Here’s a look at tech and innovation news from around Michigan: —Plymouth Ventures has sold its position in 365 Retail Markets, the Troy-based developer of point-of-sale hardware, software, and mobile technologies for the workplace, to Omaha, NE-based McCarthy Capital Fund VI. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. “It is an impressive achievement for … Continue reading “Roundup: Lansing Proto, MCWT, BizGrid, GM Wayfinder App & More”
Tag: GM
Boston Tech Watch: DraftKings, Everbridge, GE & NuTonomy
As summer winds down, we are tracking tech startups, big companies, a proposed IPO, and a couple of sectors fraught with regulatory challenges (daily fantasy sports and self-driving vehicles): —General Electric’s new Boston headquarters officially opened on Monday. About 175 employees have moved into the Fort Point offices, and the energy and manufacturing giant expects … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: DraftKings, Everbridge, GE & NuTonomy”
How Much GM Actually Paid for Cruise, and More Automotive News
As we limp into the dog days of summer—Michigan, like most of the Midwest, is currently trapped under what meteorologists are calling a “heat dome”—the state’s automotive technology efforts keep rolling along. Here’s a look at what’s happening around the industry: —When news broke in March that GM had acquired Bay Area tech startup Cruise … Continue reading “How Much GM Actually Paid for Cruise, and More Automotive News”
GitHub Wants Software for Autos to be More Open, Collaborative
Now that it’s clear automakers plan to take autonomous vehicles and mobility platforms to market in the near future, the industry is undergoing a transformation that, earlier this year, a General Motors executive described as being like cramming 50 years of technical advancement into five. With these changes comes a significant need for talented young … Continue reading “GitHub Wants Software for Autos to be More Open, Collaborative”
As the Mobility Sector Revs Up, Startups and Dealerships Respond
Mobility, in case you haven’t heard, is the up-and-coming tech buzzword driving the future of transportation. As defined by the auto industry, mobility refers to moving goods and people from point A to point B. This encompasses vehicles for personal use, fleet vehicles, public transit, ridesharing, bicycles, car-sharing, self-driving cars, planes, trains, and essentially any … Continue reading “As the Mobility Sector Revs Up, Startups and Dealerships Respond”
Soul-searching in Houston on Energy Innovation as Surge Closes
Houston — Since Surge Ventures closed its cleantech/energy venture accelerator last week, the question lingering has been, If a Surge can’t succeed in Houston—the energy capital of the world—then where? Houston’s prowess in energy turned out to be Surge’s Achilles heel: a lack of buy-in from incumbent oil and gas companies and electric utilities, says Surge founder Kirk Coburn. … Continue reading “Soul-searching in Houston on Energy Innovation as Surge Closes”
GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future
According to reports in Fortune and other media outlets, GM has forked over more than $1 billion in cash and stock to acquire Bay Area startup Cruise Automation, a producer of “after-market” kits that can turn existing cars into autonomous vehicles. If the figure is correct, that makes company co-founder Kyle Vogt a “two-time unicorn … Continue reading “GM Bets Big Bucks on Cruise Automation and a Driverless Future”
Zendrive is First Participant in U-M’s New TechLab Program at MCity
The University of Michigan’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Mobility Transformation Center are partnering on a new collaboration at MCity called TechLab, designed to help get connected and driverless car technologies to market faster. Meant to unite the efforts of university researchers, student innovators, and advanced transportation startups, TechLab is part startup incubator and part interactive … Continue reading “Zendrive is First Participant in U-M’s New TechLab Program at MCity”
Inventev Nabs $500K Grant to Test Mobile Power Generation Technology
Inventev, the Detroit-based cleantech startup working on mobile power generation via plug-in hybrid electric vehicle architecture, announced Monday that it has snagged a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Inventev’s CEO and founder, Dave Stenson, said the company will use the money to model, develop, and test key elements of its drive … Continue reading “Inventev Nabs $500K Grant to Test Mobile Power Generation Technology”
The Hottest Trend at This Year’s Detroit Auto Show? Not Cars
There is never an official theme at the annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), held last week in Detroit, but one usually emerges as automakers showcase their latest innovations, hoping to one-up each other while garnering consumer and media interest. One year it was electrification; another year, it was infotainment. This year, the buzzword … Continue reading “The Hottest Trend at This Year’s Detroit Auto Show? Not Cars”
GM Acquires Sidecar’s “Essential” Ridesharing IP, Key Employees
Bay Area ridesharing pioneer Sidecar was back in the news this morning, when it was announced that General Motors has acquired the recently shuttered startup’s technology and assets. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but a source close to the situation told Bloomberg that “it was less than the roughly $39 million that … Continue reading “GM Acquires Sidecar’s “Essential” Ridesharing IP, Key Employees”
MI Roundup: iDashboards, OnStar, Zagster, Pure Michigan LIVE & More
Here’s a look at news you may have missed from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: —iDashboards, the Troy-based business intelligence software company, has formed a “value-add reseller” partnership with Phoenix Systems, a Canadian software and hardware service provider. Phoenix Systems will now offer iDashboards’ data visualization products to its customers, and the company said in a … Continue reading “MI Roundup: iDashboards, OnStar, Zagster, Pure Michigan LIVE & More”
MCity and the Race to Get Connected Cars on the Road
The University of Michigan unveiled MCity this week to a throng of international media and local dignitaries on hand to check out the $6.5 million, 32-acre controlled environment specifically designed to test the potential of connected and automated vehicle technologies. The replica city—complete with movable building facades; roundabouts and traffic signals; bike lanes and a … Continue reading “MCity and the Race to Get Connected Cars on the Road”
MI Roundup: WSU, 123Net, ArdentCause, Jacobs Media, GM
Here’s a look at recent news you may have missed from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: —Wayne State University and Blackstone LaunchPad will host the HackWSU event in Detroit on May 23. The 24-hour hackathon is open to all current high school and college students interested in writing Web-based software, creating mobile apps, or designing computer … Continue reading “MI Roundup: WSU, 123Net, ArdentCause, Jacobs Media, GM”
Roundup: Improve Detroit, DTX, GM, Zagster, U-M Life Sci Institute
Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: —Detroiters, rejoice: The city recently released the new Improve Detroit app, which allows residents to report problems like potholes, illegal dumping, and water main breaks to city officials. The app also connects to the police department, the city’s bus system, and the water department. Users … Continue reading “Roundup: Improve Detroit, DTX, GM, Zagster, U-M Life Sci Institute”
Navdy’s $20M for Heads-Up Displays: Why It Raised More Than Expected
The things that can distract a driver’s attention are innumerable, from crying children to a spilled soda. Navdy, a San Francisco-based hardware and software maker, believes its windshield display technology is the innovation that can cure the latest plague attacking driver safety: smartphones, with their notifications that are constantly tempting owners to answer while driving. The … Continue reading “Navdy’s $20M for Heads-Up Displays: Why It Raised More Than Expected”
How Will the Auto Industry Capitalize on the Internet of Things?
The “Internet of Things” is a very broad term, but think of it this way: in the future, all of our devices could talk to one another, enabling new ways to interact with the world around us. According to ABI Research, there will be more than 30 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things … Continue reading “How Will the Auto Industry Capitalize on the Internet of Things?”
MI Roundup: Compuware, U-M, Start Garden, Ann Arbor SPARK
[Corrected, 9/10/14. See below] Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: —On the heels of last week’s announcement that Compuware had been purchased by Thoma Brava, a private equity firm, comes this news: Compuware APM will now operate under the name Dynatrace. John Van Siclen will continue to lead the business. —The … Continue reading “MI Roundup: Compuware, U-M, Start Garden, Ann Arbor SPARK”
U-M Impact Challenge Seeks to Help Detroit Kids Become Entrepreneurs
It’s their first week on campus—and for many, their first time in the United States—but that isn’t slowing down about 450 graduate students from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Tuesday marked the kick-off of the Impact Challenge, an annual immersive leadership development program that this year focuses on getting Detroit kids interested … Continue reading “U-M Impact Challenge Seeks to Help Detroit Kids Become Entrepreneurs”
Carless in Cambridge: Bike & Car Sharing and the Future of Traffic
Nine weeks ago, I lost my fancy hybrid street/trail bike to one of San Francisco’s plentiful bicycle thieves. Seven weeks ago, in preparation for a big move east, I sold my car. Now I’m settling into a new apartment in Cambridge, MA, and for the first time in my adult life, I don’t own a … Continue reading “Carless in Cambridge: Bike & Car Sharing and the Future of Traffic”
MI’s Power Electronics Industry Collaborative Snags $500K Award
Today, NextEnergy announced that the Power Electronics Industry Collaborative (PEIC) has been awarded a two-year, $500,000 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The award was given as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia, or AMTech, program to fund the PEIC’s efforts toward strengthening the domestic power electronics cluster and supply … Continue reading “MI’s Power Electronics Industry Collaborative Snags $500K Award”
3D Design Software Helps Dearborn Mid-West Stay on Track
The Dearborn Mid-West Company (DMW) started as a small fabrication shop outside of Detroit in 1947. The company has rolled with the punches of the automotive industry ever since, incorporating new technology along the way to remain competitive. Today, DMW designs and manufactures major material handling systems, such as the kind of conveyors that pull … Continue reading “3D Design Software Helps Dearborn Mid-West Stay on Track”
XL Hybrids Hauls In $3M From WindSail to Electrify Fleet Vehicles
[Updated 11:05 am] What does $10 million buy you in alternative energy and transportation? Not much, these days. But if you’re XL Hybrids, it gets you about halfway to profitability. At least if you believe co-founder and president Tod Hynes. The Boston company, which makes hybrid electric powertrains for commercial vehicles, has just raised $3 … Continue reading “XL Hybrids Hauls In $3M From WindSail to Electrify Fleet Vehicles”
To Tell the Story of Innovation in Detroit, Xconomy Needs Your Help
Whenever I’m describing Xconomy to someone who hasn’t come across our website before, I rattle off the names of the eight high-tech hubs where we have bureaus, in the order we opened them: Boston, Seattle, San Diego, Detroit, San Francisco, New York, Boulder/Denver, and Texas. At that point, the listener usually exclaims “Detroit! Why Detroit?” … Continue reading “To Tell the Story of Innovation in Detroit, Xconomy Needs Your Help”
U-M Unveils Automated Vehicle Test Site, Collaborative Battery Lab
Yesterday, the University of Michigan announced it will construct an automated vehicle test environment on 30 acres at its North Campus Research Complex. The $6.5 million test environment, which is expected to be completed by fall of 2014, will include approximately three miles of roads with intersections, traffic signs and signals; sidewalks; benches; simulated buildings; … Continue reading “U-M Unveils Automated Vehicle Test Site, Collaborative Battery Lab”
Roundup: Covisint Stocks Soar After IPO, Longbow Software Opens U.S. Office in Ann Arbor
It’s been a busy week in Southeast Michigan’s tech scene. Here’s a roundup of some of the recent news: –On Wednesday, Compuware announced the pricing of its initial public offering of shares of Covisint, its wholly owned subsidiary. The offering includes 6.4 million shares, representing approximately 17.6% of its issued and outstanding shares of Covisint. The shares … Continue reading “Roundup: Covisint Stocks Soar After IPO, Longbow Software Opens U.S. Office in Ann Arbor”
Report from Techonomy Detroit: Can Technology Rebuild the Middle Class?
Though members of the so-called middle class weren’t necessarily in the room at yesterday’s Techonomy Detroit conference, they seemed to be on a lot of attendees’ minds. One recurring theme to the day’s programming was the idea of utilizing technology as a democratizing agent to give people better access to education, jobs, government services, and investment … Continue reading “Report from Techonomy Detroit: Can Technology Rebuild the Middle Class?”
Former Auto, Bomber Plant to Become Connected Vehicle Research Center
A 5 million-square-foot former automotive factory in Ypsilanti Township, MI—the site where Henry Ford perfected his system of producing a new World War II bomber every minute—has taken its first step toward new life as a connected vehicle research center. “This is the next big thing in transportation technology,” says Paul Krutko, president and CEO … Continue reading “Former Auto, Bomber Plant to Become Connected Vehicle Research Center”
GM, Honda Detail Long-Term Fuel Cell Co-Development Strategy
Earlier this month, GM and Honda announced they are embarking on a long-term agreement to co-develop next-generation fuel cell technologies and infrastructure, with the goal of driving the technology forward faster. The target date the automakers are shooting for is 2020. “We’re working together to innovate and drive costs down,” says Charles Freese, GM’s executive … Continue reading “GM, Honda Detail Long-Term Fuel Cell Co-Development Strategy”
GM Opens Developer Portal Ahead of 4G Car Launch
People were buzzing at least week’s Telematics Update conference about the dawn of the 4G car, made possible starting in 2014 thanks to a partnership between General Motors and AT&T. In my informal, off-the record poll, executives running some of the world’s largest mobile technology companies said they considered it to be the biggest thing … Continue reading “GM Opens Developer Portal Ahead of 4G Car Launch”
A Biotech Innovation Supply Chain: Reality or Fantasy?
Biotech has always been a bit like an open-air market bazaar. Now the industry needs to become a little more stable, more predictable. It ought to be part of something you could call an “innovation supply chain.” At least, that’s the view of Noubar Afeyan, the managing partner of Cambridge, MA-based Flagship Ventures. Biotech is … Continue reading “A Biotech Innovation Supply Chain: Reality or Fantasy?”
Notes From the Auto Show: Smarter, Sexier, More Fun
I feel a little silly admitting this, but the word that kept echoing in my head as I walked around this year’s installment of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) was “sexy.” NAIAS was all vehicles with swooping curves, swanky booths serving espresso with a fancy assortment of sweeteners, and lanky models draped over … Continue reading “Notes From the Auto Show: Smarter, Sexier, More Fun”
Mobile Madness Motor City: Highlights and Takeaways
Startup founders, industry leaders, investors, and a high number of young, engaged Detroiters crowded into the auditorium at the Compuware Building downtown last Thursday for Mobile Madness Motor City, Xconomy’s first mobile technology event in Detroit. We’ve held Mobile Madness events to great success in other cities across the Xconomy network, and Detroit was no … Continue reading “Mobile Madness Motor City: Highlights and Takeaways”
Stitcher, the Pandora of Talk, Works to Make Internet Radio Easier
Sometimes we don’t realize what was so great about a traditional medium until a new one comes along and tries to take its place. Consider radio. Web-based radio has been around since the 1990s, and this year marks the 10th anniversary of the technology behind podcasting. Yet old-fashioned broadcast radio is still a $17 billion … Continue reading “Stitcher, the Pandora of Talk, Works to Make Internet Radio Easier”
NanoSteel to Open Metro Detroit Office Focusing on Automotive Business
NanoSteel, the Providence, RI-based nano-materials company, announced yesterday that it will open an office in metro Detroit. It has named Craig Parsons, a former Gestamp executive with more than 20 years experience working in the automobile supply chain and manufacturing, to lead the operation. The metro Detroit office will focus on NanoSteel’s automotive initiatives as … Continue reading “NanoSteel to Open Metro Detroit Office Focusing on Automotive Business”
In-Car Health Monitoring: Lemon or Lifesaver?
Patient monitoring outside the hospital has been a hot topic (and also a not so hot topic) for the past 15 years. Starting back in the late 1990s with companies like Health Hero, a company whose products for patient home monitoring are still in use today, company after company has sought to bring a successful … Continue reading “In-Car Health Monitoring: Lemon or Lifesaver?”
Evelo Aims to Tap into Burgeoning Electric Bicycle Commuting Trend
What do peer-to-peer car sharing and electric bicycles have in common? They represent a shift in consumer attitudes towards transportation, says Boston-area entrepreneur Boris Mordkovich. “It’s really interesting to see the perceptions people have about car ownership,” Mordkovich says. “Years ago, owning a car meant freedom and flexibility. Right now people are looking for a … Continue reading “Evelo Aims to Tap into Burgeoning Electric Bicycle Commuting Trend”
GM, RelayRides, OnStar Partner in New Car Sharing Program
On Tuesday, GM, OnStar, and peer-to-peer car-sharing service RelayRides teamed up to give 6 million OnStar subscribers the ability to instantly rent out their vehicles through the RelayRides marketplace. RelayRides users will be able to access their reserved cars using any mobile device. “It’s very exciting,” Shelby Clark, RelayRides founder and chief community officer, says of the … Continue reading “GM, RelayRides, OnStar Partner in New Car Sharing Program”
Steve Blank on Detroit’s Renaissance and Why Startups Aren’t Cool
Xconomist and startup guru Steve Blank swept into Detroit last night for a sold-out, wide-ranging discussion at the Madison Building. (Kudos to Bizdom, Detroit Venture Partners, Startup Michigan, and Grow Detroit for packing the auditorium with over 100 people on less than 24 hours notice of Blank’s appearance.) Prone to tangents that are no less insightful … Continue reading “Steve Blank on Detroit’s Renaissance and Why Startups Aren’t Cool”
Urban Science Expands Detroit Headquarters to Accommodate Growth
Urban Science, a Detroit-based company founded 34 years ago to help bridge science and marketing functions primarily for automotive clients, recently announced it has expanded to a larger and completely renovated 100,000-square-foot space. The new digs, at 400 Renaissance Center in Detroit, will accommodate Urban Science’s growing business and work force. “People think of the … Continue reading “Urban Science Expands Detroit Headquarters to Accommodate Growth”
How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 2 of 2
Read part 1 of this post for background. By the early 1920s General Motors realized that Ford, which was now selling the Model T for $290, had an unbeatable monopoly on low-cost automobile manufacturing. Other manufacturers had experimented with selling cars based on an image and brand. (The most notable was an ad by the … Continue reading “How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 2 of 2”
How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 1 of 2
It was the most advanced consumer product of the century. The industry started with its innovators located in different cities over a wide region. But within 20 years it would be concentrated in a single entrepreneurial startup cluster. At first it was a craft business, then it was driven by relentless technology innovation and then … Continue reading “How the iPhone Got Tail Fins—Part 1 of 2”
Pinnacle Looks Beyond Detroit as the Market for Its Opposed-Piston Engine
When Ecomotors International set out to change the way car and truck engines are built, it set up shop in Livonia, MI, a suburb of Detroit, in hopes of eventually licensing its technology to the big U.S. automakers. It was a calculated risk. As radical as Ecomotors’ opposed-piston engine design may be, at least the … Continue reading “Pinnacle Looks Beyond Detroit as the Market for Its Opposed-Piston Engine”
To Bring Driving into the Infotainment Age, GM’s Palo Alto Office Melds Silicon Valley Fancy with Detroit Pragmatism
I visited GM’s Advanced Technology division in Silicon Valley on August 4, the same day the Detroit giant revealed its second-quarter financial results. The numbers were far better than one might have expected, given the automaker’s troubled recent history. GM said it brought in $2.5 billion in net income in the quarter, which was a … Continue reading “To Bring Driving into the Infotainment Age, GM’s Palo Alto Office Melds Silicon Valley Fancy with Detroit Pragmatism”
GM Puts $7.5M into Sunlogics
Sunlogics, a Rochester Hills, MI-based developer of thin-film photovoltaic arrays for solar energy farms, revealed today (PDF) that it has collected $7.5 million in equity-based financing from Detroit-based General Motors Ventures. GM also committed to buy solar charging canopies for Chevrolet dealerships and other GM facilities, and to purchase power from large-scale solar arrays built … Continue reading “GM Puts $7.5M into Sunlogics”
GM Leads $17M Envia Round
Envia Systems, a Newark, CA-based startup developing cathodes for high-capacity lithium ion batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles, said today (PDF) that it has raised $17 million in Series C financing. General Motors’ venture investment wing, GM Ventures, put $7 million into the deal; the rest came from new investors Asahi Kasei and Asahi Glass … Continue reading “GM Leads $17M Envia Round”
The Story of Detroit Added Some Significant Chapters in 2010; Here Are 10 of Them
When Xconomy Detroit launched in April 2010, I wrote that this city is a verb, in a constant state of action, of “becoming,” of striving for something greater. Having lived in Michigan for much of my life, I can say that this was true even in good times, and certainly even more so in bad. … Continue reading “The Story of Detroit Added Some Significant Chapters in 2010; Here Are 10 of Them”
Relume Technologies Foresees Growth Driven by Advances in LED Displays, Smart Grid
Relume Technologies might become one of the great growth stories in the state of Michigan’s tech sector next year. The Oxford, MI-based maker of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting products and networked lighting control systems is aiming for significant increases in revenue and employment over the next year, president and chief technology officer Peter Hochstein says. … Continue reading “Relume Technologies Foresees Growth Driven by Advances in LED Displays, Smart Grid”
What’s Next for Car Connectivity? Notes From the Future of GM’s OnStar
The only time I’ve visited General Motors’ OnStar operation, its bustling command center was out in Troy, MI, a long way from its current site at GM headquarters in downtown Detroit’s Renaissance Center. That was nine years and about four million subscribers ago (OnStar now has 5.7 million subscribers, compared to 1.7 million in 2001 … Continue reading “What’s Next for Car Connectivity? Notes From the Future of GM’s OnStar”
What We Can Learn from the Flight of Microsoft Execs to Amazon, AOL, GM, Nokia, Yahoo…and Micro VC
Sometimes all you need to do is look at where former Microsoft executives are going, to piece together some interesting trends in the tech industry. In recent months, a number of high-profile leaders from very different divisions of the Redmond, WA-based software firm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) have departed. This might be true in any given year … Continue reading “What We Can Learn from the Flight of Microsoft Execs to Amazon, AOL, GM, Nokia, Yahoo…and Micro VC”