showcase event, they’ll pitch their companies to a panel of industry experts who will give each team feedback and advice. For details and registration, click here.

Women 2.0 Founder Friday Detroit

Both women and men are invited to attend this monthly shindig to promote the creation of new networks among aspiring entrepreneurs, current entrepreneurs, and investors in innovative cities around the world. This month’s speaker will be Molly McFarland, who founded AdAdapted. To register, click here.

Hockney’s iPad: How Technology Illuminates the Way We See

The best painters don’t just make pretty, eye-catching pictures. They make us think about what it means to see. On the canvas, they must reduce the three dimensions of the living world to two—but if they’re good at it, they add a different kind of depth in the process. David Hockney is very, very good … Continue reading “Hockney’s iPad: How Technology Illuminates the Way We See”

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”

Venture Highlights of 2013: Early Stage Deals, Mobile, and New York

More venture data is coming out today, and it confirms some of the big-picture trends for 2013—namely, a modest increase in the amount of venture investing nationwide. New York’s CB Insights, a venture capital database, says in its end-of-year report that the $29.2 billion that VCs invested throughout the United States in 2013 amounted to … Continue reading “Venture Highlights of 2013: Early Stage Deals, Mobile, and New York”