Innovation & Job News

One of the things Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition excels at is bringing together a broad variety of entrepreneurial players with ties to the Great Lakes State. This makes for some invaluable business connections.

The third annual business plan competition kicked off in the Guardian Building lobby Tuesday evening. The lobby, provided by Bank of America, which has a branch in the ornate hall, provided the right space for investors, entrepreneurs and local shot callers to mix freely. Small enough to be intimate for a crowd of about a 100 people but it's soaring ceiling giving an air of roominess.

This reporter never felt crowded but couldn't stop long enough to send a text message to his wife or an email to his editor without someone tugging at his elbow to say, 'Hello.' In that time, I ran into some of the most successful angel investors in the state as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, like one who is currently trying to launch a start-up while attending medical school at Wayne State University. All of these people mingled both casually and comfortably.

There weren't hard pitches or tables with literature. Those come later during the official part of the competition on Wednesday and today at the Westin-Book Cadillac Hotel. But for the first night, many of the people who are actively building Michigan's new economy came out of the silos of their sectors and made connections with others interested in helping them build a company.

Accelerate Michigan got its start in Ann Arbor as a way to showcase the cream of the crop of Michigan's entrepreneurial ecosystem and connect them with both local and out-of-state resources and investors. This year it moved to downtown Detroit to show off the Motor City's emerging tech hub and vibrant downtown. That shined through Tuesday evening where attendees walked past office buildings lit up with young people working for the likes of Quicken Loans, GalaxE.Solutions, Compuware and Strategic Staffing Solutions.

Accelerate Michigan offers $1 million in prizes to start-ups based in or looking to move to Michigan. This year the top three finishers will take home $500,000, $100,000 and $50,000. For information, click here.

Source: Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

ImageSoft expects to have a good year for growth in 2013... or a great year.

"It's either going to be a double our revenue type of year or our revenue goes up 20 percent type of year," says Scott Bade, president of ImageSoft.

The Southfield-based company makes software platforms that help judicial and health-care systems digitize records. It has landed a number of new clients such as Arlington County's judicial system, expanded work with some existing ones and expects to ink new deals with other government units, such as Macomb County. Its revenue has jumped 15 percent over the last year thanks to that business.

"I think that has helped drive a lot of our business," Bade says.

That has helped ImageSoft expand its staff to 54 employees and a handful of interns after hiring 14 people over the last year. Of those hires, eight were new jobs. About half of those hires were for tech positions with the rest coming in finance, administrative and sales.

Source: Scott Bade, president of ImageSoft
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Premier Communications Group looks at where it has been, where it is now and where it's going and attributes that growth to customer service. A 30-year track record has helped reinforce that notion for the downtown Royal Oak-based business.

"It really comes down to service," says Randy Fossano, president of Premier Communications Group. "That's what sets us apart."

Premier Communications Group specializes in public relations and marketing. It got its start in manufacturing, handling press kits for automotive companies. It diversified in recent years as the automotive industry contracted and more start-ups appeared in Metro Detroit entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Over the last year it has grown its revenue by nearly 20 percent, thanks to expanded work with existing clients. For instance, it is doing full-service marketing for Metro West Appraisal, a Northville-based company.

"That has driven it more than anything else," Fossano says.

Which has allowed the firm to hire three people over the last year, including two project managers and an office manager. It now employs seven people and handful of independent contractors.

Source: Randy Fossano, president of Premier Communications Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

SOAR Learning is growing in some key areas, boosting its bottom line, adding to its staff and expanding into new markets.

The Lake Orion-based education firm helps students streamline their study habits and learn more effectively. It has expanded into the markets that help parents with family education and families overcome ADHD learning disabilities.

"These are the markets where people are in need," says Susan Kruger, president & CEO of SOAR Learning, formerly SOAR Study Skills.

That has allowed the 16-year-old company grow its revenue by 11 percent over the last year. SOAR Learning also hired two people in the last year and now has a staff of four people.

"This has been a smaller year in terms of growth for us," Kruger says.

Source: Susan Kruger, president & CEO of SOAR Learning
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The people behind Mission Throttle, a social entrepreneurship company based in Southfield, are leading a team to launch a new Metro Detroit-based investment fund that would help business looking to improve both their communities and bottom lines.

Details are still be worked out about the new fund, which does not even have a name, but organizers are optimistic that it will be able to start providing seed capital to social entrepreneurs in the region sometime next year.

"We want to create a third option where there are organization that deliver a social impact and a return but it might not be an investment-grade opportunity," says Jamie Shea, director of strategy development for Mission Throttle.

The fund could be as big as $5 million to $10 million and will be open to social entrepreneurs of all shapes, sizes and markets. The fund's organizers are also hoping that the fund will serve as a way to connect people of means with the people who need those resources to build their businesses.

"We want it to be a very collaborative process," Shea says. "We want to act as the facilitator bringing opportunities to investors."

Source: Jamie Shea, director of strategy development for Mission Throttle
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

A trio of significant changes are coming to this year's Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.

First, the $1 million business plan competition will be held in downtown Detroit this fall. The third installment of the new economy competition will take place in the Book-Cadillac Hotel, the Guardian Building and Orchestra Hall, using the Motor City's vibrant downtown and emerging tech economy as a back drop.

Accelerate Michigan will also welcome Terry Jones as its keynote speaker. The founder & former CEO of Travelocity will speak about start-up culture and building tech businesses in broader terms than previous speakers, which have all been Michigan-based.

"He's a very unknown quantity," says Lauren Bigelow, executive director of Accelerate Michigan. "He has enjoyed an awful lot of success. He has done 10 start-ups."

Accelerate Michigan will also beef up its top prizes. The competition has traditionally had a $500,000 top prize and smaller five-figure prizes. This year the first place winner will still receive $500,000 while second place will take $100,000 in seed capital home and third place will received $50,000. Bigelow explains that in previous years the top-prize competitors came down to three very-worthy start-ups and only one would walk away with a big check. The new prize break down helps solve that.

"Every year it has come down to three like clockwork," Bigelow says.

Accelerate Michigan will be held between Nov. 13-15. For information, click here.

Source: Lauren Bigelow, executive director of Accelerate Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

When the amount of work in the U.S. began to contract a few years ago with the onset of the recession, Illuminating Concepts reached overseas to fill the gap.

The Farmington Hills-based company that specializes in architectural lighting has buffeted its bottom line with work in the hospitality and gaming industries abroad in recent years.

"The casino industry in particular has expanded into southern Europe and Asia," says Ron Harwood, CEO of Illuminating Concepts. "That has added volume and a lot of creative work."

It has also allowed Illuminating Concepts to continue to grow its staff. The 30-year-old company now employs 60 people and a handful of interns after it hired 10 people over the last year. Those hire were in people in multi-media, software and electronic specialties.

Illuminating Concepts also sees significant promise in its Intellistreets product. Intellistreets gives municipalities wireless control of its streetlights and signage, which should allow it control digital signage, the level of street lighting and help direct traffic through streetlights in emergencies. Harwood points out it would have been useful during Hurricane Sandy but could be utilized in the next U.S. disaster.

"It (Intellistreets) will be deployed in at least five of the 10 major cities in the U.S.," Harwood says.

Source: Ron Harwood, CEO of Illuminating Concepts
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Coliant has opened a new office in the Macomb-OU INCubator with offices at the Velocity Collaboration Center in Sterling Heights, a move that has led the Warren-based company to expand its staff.

The 8-year-old firm employs 17 people and the occasional intern. It has hired six people over the last year, many of which are staffing the new office in Sterling Heights.

Coliant created Powerlet, an electrical accessory in the powersport industry that allows users of things like motorcycles and ATVs to plug their gadgets into the vehicle. The company has expanded its domestic sales of this product and is expanding into military markets.

"By focusing on sales we have grown exponentially," says Adam Bonislawski, vice president of sales for Coliant.

Coliant is also a semi-finalist in the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. The company hopes to win the competition's $500,000 grand prize or one of its secondary prizes, which are usually in the five-figure range.

"Access to capital is always necessary for a growing business," Bonislawski says. "We have to keep an eye out for any opportunities for new capital."

Source: Adam Bonislawski, vice president of sales for Coliant
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Prime HealthCare Staffing is celebrating its 10th anniversary and doing so with a big expansion.

The Farmington Hills-based company specializes in health-care staffing both at medical centers and for home care. It now employs 14 people after hiring seven over the last year. It also has another 40 temporary workers in the field.

"We expect to add more internal staff in 2013 and beyond," says Scott Ragland, partner with Prime HealthCare Staffing.

The firm expects its revenue to increase by 16-18 percent for 2012 by the time the year is out. That growth number should expand to 20-25 percent in 2013, according to Ragland and Elizabeth Rozelle, founder and president of Prime HealthCare Staffing. However, that growth is not the only thing that comforts those two partners.

"We're not just a temp agency providing a job in the field," Ragland says. "We're offering care to patients that helps them ease back into society."

Source: Scott Ragland, partner with Prime HealthCare Staffing and Elizabeth Rozelle, founder and president of Prime HealthCare Staffing
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Identity, formerly Identity Marketing & Public Relations, is slimming its name as the company cherry picks its customers to manage its growth in Bingham Farms.

"We can only grow as fast as we can grow great people or find them," says Mark Winter, managing partner with Identity. "I have always taken a managed-growth approach."

That doesn't mean the 14-year-old company is only hiring one, maybe two people. It has added five people to its staff, including recently hiring a former social media intern. The company now employs 27 people and the occasional intern after hiring a slew of designers, software coders and sales people.

Identity has watched its revenue increase by 15 percent this year as the economy rebounds. Winter aims to notch 15-percent growth year over year for the next three years as his company looks at increasing its fees and expanding its relationships with existing customers.

"We're going to be cherry picking the best opportunities to grow our business," Winter says.

Source: Mark Winter, managing partner with Identity
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

BEET Analytics Technology has locked down $1.25 million in seed capital in its first year, setting the stage for it to launch its manufacturing software and help it gain traction.

The Plymouth-based start-up, which utilizes the services of the Macomb OU-INCubator, provides diagnostic and analytic software for automation and manufacturing markets. Its software provides insight into manufacturing quality and maintenance performance, along with monitoring capabilities to component level activities. The 1-year-old company is set to launch its product later this year.

"We would like to be the premier automotive intelligence software provider," says Edward Kim, president of BEET Analytics Technology. "We would like to help company in the automotive industry improve production through cost savings."

BEET Analytics Technology currently employs nine people. It has recently hired two people and expects to hire another in the near future. The recent infusion of $250,000 from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund is expected to help fund that staff expansion.

Source: Edward Kim, president of BEET Analytics Technology
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Innovative Learning Group watched its revenue jump 35 percent in 2011 and the downtown Royal Oak-based company is on track for similar gains this year.

That growth for the education company is coming on the heels of it signing seven new clients in a number of new industries, including the financial and manufacturing sectors. "They are all very large," says Lisa Toenniges, CEO of Innovative Learning Group. "Fortune 500 companies."

That growth has allowed Innovative Learning Group to hire three new people over the last year, expanding its staff to 14 people. Toenniges expects to hire more people over the next year on continued growth prospects. That would prompt her to look for a newer, bigger space in the area.

She attributes this growth to her 8-year-old company cementing its reputation with larger firms in recent years by allowing them to use and test her company's products.

"They can see firsthand that they're top-notch," Toenniges says. "They can see our reputation growing."

Source: Lisa Toenniges, CEO of Innovative Learning Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Broder & Sachse is no longer just one company but three, a split that allowed the Birmingham-based firms to score double-digit growth over the last year.

The real-estate services company spun out Brewster Maintenance (a property-maintenance business) and Stuart Mechanical (an HVAC firm) last year. Since doing so the three companies, all still under the same ownership, have been able to add new customers and increase their revenues by 15 percent.

"These two companies have been growing, independently, very nicely," says Richard Broder, CEO of Broder & Sachse.

That growth has allowed the three companies to expand their staffs by 15 percent, hiring a dozen people. The three firms now employ a combined 90 people and a handful of summer interns. Stuart Mechanical and Brewster Maintenance now employ 20 people between them.

"We have added a couple of new employees to all three companies," Broder says.

Broder expects his companies to continue growing at their current rate for the foreseeable future.

Source: Richard Broder, CEO of Broder & Sachse
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Nancy Hazely got her start working in the tax division of Ford Motor Company many years ago. In 2007 she started her own business, Tax Trilogy, and today she counts Ford as one of her biggest clients.

The Dearborn-based firm went from six employees to 30 employees between 2009 and 2011, largely thanks to the addition of Ford as a marquee client. "That's where the growth happened for a lot of our team members," Hazely says. She adds that the growth from Ford "was pretty substantial."

Today Tax Trilogy employs 36 people, an intern and is looking to hire one more person immediately. The company has also grown its client list across the U.S., taking on patrons in far-away states like Georgia. The firm now handles a variety of tax niches, such as property taxes, employment taxes, and income taxes, among others.

"It's grown out of our clients' needs to have expertise in different areas," Hazely says.

Tax Trilogy expects to keep growing but focusing more on organic growth for the near-term. Hazely isn't ruling out any potential acquisitions but remains focused on growing what her company already has.

Source: Nancy Hazely, president & CEO of Tax Trilogy
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Plex Systems is moving from Auburn Hills to Troy and into a new home that gives it plenty of room to accommodate its rapidly growing staff.

The 17-year-old software firm has hired 87 people over the last year, expanding its staff to 275 employees and a few interns. The company expects to keep hiring for the foreseeable future, and needed an expandable office space footprint to amake room for all those new hires.

"Troy has a lot of square footage available," says Mark Symonds, CEO of Plex Systems. "We didn't want to be in a lot of buildings. We have a lot of space in our tower and we expect to grow in Michigan."

Symonds adds that Troy is more centrally located for his workforce. He also expects the predominantly office-space area of Troy will help his company with recruiting.

The move comes shortly after Francisco Partners, a Silicon Valley-based private equity firm, acquired Plex Systems last summer. Francisco Partners was attracted to Plex Systems because it was an early adopter in the cloud ERP market, enabling it to grow to a worldwide presence. Its flagship product, Plex Online, is a shop-floor-to-top-floor solution for manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, defense, food and beverage and electronics industries.

Source: Mark Symonds, CEO of Plex Systems
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.