Tag: Ann Arbor SPARK

State Allocates Funds for Advanced Computing Hub, Incubator Programs

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for state-supported entrepreneurial programs. On Wednesday, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) approved $250,000 to support a new advanced computing hub at Wayne State University as part of the statewide Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) program. MTRAC seeks to accelerate the transfer of technology developed at Michigan universities … Continue reading “State Allocates Funds for Advanced Computing Hub, Incubator Programs”

U-M’s Desai Accelerator Invests Millionth Dollar Since 2013 Launch

The University of Michigan’s Desai Accelerator, an incubator open to early-stage tech startups regardless of their connection to the school, hit a major milestone this year: It invested its millionth dollar after funding the six companies in its 2018 cohort. The accelerator, a joint initiative between the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the … Continue reading “U-M’s Desai Accelerator Invests Millionth Dollar Since 2013 Launch”

Roundup: OptimizeRx, Parabricks, URC, Startup Detroit, ACM and More

The weather is finally starting to cool—I’m a fan of fall —but Michigan’s tech startups and entrepreneurs are still red-hot: they’re raising money, buying competitors and complementary companies, launching new products, and more. Read on for recent news about the state’s innovation community. —Rochester’s OptimizeRx, a digital health company focused on facilitating digital communication between … Continue reading “Roundup: OptimizeRx, Parabricks, URC, Startup Detroit, ACM and More”

Roundup: Genomenon, Develop(her), QL Demo Day, MBA Summit & More

Michigan’s innovation community continues to pump out news at a steady clip. Here are some of the latest updates from around the state. —Ann Arbor’s Genomenon, a startup focused on genomic search data, has struck a new partnership with Boston’s Rhythm Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RYTM]]), a company working on treatments for rare obesity disorders. They will team up … Continue reading “Roundup: Genomenon, Develop(her), QL Demo Day, MBA Summit & More”

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”

Roundup: Kyyba Pitch Club, Hygieia, W. Michigan Startup Data & More

Here’s a look at startup news, business competition deadlines, new products, and more from around Michigan’s tech ecosystem: —Detroit’s WeWork location will host UPS’s X-Port Challenge, where startups can pitch their products or solutions and win up to $10,000 in export shipping credits. Each regional winner will then have the opportunity to participate in a … Continue reading “Roundup: Kyyba Pitch Club, Hygieia, W. Michigan Startup Data & More”

MI Roundup: Court Innovations, A2 Tech Trek, SoccerStub, and More

Here’s a look at recent innovation news from around the state: —Ann Arbor-based Court Innovations, a startup spun out of the University of Michigan’s law school, has closed on a $1.8 million funding round. The round was led by Belle Michigan Fund, with contributions from Northern Michigan Angels, Michigan Angel Fund, U-M’s student-led Social Venture Fund, … Continue reading “MI Roundup: Court Innovations, A2 Tech Trek, SoccerStub, and More”

Barracuda Networks Plans $2.3 Million Expansion and Hiring Spree

Barracuda Networks, the publicly traded cybersecurity giant, is growing—and has chosen once more to expand in Ann Arbor, MI. Barracuda (NYSE: [[ticker:CUDA]]), which was founded in Ann Arbor in 2003 but moved its headquarters to Silicon Valley in 2007, plans to invest $2.3 million in its downtown Ann Arbor office and add up to 115 … Continue reading “Barracuda Networks Plans $2.3 Million Expansion and Hiring Spree”

Happy Trails, Ken: Nisbet Retires from Running U-M Tech Transfer

Tuesday marked the last day on the job for Detroit/Ann Arbor Xconomist Ken Nisbet, the University of Michigan’s longtime director of technology transfer—but don’t expect to see him enjoying post-career leisure activities anytime soon. “I’m not going to go fishing five days a week or anything,” Nisbet says with a laugh. “I’m staying in Ann … Continue reading “Happy Trails, Ken: Nisbet Retires from Running U-M Tech Transfer”

Interactions Buys Digital Roots to Bolster Social Media Offerings

Interactions, a Franklin, MA-based company using artificial intelligence technologies to power virtual assistants for enterprise customers, today announced it has acquired Digital Roots, a metro Detroit startup focused on AI-based customer engagement on social media. The specific terms of the deal were not disclosed. Digital Roots is headquartered in Northville, MI, in a building that … Continue reading “Interactions Buys Digital Roots to Bolster Social Media Offerings”

Distil’s Are You a Human Acquisition Is Big Win for Tech Community

Detroit’s nascent tech community got a significant validation today as Silicon Valley cybersecurity company Distil Networks announced it has acquired homegrown, Dan Gilbert-backed startup Are You a Human. The specific terms and the monetary value of the deal were not disclosed, but Distil says it plans to open a new office in Detroit as a … Continue reading “Distil’s Are You a Human Acquisition Is Big Win for Tech Community”

Roundup: LLamasoft, TechHire Bootcamp, Application Deadlines Galore

Here’s a look at innovation news you may have missed from around Michigan: —LLamasoft, the Ann Arbor-based developer of supply chain software, announced today that TPG Capital has invested in the company. The specifics of the deal were not disclosed. LLamasoft marks TPG’s second foray into the supply-chain technology space, following its 2016 investment in Transporeon, a … Continue reading “Roundup: LLamasoft, TechHire Bootcamp, Application Deadlines Galore”

Roundup: Fuyao, WSU Translational Research, Deadlines Galore & More

Here’s a look at innovation news from around Michigan: —Wayne State University has appointed Phillip Levy, a doctor and professor of emergency medicine, to head up its new Translational Science and Clinical Research Innovation program. Housed in WSU’s Integrative Biosciences Center, the Center for Translational Science and Clinical Research Innovation will become the hub of campus-wide … Continue reading “Roundup: Fuyao, WSU Translational Research, Deadlines Galore & More”

MI Roundup: BlueWater Angels, Hygieia, FastTrack Awards, Grand Circus & More

Here’s a look at innovation news across Michigan: —Thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan‘s Detroit Auto Dealer’s Association Fund, Grand Circus is teaching after-school coding classes to local kids as part of the Detroit Boxing Gym Youth Program. The twice-weekly classes began in November, will teach a range of … Continue reading “MI Roundup: BlueWater Angels, Hygieia, FastTrack Awards, Grand Circus & More”

Ridesharing Startup SPLT Wins Accelerate Michigan’s $500K Prize

SPLT, the Detroit-based enterprise carpooling service and graduate of the Techstars Mobility program, walked away with the $500,000 grand prize at this year’s Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition, the state’s largest annual startup event, held last week in Detroit. In an e-mail to supporters, SPLT CEO Anya Babbitt described the company’s reaction to the win: “Thursday night … Continue reading “Ridesharing Startup SPLT Wins Accelerate Michigan’s $500K Prize”

Healthtech Startup Curo Opens First U.S. Office in Ann Arbor

Curo Technologies, a Melbourne, Australia-based healthtech startup, announced this week that it is opening its first U.S. office in Ann Arbor, MI. Steve Hopkins, who will run the Ann Arbor office, said Curo’s decision to expand to Southeast Michigan makes good business sense, as it allows the company to tap into the area’s technical talent … Continue reading “Healthtech Startup Curo Opens First U.S. Office in Ann Arbor”

Roundup: Zoetis, Agtech Incubator, Knight Cities Challenge & More

Here’s a look at innovation news from around Michigan: —On Tuesday, Ann Arbor’s Plymouth Venture Partners announced it had sold its stake in 365 Retail Markets to Boston-based McCarthy Capital Fund VI; the terms of the deal were not disclosed. As we reported in 2013, 365 Retail Markets is a Troy-based startup that designs and … Continue reading “Roundup: Zoetis, Agtech Incubator, Knight Cities Challenge & More”

Lawn Guru Closes $1M Round, Plans National Expansion

Lawn Guru, an app that allows users to connect with lawn care professionals and order services on demand, announced this week that it has closed a $1 million seed round. The round was led by Sierra Wasach Capital with participation from Canyon Creek Capital, Briggs and Stratton, and Sequoia Capital’s scout program. According to a … Continue reading “Lawn Guru Closes $1M Round, Plans National Expansion”

Duo Security Snags $2.5M Grant, Will Hire Up to 300

Ann Arbor, MI-based startup Duo Security announced that it has received a $2.5 million grant from the state’s Michigan Strategic Fund and, as a condition of the grant, plans to hire up to 300 new employees over the coming months. Economic development group Ann Arbor SPARK has pledged to assist Duo in its employee recruitment … Continue reading “Duo Security Snags $2.5M Grant, Will Hire Up to 300”

Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK, Simple Continuity, NEIdeas, U-M & More

Here’s a look at innovation news from around Michigan: —Ann Arbor SPARK held its 27th annual entrepreneur boot camp earlier this month, and a panel of investors and industry insiders voted Simple Continuity the winner. Simple Continuity makes business analytics software, and the company is targeting industries with complicated regulations, such as banking. More than … Continue reading “Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK, Simple Continuity, NEIdeas, U-M & More”

Roundup: SPARK awards, Macomb Innovation Fund, Pro:Up, U-M & More

Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s innovation ecosystem: —Macomb Community College’s Innovation Fund, supported by JPMorgan Chase, has awarded $300,000 to five metro Detroit startups. The Innovation Fund is part of a $2.7 million effort to stimulate growth in promising young startups. Companies supported by the Innovation Fund are required to provide internships … Continue reading “Roundup: SPARK awards, Macomb Innovation Fund, Pro:Up, U-M & More”

Breaking Down Barriers: A Detroit-Ann Arbor Dinner Conversation

Growing up in East Lansing, MI, I wasn’t aware of the “invisible forcefield on US-23,” as TechTown Detroit’s executive-in-residence Gerry Roston eloquently phrases it, that acts as a barrier between Detroit and Ann Arbor. It seemed inconceivable to me that I, someone who grew up about 80 miles from Detroit, had visited the city more … Continue reading “Breaking Down Barriers: A Detroit-Ann Arbor Dinner Conversation”

Roundup: YFS Automotive, Automation Alley, Ann Arbor SPARK, NextEnergy

Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem: —The New York Times reported two years ago that Chinese automakers were quietly building a presence in Michigan. The latest company to set up shop in Michigan is supplier YFS Automotive Systems, a China-based company with a U.S. headquarters in Gallatin, TN. Last week, YFS … Continue reading “Roundup: YFS Automotive, Automation Alley, Ann Arbor SPARK, NextEnergy”

HiveLend Seeks to Connect Beekeepers and Farmers Online

We’re firmly in the era of the Uberization of Everything, and even the slow-to-digitize agricultural industry is getting in on the trend. HiveLend, the Ann Arbor, MI-based startup that won Ann Arbor SPARK’s Best of Bootcamp honors in May, is seeking to help mitigate the ravages of colony collapse disorder (CCD) by connecting farmers and … Continue reading “HiveLend Seeks to Connect Beekeepers and Farmers Online”

U-M’s Zell Lurie Fund Invests in Reveal Design Automation

The University of Michigan’s Zell Lurie Commercialization Fund announced Friday that it has invested $50,000 in Ann Arbor, MI’s Reveal Design Automation, a university spin-out working in the area of semiconductor chip verification. Zaher Andraus, Reveal Design Automation’s CEO, said the company plans to use the money to hire more employees and pursue its first … Continue reading “U-M’s Zell Lurie Fund Invests in Reveal Design Automation”

Roundup: Hatch Detroit, TechTown, DeNovo, & More

Here’s a look at news you may have missed from Michigan’s innovation hubs: —Comerica Hatch Detroit, the annual contest that awards $50,000 to the winning startup venture, will accept applications from entrepreneurs until July 24. (All applications must be filled out online.) In addition to the cash, the winner will also receive a package of … Continue reading “Roundup: Hatch Detroit, TechTown, DeNovo, & More”

Metro Detroit Teacher’s App Helps Students Master Organic Chemistry

In 20 years of teaching college-level organic chemistry to high school students at Detroit Country Day, Julia Winter has perfected a method of conveying difficult scientific concepts to students. Now, she’s formed a company based in Ann Arbor, MI, called Alchemie to share what she’s learned with parents and kids. The endeavor began two years … Continue reading “Metro Detroit Teacher’s App Helps Students Master Organic Chemistry”

SPARK Nabs Federal Funds for Willow Run Plant Redevelopment Plan

Ann Arbor SPARK announced late last month that it has been awarded a 2014 Regional Innovation Strategies Program Science and Research Park Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. The $247,170 grant will support SPARK’s ongoing efforts to create a connected vehicle development center at the former Willow Run plant in … Continue reading “SPARK Nabs Federal Funds for Willow Run Plant Redevelopment Plan”

“RoboRoach” Startup Hopes Partners, TED Talk Help Usher In Profits

Backyard Brains, an Ann Arbor, MI-based startup founded by two neuroscientists from the University of Michigan, is making a name for itself by selling a plethora of fun, do-it-yourself science projects for budding makers and researchers—including what it calls the world’s first commercially available cyborg. If you’re picturing Arnold Schwarzenegger in “The Terminator,” think again: … Continue reading ““RoboRoach” Startup Hopes Partners, TED Talk Help Usher In Profits”

Roundup: BoostUp, U-M, GSTV, SPARK-Ed, Business Leaders for MI

Here’s a look at news you may have missed from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: —Detroit-based BoostUp, a website that helps users save for big-ticket purchases such as homes and cars, announced last week that it has won a spot in the 2015 class at the REach accelerator in Chicago. The accelerator is part of Second … Continue reading “Roundup: BoostUp, U-M, GSTV, SPARK-Ed, Business Leaders for MI”

MI Roundup: LevelEleven, A2Tech Job Fair, MTAM, MSU & More

Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: — Detroit-based LevelEleven, a sales performance platform that employs gamification to stoke competition, headed to Mountain View, CA, last week to compete in Google’s national demo day on April 2. The company was selected to pitch (out of 60 applicants) at Google’s Detroit demo day … Continue reading “MI Roundup: LevelEleven, A2Tech Job Fair, MTAM, MSU & More”

MI Angel Fund Invests $1.7M in Arborlight to Speed Commercialization

I hear and see a lot of startup ideas, but few have impressed me like Arborlight’s LightWell indoor lighting product. Imagine very real-seeming daylight illuminating the center of a windowless office building, as if a skylight and clear weather were conspiring to improve your mood. The company’s potential was instantly clear. It seems the Michigan … Continue reading “MI Angel Fund Invests $1.7M in Arborlight to Speed Commercialization”

Ann Arbor’s Warmilu Hopes to Save Preemies With High-Tech Blankets

Grace Hsia, CEO of the Ann Arbor, MI-based med tech startup Warmilu, was a pre-term baby. Now, she and her company are on a mission to help premature babies in developing countries survive, with the help of high-tech blankets. “Just over three years ago, we began as material science engineering students at the University of … Continue reading “Ann Arbor’s Warmilu Hopes to Save Preemies With High-Tech Blankets”

Arborlight: LED-Based Skylights and Sunshine in Real Time

Cubicle World, that mythical place where many of today’s office workers dwell, can be very dreary. These cramped little warrens are often marked by a lack of windows, harsh lighting, stale air, and screwy temperatures—the air conditioning blasts in the winter; the heat roars in the summer. Functionality and affordability rule, and somewhere much farther … Continue reading “Arborlight: LED-Based Skylights and Sunshine in Real Time”

Ann Arbor SPARK Honors 15 Steadily Growing Michigan Companies

Ann Arbor SPARK, the nonprofit business development organization that offers incubation services to tech-based startups, has announced its FastTrack awards to recognize companies in the region that have demonstrated consistent growth. To be eligible for a FastTrack award, companies were required to have revenue of at least $100,000 in 2010, with an annual growth rate … Continue reading “Ann Arbor SPARK Honors 15 Steadily Growing Michigan Companies”

Ornicept Takes Flight with New Office, More Funding, Explosive Growth

Ornicept, the Ann Arbor-based startup focused on remote data management, has experienced significant growth since we first profiled the company in June 2013. Last month, the team of 12 moved out of the Ann Arbor SPARK incubator and into its own 2,500-square-foot office off North Main Street, and CEO Russell Conard already has his eye … Continue reading “Ornicept Takes Flight with New Office, More Funding, Explosive Growth”

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”

TurtleCell Announces Partnership, Prepares National Product Launch

When we spoke to the Ann Arbor, MI-based startup TurtleCell last year, the company had recently won the $10,000 first-place prize at the annual American Society of Mechanical Engineers Innovation Showcase for its iPhone case with headphones embedded inside on a retractable cord. Earlier this month, TurtleCell finally made the headphone case for the iPhone … Continue reading “TurtleCell Announces Partnership, Prepares National Product Launch”

Ann Arbor SPARK Snags $500K From MEDC to Establish New Angel Fund

The business development agency Ann Arbor SPARK said on Wednesday that it has been awarded $500,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to continue the Michigan Angel Fund and to raise the group’s second fund, called Michigan Angel Fund II. “The whole idea behind the Michigan Angel Fund is to allow qualified investors to … Continue reading “Ann Arbor SPARK Snags $500K From MEDC to Establish New Angel Fund”

MI Roundup: Contest Deadlines, Personnel Changes, New Investments, More

Here’s a look at news briefs from around Michigan’s innovation hubs: —Applications for the third annual Entrepreneur-YOU business plan competition are now being accepted from women-owned businesses or women with a hot startup idea. The competition will award cash prizes to six winners and coaching to 10 businesses, which includes advice on marketing, financial management, … Continue reading “MI Roundup: Contest Deadlines, Personnel Changes, New Investments, More”

MI Roundup: BANSEM’s Impact, Versicor, Hatch Detroit, Co-Lab Detroit

Here’s a look at recent news from Michigan’s innovation hubs: —Today, Ann Arbor SPARK, Automation Alley, Macomb-OU Incubator, and TechTown Detroit announced their collective impact on Michigan’s innovation economy: 7,725 technology jobs and 225 technology companies created. Those companies have gone on to garner $300 million in follow-on investment. After a $3 million grant from … Continue reading “MI Roundup: BANSEM’s Impact, Versicor, Hatch Detroit, Co-Lab Detroit”

Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK, WSU, MCWT, Beringea, Start Garden, FarmLogs

Here’s a look at news from around Southeast Michigan’s innovation community: —Ann Arbor SPARK held its annual meeting yesterday at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Complex, where the business development organization detailed the results of its work over the past year. According to SPARK, its efforts netted $148 million in new investments committed … Continue reading “Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK, WSU, MCWT, Beringea, Start Garden, FarmLogs”

MI Roundup: MGCS, XanEdu, A2B Bikeshare, Self.conference

Here’s a look at news from around Michigan’s innovation communities that you may have missed: —There is less than one week to apply for the annual Michigan Growth Capital Symposium (MGCS), where 90 high-growth, innovative ventures will compete to secure one of the 40 slots to present at this year’s event. Applications for presenting companies … Continue reading “MI Roundup: MGCS, XanEdu, A2B Bikeshare, Self.conference”

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”

Avegant Obtains $1,920,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=56e4cb25-9b20-4861-bcfc-54b4b05f32b2 Date 12/31/2013 Company Name Avegant Mailing Address 210 E. Huron Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Company Description Avegant is commercializing exciting next generation projection displays technologies. Founded in 2012 by Edward Tang and Allan Evans, its offices are currently located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For more information regarding the company or investing. … Continue reading “Avegant Obtains $1,920,000 New Funding Round”

Reconsider and Revalue: Fostering Community Impact Through “Locavesting”

The biggest news in the investment world right now is perhaps Twitter’s stunningly successful initial public stock offering last Thursday, which left the company valued at approximately $24 billion. Some pundits, however, see Twitter’s IPO as another indication that we’re poised at the edge of a tech bubble similar to the one that decimated Silicon … Continue reading “Reconsider and Revalue: Fostering Community Impact Through “Locavesting””

IROA Forms Florida Partnership, Pushes Metabolomics Forward

Metabolomics, which is the study of the unique chemical imprints that specific cellular processes leave behind, in is an up-and-coming field in biotech, says Felice de Jong, co-founder and CEO of IROA Technologies. Sure, she argues, genomics can tell patients what may happen—what they’re predisposed to—but an accurate measurement of the body’s metabolites can tell … Continue reading “IROA Forms Florida Partnership, Pushes Metabolomics Forward”

Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK Expands, U-M Reports Record Number of Inventions

It’s been a busy few weeks in Southeast Michigan’s innovation community. Here is a roundup of news from around the area: —Ann Arbor SPARK, which assists tech startups with incubation and capital, is expanding its spaces in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti to accommodate the growing number of entrepreneurs seeking its services. SPARK Central, in downtown … Continue reading “Roundup: Ann Arbor SPARK Expands, U-M Reports Record Number of Inventions”

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”