Innovation & Job News

Plastic Surgery of Michigan has made the move from Southfield to downtown Birmingham, taking a suite at 640 N. Old Woodward Ave.

"It was a good opportunity to be in a nice area," says Dr. Andrew Lofman, president of Plastic Surgery of Michigan. "It's close to my home and in a beautiful office."

The 3-year-old company has watched its revenues grow by 50 percent over the last year, allowing it to expand its staff to two employees. The demand for a broad range of plastic surgery has pushed that growth, but Lofman says he has seen a jump in breast augmentation. He adds that his firm's new marketing efforts online and in social media have helped buffet its growth.

"My goal is to be the premiere plastic surgery center in Birmingham within a few years," Lofman says.

Source: Dr. Andrew Lofman, president of Plastic Surgery of Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Paul Johnston and Kris Wenzel don't always measure the success of their start-up, ParseNIP, by its bottom line. Sometimes success can be defined in how people use the New Hudson-based company's name.

"If our customers start using our products as a verb then I know we have that snowball rolling down the hill," Johnston says, adding he wants his customers to say "just ParseNIP it" when it comes to data migration and management.

ParseNIP has created software that can easily convert data from one format to another, effectively removing the language barrier between some operating systems so databases can be combined and easily accessed.

Johnston and Wenzel have spent years developing the technology and recently launched a public Beta. They are getting ready to transfer the software to a 10-day trial period and focus on creating the best possible user experience for their customers, which they want to expand to a broad range of users outside of the traditional software crowd.

"We want to target this to the accountant or the human resources representative," Wenzel says.

ParseNIP is currently a two-person operation but Johnston and Wenzel hope to grow their team this year as their technology becomes more widely adopted.

Source: Paul Johnston and Kris Wenzel, co-founders of ParseNIP
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Climate Technologies Corp. is continuing to enjoy the fruits of an economic rebound as the Farmington Hills-based company pushes forward its transformation from auto-focused firm to green-tech business.

The company's revenue is up modestly over the last year as it continues to develop projects that help its climate-control technology, which captures toxic gases and concentrates them so they can be used in things like fuel cells. It is also working in co-generation CHP in heavy industry and some alternative energy projects.

"It turned out to be a solid foundation to build on," says Walt Zimmerman, CEO of Climate Technologies Corp. "We have made a lot of strides over the last couple of years to do clean-and-green projects."

That has allowed Climate Technologies Corp to make a hire over the last year and bring on a few more independent contractors. It now has a staff of six employees, one intern and three independent contractors. Zimmerman expects to see significant growth in 2013 because of the prospects of more work for his company in the near future.

"There are a number of projects that are at a proposal point," Zimmerman says. "We believe our customers are ready to go forward."

Source: Walt Zimmerman, CEO of Climate Technologies Corp
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Aimee Spencer spent a decade working in the radio industry. She held a number of different positions, ranging from marketing director to event organization to creative director.

A few years ago she noticed radio was heading in a different direction and knew she wanted to do something else. That led to the creation of Spencer Management Group, a downtown Royal Oak-based public relations agency. What sets the 2-year-old company apart is it leverages both traditional public relations and working that into events to help build client brands.

"I appreciate people who do traditional PR in Metro Detroit," Spencer says. "I am definitely not traditional."

That approach has allowed Spencer to expand her company from just herself to four people within the last year. That new team is helping Spencer Management Group do more public relations work that focuses on not only telling stories but doing so through visual, music and video experiences.

Source: Aimee Spencer, president of Spencer Management Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

David Mamo once worked as an electrical contractor at the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford. It was a job that required everyone to leave their camera phones at the door due to corporate espionage concerns. Mamo found a middle ground and turned it into a business, PICpatch.

"It (cell phones that happen to have cameras in them) is an important tool," says Mamo, president of PICpatch. "There needed to be a solution to take your camera phone to work."

PICpatch is small red sticker users can put over the lense of their camera phone. The patch makes sure any photo, accidental or otherwise, becomes a red screen. It has a residue-free adhesive and becomes crumpled and easily detectable if it has been removed and reapplied.

Mamo created the prototype of PICpatch about five years ago and shortly after General Motors became his first customer. Today it has 200 customers, including some of the world's largest corporations. Sales have doubled each year and Mamo notes that "half of our customers are abroad."

The Milford-based company now has a team of seven people after adding one new person over the last year. That team is now working on a new iteration of its sticker technology called PICpatch Chaperone Seals, a small strip that parents and chaperones can put on the hotel room doors of children to make sure they stay put. Many adults do this with masking tape but Mamo notes its is easily defeatable and PICpatch Chaperone Seals will solve those inadequacies. The product launched a few months ago and Mamo expects it to gain traction this year.

Source: David Mamo, president of PICpatch
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Small-to-medium-sized businesses are the bread and butter for Cygnus Systems. That remains true for the IT firm both last year and in 2013.

The Taylor-based company hit revenue growth of just under 20 percent in 2012, which has allowed it to hire four people. It now employs 30 people and has three more job openings for sales and engineering professionals.

"We have an aggressive growth plan," says Alex Burkulas, president of Cygnus Systems. "We expect to grow by 25 percent in the next year."

The 24-year-old firm has watched a lot of its growth from a couple a different areas, including companies switching their IT infrastructure to the cloud and firms looking for fixed-costs IT services. Another factor is that companies that put off servicing their IT needs during the recession are starting to invest in their digital infrastructure again with the rebound of the economy.

"Companies that didn't invest in IT are coming around," Burkulas says.

Source: Alex Burkulas, president of Cygnus Systems
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Bettyanne Molitor started her business four years ago offering audio conferencing services. Today the recently rebranded firm of ALC Hosted Technologies has grown to include offerings in visual conferencing, automated messaging and hold-music/advertising among other services.

"Everything we do is hosted so it's not onsite," says Molitor, owner of ALC Hosted Technologies. "That way you don't get stuck with equipment that becomes outdated quickly."

The Chesterfield Township-based firm has leveraged this steady expansion of service offerings to grow its staff to a core of four people. It has also been cash-flow positive for most of its existence as it has grown its customer base and revenues each year.

Molitor hopes to continue to establish her business' new brand in 2013 by adding more Metro Detroit customers. She can see an continued expansion leading to a fifth member of her team that would focus on marketing.

Source: Bettyanne Molitor, owner of ALC Hosted Technologies
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Blue Filament Intellectual Property got its start a year ago when Mary Margaret O'Donnell struck out on her own and launched her firm in downtown Birmingham. Today the intellectual property law firm has grown to five people - adding staff in its first year.

O'Donnell spent a decade working in large law firms and boutique intellectual property law practices. Today O'Donnell and her team have prosecuted and managed thousands of trademarks throughout the world.

"For me it was about building something from the ground up," O'Donnell says.

Establishing Blue Filament Intellectual Property proved to be the biggest challenge in the firm's first year, O'Donnell says. However, she adds that she was able to start with a large portfolio of clients from around the world that helped ease that transition. That was far from easy, but it was not something O'Donnell would advise other entrepreneurial attorneys from doing.

"I would tell them to have a strong heart and a strong mind to work very hard," O'Donnell says.

Source: Mary Margaret O'Donnell, owner of Blue Filament Intellectual Property
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

OPS Solutions is making the move from Northville to Novi to make room for its growing staff. The industrial-automation company also recently struck a deal with the Michigan Economic Development Corp to expand its office by 25 people within three years.

The 6-year-old firm has hired four people in the last year, expanding its staff to six. The company expects to continue hiring in 2013.

"We're growing aggressively," says Chris Bala, vice president of sales & marketing for OPS Solutions. "We certainly expect our growth to beat that goal by a healthy margin."

OPS Solutions is launching a new visual guiding system that directs workers using visual display features anywhere on a work station surface. The intention is to improve quality, productivity, and training efficiency.

"We call it a visual work-flow system," Bala says. "It's applicable to many different industries in Metro Detroit."

OPS Solutions is investing approximately $268,000 and, as a result, has been awarded a Michigan Business Development performance-based grant of $400,000. The city of Novi is offering support to the project including city and county staff time, use of public facilities for meetings and other support.

Source: Chris Bala, vice president of sales & marketing for OPS Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Accel Partners, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm, is investing $30 million into manufacturing software maker Plex Systems.

The Troy-based firm was acquired by Francisco Partners, also of Silicon Valley, last summer. Plex Systems plans to use the new investment capital to create more product features for its software, improve customer service and expand its sales capabilities.

"You name it, we have initiatives," says Mark Symonds, CEO of Plex Systems. "Growing at this rate things break and you rethink things from time to time."

The 17-year-old company creates Cloud ERP software Plex Online, which helps industrial companies improve and streamline the manufacturing process from product quality management to supply chain management. Plex Systems employs 280 people after hiring 90 in 2012. Symonds expects to keep growing at that rate for the next year.

"Manufacturing is one of the largest markets in the U.S.," Symonds says.

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

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

123.net is adding to both its staff and its business capacity.

The Southfield-based Internet firm has hired three people in 2012, expanding its office to 25 employees. It has also added 11,500 square feet of data storage space to its infrastructure with plans to expand much more rapidly in 2013.

"We have experienced quite a bit of growth," says Dave Curran, channel sales manager of 123.net. "Over the last two years we have experienced 66 percent growth. We will probably add 5-10 new employees over the next year."

123.net added 8,000 square feet of data storage space to its Southfield operations and another 3,500 square feet to its Grand Rapids-based facility. It plans to add yet another 100,000 square feet of data storage space in Southfield in 2013 for a total investment of $15 million. The addition would take place at 20,000 square feet at a time.

"That would more than double our current capacity," Curran says.

Source: Dave Curran, channel sales manager of 123.net
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

ALLCOMM Communicatuions recently expanded its offerings to include a wider range of services, including IT infrastructure support, voice-over IP, employee production tools. All of these new offerings and a bevy of  new customers in the health care industry have helped it grow significantly in 2012.

"Health care in Michigan is just growing," says Paul Robuck, sales manager for ALLCOMM Communications. "Beaumont and Henry Ford merging and there are a number of physicians groups merging. Healthcare is in a state flux and growth."

ALLCOMM Communications has hired three people in engineering and sales in 2012. The company expects to harness its growth for more hires next year. Revenue growth is projected to hit 30-50 percent.

The 13-year-old, Commerce Township-based firm is also moving into the mobile sector, helping its customer tie their IT and software needs all into one system with a focus on mobility. "It helps tie it all into one structure," Robuck says.

Source: Paul Robuck, sales manager for ALLCOMM Communications
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Total 3D Solutions became the North American arm of the Carl Zeiss (a German-based firm) Cinemizer OLED this fall, developing the Cinema ProMED System shortly after, creating six new jobs in the process.

"When I was first introduced to the cinemizer I was completely blown away," says Dave Hodgson, principal of Total 3D Solutions.

The Cinemizer OLED is the first wearable 3D video display that look like sunglasses that show videos. The Cinema ProMED System uses the Cinemizer OLED technology so dentital patients can reduce fear and anxiety when they are in the dentist chair by allowing them to watch videos or movies as a distraction or calming behavior.

The team of six people behind Total 3D Solutions is currently selling both products from its headquarters in Auburn Hills. The company is focusing on Metro Detroit at first but plans to go national in 2013.

"Our plan is to expand both our footprint and our dealer market," Hodgson says. "Our footprint will be the entire North American market."

Source: Dave Hodgson, principal of Total 3D Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Luis and Sara Mendez once lived in Mexico until they saw opportunity in Detroit. That's when they moved to Ferndale and are now getting ready to launch their own food-truck business, Don Lucho Taco Truck and Salsa.

The couple had already been selling their own salsa when they decided they wanted to take it a step further this year. They recently graduated from D:hive's BUILD program, an initiative that teaches aspiring entrepreneurs the basics of launching a business. They are now looking to launch the food truck this spring to give their food business a foothold.

"Spring is the time because it's warm and everybody wants to be outside," Luis Mendez says.

The Mendez family was originally looking at opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Ferndale but decided to go the food truck route because it offers a better entry point for their business. They plan to cook authentic Mexican food with vegan and vegetarian options.

"We found a taco truck is more versatile than an actual restaurant," Luis Mendez says.

Source: Luis Mendez, co-owner of Don Lucho Taco Truck and Salsa
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Sixteen years ago Joey Silvian came to the realization he couldn't work for anyone else but himself. That's when he started Virtual Interactive Agency, a business consulting firm based in Farmington Hills.

 "I didn't like the politics and backbiting and everything that comes with corporate life," Silvian says. "At least here I can control my relationship with the client."

Silvian's business now provides work for four people and the occasional intern. It has added one new person over the last year and draws from a large stable of independent contractors to handle projects.

For years Silvian worked with aspiring entrepreneurs to workout the kinks in business models and generate sales. In recent years Virtual Interactive Agency has been doing more work with small incubators like Ann Arbor SPARK, helping consult with budding start-ups in the incubator's pipeline.

"The evolution has been from the end client to the organization that services those end clients," Silvian says.

Source: Joey Silvian, founder of Virtual Interactive Agency
Writer: Jon Zemke

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