A mere five years since the iPhone was introduced, mobile computing has transformed how we live our daily lives. But what are the emerging opportunities and strategies for innovators as this diverse sector really ramps up? How will the next five years play out as devices and applications are seamlessly integrated into everything do—whether at … Continue reading “Xconomy Forum: Mobile Madness Motor City”
Category: Detroit
Is Seed Investing Here to Stay?
Seed stage investing has been growing tremendously and continues to accelerate. Just in the past year, according to CB Insights, it has grown from 15 percent of total U.S. VC investment volume in Q3 2011 to 31 percent of deal volume in Q3 2012. While it’s still a small allocation in total dollars invested, currently … Continue reading “Is Seed Investing Here to Stay?”
Arboretum Ventures’ Petersen on VC in MI, What the Future Holds
The Michigan Venture Capital Association (MVCA) held its annual awards dinner last week, where it honored the VCs and deals of the year, so we thought it would be a good time to catch up with Arboretum Ventures‘ Tim Petersen, who also serves as the MVCA’s board chair. Petersen says the most interesting thing about … Continue reading “Arboretum Ventures’ Petersen on VC in MI, What the Future Holds”
BOOM! The New Economy Year-End Meeting
This organization for entrepreneurs age 50 and older will hold its year-end meeting. Topic TBA. To learn more, click here.
Creating a Strong and Sustainable Innovation Culture
Steve Jobs, one of the greatest innovators of our time, famously said, “Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have…It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it.” Jobs’ quote is one that I work to embody every day in my role as CEO of … Continue reading “Creating a Strong and Sustainable Innovation Culture”
FuturTech
The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, the School of Engineering, and the School of Information combine to host the university’s premier technology conference. Activities include keynote speakers, discussions, and a startup demo showcase. For details and registration, click here.
Market Research Workshop
Participants will learn how to use electronic and print library resources to conduct market research and business-to-business research. Free and open to the public. Click here for details.
TechTown Hosts First “MITX Up Detroit” For Startups
The Boston-based Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange (MITX), a trade organization representing the digital marketing and IT communities, will expand its programming outside of Boston for the first time with a MITX Up Detroit event that it’s hosting with Wayne State incubator TechTown tonight. “We wanted to go to a place that wasn’t getting all the headlines; … Continue reading “TechTown Hosts First “MITX Up Detroit” For Startups”
North American International Auto Show
One of the world’s premier automobile shows, the NAIAS is where global automakers come together to debut new vehicles and products and discuss the state of the auto industry. For more information, click here.
Entre-SLAM
Entrepreneurs will share their true stories in this storytelling competition, MOTH style, with the theme “Taking the Leap.” Advanced registration required; click here for details.
Ann Arbor SPARK’s Business Law & Order Series
Participants in this series will gain helpful legal information as it pertains to starting a business. This session focuses on how to get funded with a special crowdfunding update. Click here for registration and details.
Entrepreneurship Hour with Diana and Julie Verdugo
The fouders of Gemela Designs, a startup fashion label in Southeast Michigan, will discuss how they built their business. Free and open to the public.
Retrofit Lands $8,000,000 Series A Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=638c0301-1948-4f27-a345-1eab53d4052a&Preview=1 Date 11/13/2012 Company Name Retrofit Mailing Address 5250 Old Orchard Road Skokie, IL 60077 Company Description Retrofit strives to make a significant impact on the weight crisis faced by our families, friends, and country. Website http://www.retrofitme.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $8,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Retrofit will … Continue reading “Retrofit Lands $8,000,000 Series A Financing”
Risk I/O Secures $5,250,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a8f241e5-ccde-4763-b25e-eed39254abf7&Preview=1 Date 11/13/2012 Company Name Risk I/O Mailing Address 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza Chicago, IL 60654 Company Description Delivered via SaaS, Risk I/O aggregates and prioritizes vulnerability data from over 20 of the most widely-deployed security assessment technologies to provide enterprises with a single view of their security risk. Website http://www.risk.io Transaction … Continue reading “Risk I/O Secures $5,250,000 New Financing”
Who Are Biotech’s New Go-To Investment Bankers?
[Updated: 2:40 pm PT] Not that long ago, biotech executives weren’t sure who to call on Wall Street, or whether anyone would answer the phone. In late 2008 and early 2009, nobody could say for sure who would still be around in a couple years to supply capital to aspiring drugmakers. Partly inspired by all … Continue reading “Who Are Biotech’s New Go-To Investment Bankers?”
Technology Open House
ePrize, the digital engagement and marketing company, is hosting a technology open house, which is an opportunity for attendees to speak with the ePrize team and learn more about a number of career opportunities.The company is looking to fill open positions in software engineering, quality assurance, front-end web development, technical project management, and systems support. Those interested … Continue reading “Technology Open House”
Detroit Nation Connects Ex-Pats, Entrepreneurs In Need of Mentorship
Detroit Nation, a new organization of Motor City ex-pats who want to help with the city’s revitalization from afar, will kick off its Drive program next week with events in Ann Arbor, MI, and Chicago. The purpose of Detroit Nation, says program manager Meg Pouncy, is to connect national mentors from all walks of life … Continue reading “Detroit Nation Connects Ex-Pats, Entrepreneurs In Need of Mentorship”
Xconomy’s Post-Election Innovation Priority Poll—The Results
Mr. President, the country’s innovation leaders have spoken. Yesterday, just to keep the election fun going, we asked our readers—entrepreneurs, investors, technologists, executives, or just anyone interested in the business of technology—to weigh in on the things they thought were most important for you and the new Congress to focus on when it comes to … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Post-Election Innovation Priority Poll—The Results”
10 Kickstarter Projects Every Geek Should Support
[Updated 6/5/2014] We’re living in a golden age for creators and entrepreneurs. If you don’t believe me, just look back about a decade and try to remember how hard it was to publish a book, make a movie, record an album, raise a seed round for your startup, get your software onto a mobile phone, … Continue reading “10 Kickstarter Projects Every Geek Should Support”
InterRad Medical Secures $1,500,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9ac36221-2848-4e24-b475-2fc2e331b006&Preview=1 Date 11/9/2012 Company Name InterRad Medical Mailing Address 181 Cheshire Ln. Plymouth, MN 55441 Company Description The company’s mission is the development and commercialization of innovative medical devices for use in minimally invasive interventional and surgical procedures. Website http://www.interradmedical.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,500,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “InterRad Medical Secures $1,500,000 New Financing”
Founder Friday Detroit Launch
Women 2.0 is expanding its signature networking event, Founder Friday, to the city of Detroit. Founder Friday is designed to promote the creation of new networks among aspiring female entrepreneurs, current female entrepreneurs, and female investors in innovative cities globally. Both men and women are invited to attend Founder Friday, which is free and open to … Continue reading “Founder Friday Detroit Launch”
Global Entrepreneurship Week New App Idea Pitch Competition
As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Be Blessed Career Consulting is hosting a pitch competition for mobile app business ideas. The winner will receive $250 toward the creation of their new business app, free online entrepreneurial training for 30 days, and private consultations with industry leaders in mobile app development. To learn more, call (877) 733-3268. … Continue reading “Global Entrepreneurship Week New App Idea Pitch Competition”
Mobile Monday: Driving Revenue From Mobile Technology
Greg Carfine, Director of Global Monetization Solutions for the Baltimore-based Millennial Media, and Fred Kopplow, Director of Marketing and Business Development for the Frontier Computer Corporation, will be on hand to deliver presentations to mobile app developers and marketers about how to drive sales and revenue. The event is free, but registration is required; click here … Continue reading “Mobile Monday: Driving Revenue From Mobile Technology”
Xconomist of the Week: Lisa Suennen on Healthcare Reform Post-Election
It’s been a stress-inducing year for innovators in the healthcare arena. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which calls for the creation of state exchanges to extend health insurance to millions of people who currently lack coverage, passed Congress by a slim margin in 2010 and has been under assault by Republicans ever since. … Continue reading “Xconomist of the Week: Lisa Suennen on Healthcare Reform Post-Election”
Xconomy’s Post-Election Innovation Priority Poll
[Updated, Nov. 9—The polls are closed. But you can see the results here–Eds] The election is over. But as we all know, the really hard part—finding ways for our newly elected and reelected leaders to work together to move the country forward—still remains. There is work to be done on a multitude of fronts, of … Continue reading “Xconomy’s Post-Election Innovation Priority Poll”
MarkITx Secures $1,060,000 New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=64fd3ef1-c618-4474-bba3-ed0b4a4d18ee&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2012 Company Name MarkITx Mailing Address 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza Chicago, IL 60654 Company Description We’re creating a unique platform to manage your IT hardware, providing buyers and sellers a real-time, transparent view of the secondary market. Sellers ship their equipment to our OEM-certified partners where everything is inspected … Continue reading “MarkITx Secures $1,060,000 New Financing”
Echo360 Acquires LectureTools for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fe634fd7-488f-47f6-bfc4-0c72fa3c00be&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2012 Company Name LectureTools Mailing Address 201 E. Liberty Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Company Description LectureTools, Inc. provides instructors and students with robust, pedagogically sound and easy-to-use software solutions. We seek to improve the overall classroom learning experience. Our team is made up of educators, technologists, researchers, programmers, and designers. … Continue reading “Echo360 Acquires LectureTools for Undisclosed Sum”
Echo360 Acquires Ann Arbor’s Lecture Tools
Virginia-based education tech company Echo360 announced today that it has acquired Ann Arbor, MI-based startup Lecture Tools, which makes a digital student-engagement platform. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Perry Samson, the University of Michigan professor who developed Lecture Tools, will remain in his position as U-M’s Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Atmospheric, … Continue reading “Echo360 Acquires Ann Arbor’s Lecture Tools”
IMPACT 2013 hosted by Automation Alley
At this half-day afternoon event, network and learn how to create the greatest impact with your business. For details and registration, click here.
Spooky Cool Labs Garners New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=0c8738f4-c106-40c4-81db-e3ef0fd0c92c&Preview=1 Date 11/7/2012 Company Name Spooky Cool Labs Mailing Address 5515 N. Cumberland Ave Chicago, IL 60656 Company Description Spooky Cool Labs is committed to introducing the next generation of social games to be played and enjoyed by all generations. We are focused on creating cutting-edge social games built on great brands … Continue reading “Spooky Cool Labs Garners New Financing Round”
Michigan Venture Fellows Program Makes Inaugural Placements
The Michigan Venture Capital Association has placed four fellows from the inaugural class of its Michigan Venture Fellows Program. Sam Hogg has joined the Kalamazoo office of Open Prairie Ventures; Jared Stasik has joined Detroit Venture Partners; William Blake has joined Farmington Hills-based Beringea; and Linda Chamberlain has joined the Grand Rapids-based Michigan Accelerator Fund. Funded last November … Continue reading “Michigan Venture Fellows Program Makes Inaugural Placements”
Rescuing Patent-Less Proteins from the Drug Development Dustbin
“Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.” The Greek poet Hesiod wasn’t referring to the drug development process when he wrote these words, but they certainly apply to that setting. Back in the early days of the biotechnology industry, a number of newly identified proteins were considered for … Continue reading “Rescuing Patent-Less Proteins from the Drug Development Dustbin”
Cellular Dynamics International Lands $21,041,664 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fd33f889-a434-42ac-aff6-509feefe23df&Preview=1 Date 11/6/2012 Company Name Cellular Dynamics International Mailing Address 525 Science Drive Madison, WI 53711 Company Description Cellular Dynamics was founded by three world-class scientists in cardiac ion channel models, hES cells, and iPS cells to provide cardiac toxicity drug testing services, including GLP and non-GLP hERG electrophysiological assays as well … Continue reading “Cellular Dynamics International Lands $21,041,664 New Financing Round”
Xunlight Obtains $6,336,017 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=e1dd1af9-8ab5-46b5-99c8-538bcb093f4c&Preview=1 Date 11/6/2012 Company Name Xunlight Mailing Address 3145 Nebraska Avenue Toledo, OH 43607 Company Description Xunlight Corporation, a technology spin-off from the University of Toledo, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic modules that convert sunlight into electricity. The company develops thin-film silicon based photovoltaic products and manufacturing equipment … Continue reading “Xunlight Obtains $6,336,017 New Round”
Message Blocks: Event Planning in the Digital Age
Len Gauger, founder of the Ann Arbor-based startup Message Blocks, is pumped; his event-planning software company is off to a good start, he says. Cheerful and friendly by nature, he could be the poster boy for the kind of young entrepreneur that state government officials dream of when they preach about the need for talent … Continue reading “Message Blocks: Event Planning in the Digital Age”
Your Car: The Future of Connected Health?
The car is entering an innovation renaissance. While Tesla Motors—the electric car company led by PayPal founder Elon Musk—has become the emblem of auto innovation, other manufacturers are following suit. For example, Ford recently launched their AppLink API in 1 million vehicles, allowing drivers to seamlessly integrate and navigate their mobile apps for things such … Continue reading “Your Car: The Future of Connected Health?”
LinkedIn: The Quiet Force Transforming Biotech & Pharma
Mark Levin’s business is biotechnology, so it’s no surprise he knew zilch about a tech company called LinkedIn as recently as two years ago. But these days Levin sounds like he can barely do his job without it. “I’m not the most social media savvy person. I haven’t used a lot of these tools at … Continue reading “LinkedIn: The Quiet Force Transforming Biotech & Pharma”
U-M Student Accelerator TechArb Churns Out Success Stories
The University of Michigan’s entrepreneurship efforts have been steadily gaining attention and acclaim—U-M’s graduate program in entrepreneurship was recently named the second in the nation by the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine—and its student startup accelerator, TechArb, is no exception. Since its inception in 2009, TechArb has produced a host of successful companies, including Mobiata, which … Continue reading “U-M Student Accelerator TechArb Churns Out Success Stories”
Less Is Not Always More: The Argument for Apple-style Skeuomorphism
When an obscure archaeological term like “skeuomorphism” starts to show up in the pages of the country’s leading newspapers, you know people must be talking about Apple again. In technology circles, the biggest news this week wasn’t Superstorm Sandy, or the elections, or even the Disney-Lucasfilm deal and the prospect of another Star Wars trilogy. … Continue reading “Less Is Not Always More: The Argument for Apple-style Skeuomorphism”
Beringea Invests $3.2 Milion in InSkin Media
Michigan’s largest venture capital firm, Beringea, announced this week that it has invested $3.2 million in InSkin Media, a British digital advertising company. InSkin Media will use the investment to develop its mobile format and build international operations. Launched in 2009, InSkin appealed to Beringea because of its innovative online advertising formats that wrap around … Continue reading “Beringea Invests $3.2 Milion in InSkin Media”
Ann Arbor’s Llamasoft Raises $6M Series A Round
Lllamasoft, the Ann Arbor-based analytics software company, announced this week that it has raised a $6 million Series A round with investments from Ann Arbor-based Augment Ventures, Detroit-based First Step Fund, and MK Capital, which has offices in California, Illinois, and Ann Arbor. “We’ve been on a significant growth path, and we’ve established Llamasoft as … Continue reading “Ann Arbor’s Llamasoft Raises $6M Series A Round”
Cartavi Secures Series A Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=74cda430-ae50-4670-8608-c510d7c08c8b&Preview=1 Date 10/31/2012 Company Name Cartavi Mailing Address 1755 Park Street Naperville, IL 60563 Company Description Cartavi is simple web-based software that allows you to securely share documents with everyone involved in the process of buying or selling residential real estate. It gives professionals and their clients a central spot to easily … Continue reading “Cartavi Secures Series A Funding”
LevelEleven Secures $1,000,000 Seed Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=769f9f76-83f7-43c6-8755-f3a69df5bd5e&Preview=1 Date 10/31/2012 Company Name LevelEleven Mailing Address 1555 Broadway St 3rd Floor Detroit, MI 48226 Company Description LevelEleven develops easy-to-use software tools that help sales and other managers keep their teams focused on the right things. Our flagship product, Contest Builder, is a salesforce.com app that gives companies new ways to … Continue reading “LevelEleven Secures $1,000,000 Seed Financing”
LevelEleven Spins Out of ePrize With $1 Million in Seed Funding
A new enterprise gamification company called LevelEleven officially launched in Detroit today, backed by $1 million in seed funding from investors like Detroit Venture Partners and ePrize, and fueled by the hope that the company’s software will transform the way managers keep salespeople motivated. The relationship between LevelEleven’s CEO Bob Marsh and DVP’s CEO Josh … Continue reading “LevelEleven Spins Out of ePrize With $1 Million in Seed Funding”
A New Online “Pre-Accelerator” from Steve Blank and Startup Weekend
In the past, most early-stage startups went down one of three well-worn paths. They either rented office space from a business incubator, in the hope of running into investors and business partners; applied to an accelerator program like TechStars or Y Combinator, which provide mentorship and networking over a set period of several months in … Continue reading “A New Online “Pre-Accelerator” from Steve Blank and Startup Weekend”
FoodCircles Obtains New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f616b0b5-2d95-4bf3-8d6b-013dea6961f5&Preview=1 Date 10/30/2012 Company Name FoodCircles Mailing Address Undisclosed Grand Rapids, MI 49501 Company Description FoodCircles, based in Grand Rapids, is commercializing a free mobile app that tells diners where to eat, gives them a deal, and helps them feed the poor. Website http://www.foodcircles.net Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction … Continue reading “FoodCircles Obtains New Financing”
AMF-Nano Obtains New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=abd459c4-30a5-4fb3-a787-89caa45fdf53&Preview=1 Date 10/30/2012 Company Name AMF-Nano Mailing Address 320 Miller St Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Company Description For first time in history we possess the enormous power to probe the secrets of galaxies 13 billion light-years away, a distance so great it is measured, not in millions of miles, but in light … Continue reading “AMF-Nano Obtains New Financing”
AdAdapted Garners New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4aa99e02-cce8-4375-bdbb-c2acbf798b69&Preview=1 Date 10/30/2012 Company Name AdAdapted Mailing Address Undisclosed Ann Arbor, MI 48103 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 build in … Continue reading “AdAdapted Garners New Round”
PicoSpray Garners New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=753651bd-bc9e-43b7-8805-cc2114757796&Preview=1 Date 10/30/2012 Company Name PicoSpray Mailing Address Undisclosed Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Company Description PicoSpray, based in Ann Arbor, is commercializing a low-cost electronic fuel injection system for the small engine market. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. … Continue reading “PicoSpray Garners New Round”
Child Care Daily App Receives New Financing
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2e8a102f-3d54-4d00-aa0e-d42959e2b214&Preview=1 Date 10/30/2012 Company Name Child Care Daily App Mailing Address 519 North Fifth Ave Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Company Description Ann Arbor-based Child Care Daily App is commercializing its web-based program that simplifies the daily activities of child care providers by automating handwritten tasks, organizing business operations and allowing for better … Continue reading “Child Care Daily App Receives New Financing”