Sustainability : Innovation & Job News

When Swaminathan Ramesh sees people throwing away plastic he sees waste of a different kind. Wasted energy and resources. It's a big reason he started EcoFuel Technologies last year.

"I wanted to do something with waste plastics because I see them everywhere," Ramesh says. "And I have a background in the polymer chemistry."

The Troy-based start-up is working on technology that turns garbage plastic into diesel fuel. It currently has a prototype that can handle 100 pounds of plastic, turning every 10 pounds of plastic into one gallon of diesel fuel. Ramesh claims that his company's technology produces three times more energy than its competitors.

"We are unique because we can actually make money," Ramesh says.

EcoFuel Technologies and its team of five people recently landed five figures' worth of financing from the Michigan Microloan Fund Program to help push forward the development of its prototype. The company hopes to land $500,000 in seed capital this year to build a machine that can handle 2,000 pounds of plastic a day and then $1.5 million in a second round of seed capital to build a machine that handles 10,000 pounds of plastic each day.

"They (investors) want to see us perform the same way at a larger scale," Ramesh says.

Source: Swaminathan Ramesh, founder & president of EcoFuel Technologies
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Red Point Engineering made the move from Silicon Valley to Metro Detroit last year to take advantage of the region's talent pool and depth of resources in the automotive sector.

The nearly 10-year-old company specializes in advanced electric vehicle technologies and electric drivetrain development and integration. It choose to move to Auburn Hills because of the municipality's proximity to automotive suppliers and I-75.

"It (the city of Auburn Hills) has been very friendly and helpful to us so we can get started," says Monica Kedzierski, business development director of Red Point Engineering.

Kedzierski declined to publicly disclose the size of Red Point Engineering's workforce because of competition concerns, but did note that it has been growing since landing in Metro Detroit. It is constantly on the lookout for engineers in the software, electrical and powertrain fields.

"We're going to need to expand," Kedzierski says. "We will need a larger building to fulfill our customer requirements and scale the business."

Source: Monica Kedzierski, business development director of Red Point Engineering
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

LogiCoul Solutions spent its first couple of years trying to gain traction for its battery enhancement technology in Massachusetts. The 4-year-old start-up began to pick up speed last year when it switched its focus market from mobile devices to automotive and made the move to the Macomb-OU INCubator.

That shift brought three jobs to Sterling Heights and brighter prospects for the firm. Its team notes the difference in how Metro Detroit's business community is more collaborative and helpful as a significant reason for its optimism.

"If people here can't help you, they point you in the right direction," says David Stout, executive vice president of LogiCoul Solutions.

LogiCoul Solutions is developing technology that sends electromagnetic waves to a battery, which lowers resistance and creates more useful energy. The bottom line is a longer-lasting and more energy-efficient battery. The company won the Emerging Business award at the 2011 Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest business plan competition, an experience that played a significant role in attracting the business to Michigan.

LogiCoul Solutions also recently received $9,872 from the Business Accelerator Fund of the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center. That seed capital will help the business do more testing on its technology.

"If we get the results we expect to get, we think our technology will be in automobiles within a few years," Stout says.

Source: David Stout, executive vice president of LogiCoul Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Information Systems Resources bills itself as an asset management company, but the firm is looking at electronic recycling as a big avenue for its growth.

The Dearborn-based company, founded in 1989, is beefing up its recycling division, which specializes in remanufacturing of electronics like desktop computers. The 50-person firm currently has six employees, about half of whom are recent hires.

So when a school district looks to upgrade its computer system and wants to make sure it's disposing of the old technology in an environmentally friendly way and that its hard drives are erased, it will call a firm like Information Systems Resources to pick up the computers, dismantle them and recycle the precious materials inside. It also makes sure to shred the old hard drives to keep sensitive information secret.

"It's one of the few things out there that is beneficial to everyone involved," says Jeff Drolshagen, sales manager for the recycling division of Information Systems Resources.

Drolshagen was recently promoted to sales manager to help bring more material to the fledgling division. The company hopes an influx of old electronics will not only keep harmful materials out of landfills and sensitive information out of the hands of criminals, but also a few more jobs in Dearborn.

"The more electronics we can do, the more people we can hire," Drolshagen says.

Source: Jeff Drolshagen, sales manager for the recycling division of Information Systems Resources
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Relume Technologies is in the midst of what its leaders are calling a "steady, continual growth," which should allow the LED manufacturer to continue adding jobs.

These last two years, the Oxford-based company has hired close to 20 people, including 10 last year. It now employs 65 people and expects to add to that number this year.

"We're on a significant growth curve that will takes us to 250 jobs within the next two years," says Curt McIntosh, product development manager for Relume Technologies.

Relume Technologies develops and manufactures LED technology and smart-grid systems. LEDs and smart-grid technology are seen as the leaders in energy conservation for lighting technologies. Communities and businesses across the country are adopting strategies such as putting LED streetlights in downtown Ann Arbor.

"There is a severe need on the energy conservation side of the industry," McIntosh says.

Relume Technologies recently received a venture capital investment worth $7 million with Farmington Hills-based VC Beringea leading the round.

Source: Curt McIntosh, product development manager for Relume Technologies
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.

At a time when military budget cuts are beginning to loom large, one Wixom-based start-up is pitching its technology based on how much it will save the military.

SurClean's is developing a laser-based technology that replaces the harmful chemicals, media blasting, and other abrasives typically used in the removal of paint and other coatings from aircraft, vessels, and bridges undergoing maintenance. The company's system uses a laser beam to disintegrate and remove paint and other coatings like rust from substrate in a cost-effective, safe, energy-efficient and earth-friendly way.

"For the U.S. Air Force, we're saving them $7.5 million on the parts of one plane at one base," says Susan Sprentall, CEO of SurClean. "The Air Force could save $67 million."

SurClean and its four co-founders recently won the Brinks Innovation Competition, a recognition that helped bring more credibility to SurClean's fundraising efforts. The 2-year-old company is looking to raise $750,000 in seed capital within the next year.

"We're in start-up mode looking for our first round of funding," Sprentall says.

Source: Susan Sprentall, CEO of SurClean
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Aquatic Productions & Consulting is working to combine aquaculture (the farming of aquatic organisms) with hydroponics (growing plants in water with mineral solutions) into a new business sector called Aquaponics.

The start-up's technology helps naturally turn wastewater into both clean H20 and fertilizer through an aquaculture process. The products can then be used in hydroponics cultivation.

"Aquaponics uses wastewater as water for hydroponics," says Derek Byrd, co-founder of Aquatic Productions & Consulting. "You're turning wastewater into liquid fertilizer."

The Rochester Hills-based firm is in the home stretch of developing its technology, which would process and clean large quantities of wastewater. The four-person company expects to debut the technology platform by either the end of this year or early 2013.

"We're very close to commercial use," Byrd says. "We will be ready to commercialize it in a few months."

Source: Derek Byrd, co-founder of Aquatic Productions & Consulting
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Facility Solutions got its start in the Clinton Township home of Tom Cullen and his wife, Sandy. After five years, it moved into its first office in 2006. Today it provides management and consulting services to a growing list of Fortune 500 Companies in the restaurant industry and has made the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch list.

"We funded our start-up with personal savings and managed our business with conservative spending practices," Tom Cullen, co-founder of Facility Solutions, wrote in an email exchange (he struggles with a hearing impairment).

Facility Solutions has experienced double-digit revenue increases since 2006. It has hired 13 people over the last year, expanding it team to 72 people. Last year it purchased a bank-owned facility and converted it to the company's new headquarters with a focus on sustainability.

"Our remodeling strategy was to build green offices and educate our team to understand how we all can impact our environment in a positive way," Cullen wrote. "We invested quite a bit of time and money to obtain USGBC LEED Gold Certification for our building. Our team focus is on energy conservation, recycling of waste, energy conservation, water use reduction, local materials sourcing, reused materials to build, Energy Star Rated equipment, 100 percent wind powered energy and many other sustainability practices."

Source: Tom Cullen, co-founder of Facility Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Sheldon Wardell and James Vogt retired from automotive marketing and commercial building, respectively, a few years ago. Then the recession hit and the friends decided they should be back in the workforce, but they decided this time to start their own business, Eco-Green-Energy.

The East Pointe-based company helps businesses and building owners create more sustainable facilities, mainly through replacing older lighting systems that are acting like energy hogs with newer, more energy efficient versions. It has done this work with a variety of big-name customers, such as DTE Energy and Bedrock Real Estate Services in downtown Detroit.

"Changing lighting is low-hanging fruit," Wardell says. "It's easily done and the payback is two years or shorter."

The company went from the two partners four years ago to seven people today. It also plans to add a couple of interns this summer. The company has hired two people over the last year and expects to keep expanding.

"We're just continuing to grow," Wardell says.

Source: Sheldon Wardell, partner with Eco-Green-Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

When the door at Tesla Motors closed for three of its employees in Metro Detroit, it opened for their own venture, ALT Powertrain Technologies.

"All of us fell in love with the electric transportation dream" says John D. Thomas, co-founder & CEO of ALTe Powertrain Technologies.

The 3-year-old company is developing range-extended plug-in electric hybrid powertrain for light commercial fleet vehicles. It has successfully installed its powertrain system in the Ford Econoline E350 van and Ford F-150 truck platforms. 

ALTe Powertrain Technologies recently signed a seven-year lease for 185,000-square-foot building Auburn Hills, which it plans to use for production and as its headquarters. The company has grown to 50 people, including a recently hired Oakland University intern. It has hired 18 people over the last year.

"If all goes well we will be launching our product by the end of the year," Thomas says.

Source: John D. Thomas, co-founder & CEO of ALTe Powertrain Technologies
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

A new LED light provider, Lumerica, has grown quickly in its first half year and recently acquired LumaSmart Technology International’s LED lighting business.

"The market is so new and so evolving you need to be positioned to take advantage of new opportunities," says Justin Palm, president of Lumerica. "We're in two industries. We're not only in the lighting industry but the energy-efficient products industry."

Palm started Lumerica with John Blake six months ago to supply energy-efficient LED lighting solutions to businesses. Today the company employs eight people at Madison Heights and expects to continue to grow rapidly alongside the emerging LED light market.

LED lights are the poster child for sustainability in the lighting industry. LEDs are more energy efficient than compact fluorescent lights and far more efficient than traditional incandescent lights. LEDs also provide a higher quality of light, contain few toxic materials and require less maintenance than CFls or incandescent lights.

"Every major industry group has realized LEDs are the future of lighting," Palm says. "We have an incredible opportunity in that area."

Source: Justin Palm, president of Lumerica
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

ReCommunity, a recycling company, has significantly expanded its workforce after investing $5 million into its Southfield location to upgrade it to a single-stream processing facility. The investment is aimed to help the Resource Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County expand the amount of material it recycles by allowing users to have one recycling bin instead of sorting out their recyclables.

That investment has allowed ReCommunity to hire a dozen new people, expanding its Southfield staff to forty. The company employs 245 people in Michigan at five locations. Those facilities are in places like Ann Arbor, Roseville and Saginaw.

"This will be a large enabler for expanding the footprint we have," says Sean Duffy, president & COO of ReCommunity.

ReCommunity expects its new single-stream recycling facility will create 66 new jobs in the near future.

Source: Sean Duffy, president & COO of ReCommunity
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

The people behind Energy Sciences aren't focused on providing their customers with what they want so much as what they need. The downtown Birmingham-based consulting firm that specializes in energy efficiency is focusing its efforts on assisting commercial companies with the best possible strategy for lowering their energy costs.

"We wanted to give them what they really needed," says Frank Schulmeister, energy strategist for Energy Sciences. "What they really need is a comprehensive energy strategy."

Energy Sciences specializes in demand-side energy management services for the commercial, industrial and municipal sectors. It tailors solutions and develops strategic programs that reduce operating costs and minimize carbon footprints. Its customers range from small heating-and-cooling companies to large auto suppliers.

The 4-year-old company has doubled and tripled its bottom line in each of those years. That has allowed it to grow to three employees and a handful of independent contractors. Much of the growth has come from word-of-mouth. This year the company iintends to expand its client list by investing in marketing efforts.

"We would like to be a company of about 10-12 employees," Schulmeister says.

Source: Frank Schulmeister, energy strategist for Energy Sciences
Writer: Jon Zemke

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

Relume Technologies has closed a venture capital round worth $7 million, with Beringea leading the round. The Farmington Hills-based venture capital firm, the largest in Michigan, will invest $3.2 million of the $7 million into the LED light maker. Silicon Valley-based Western Technology Investment also joined the Series D financing round with a few other existing investors.

"We're trying to build on the strong momentum we have built from our last investment," says Jeff Bocan, managing director of Beringea.

Relume Technologies specializes in manufacturing LED lights and smart grid technology. The lights are the Holy Grail of energy efficient lighting. They are being widely adopted across the country, including in several municipalities in Metro Detroit. Among those more publicized locales are the downtowns of Ann Arbor and Detroit.

The Oxford-based firm's innovative technology is used in municipal lighting, commercial signage, outdoor advertising, transportation, and U.S. military applications. Its smart grid technology is also used in similar places, ensuring lights are on or using excess energy when no one is using them.

"We're really excited about the opportunities in front of us," Bocan says. "We have a really strong team and the technology is being adopted by the market."

Source: Jeff Bocan, managing director of Beringea
Writer: Jon Zemke

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