In the News

Farmington equity firm director writes about cutting-edge tech investment

The Huffington Post Thursday, October 04, 2012

Jeff Bocan of Farmington's private equity firm Beringea talks about his time at the National Science Foundation's I-Corps, a program at U-M designed to fast-track research from the lab to the real world, and how the government can help foster greater entrepreneurship by funding cutting edge R&D

Excerpt:

"I have just completed a tour of duty as a venture capital faculty member at the National Science Foundation's I-Corps (short for NSF's Innovation Corps - a program designed to fast-track research from the lab to the real world), delivered in partnership with the University of Michigan. I-Corps is like the scientific version of PBS' Antiques Roadshow -- NSF-funded technological gems that have largely been tucked away in the labs of America's research institutions are being dusted off, given a heavy dose of commercial polish and have been unearthed to unlock the potential to create a lot of value for the technologists, their universities and society in general."

Read the rest here.

A better generational mix of people makes for a better neighborhood

The Atlantic Cities Thursday, September 27, 2012

Look around your neighborhood. What do you see? If it's mostly people that look like you -particularly with regard to age - then you (and your community) are missing out. Or so says writer Sarah Goodyear.

Excerpt:

"The segregation of generations goes deeper than just the swaddling of children in a cocoon of safety, though. In a society obsessed with aging, too often the generations are kept apart by prejudice and stereotypes. Young people are scared of getting old. Old people are scared of being inconvenienced. The debate over strollers in pubs seems to be never-ending here in New York, with a lot of young adults saying they don’t want to be disturbed by little kids (my opinion on a reasonable position echoes that of many commenters on this New York Times piece: In a decent place that serves food as well as booze, at reasonable times of day, there’s no reason to exclude families that are responsible about their own and their children’s behavior). Outside the city, many gated communities geared toward retirees won’t sell to anyone younger than 50, or 55, or 60. Presumably even a rowdy 45-year-old could upset the equilibrium. To quote one website marketing such a community: "

Read the rest here.

It's cider mill season in Metro Detroit

Berkley Patch Thursday, September 27, 2012

Fall has officially landed, which means that cider and donuts are on the menu. Patch has put together a round up of local cider mills that should put you in an autumnal mood.

Sample:

Blake's Orchard & Cider Mill

New this year to the popular autumn destination is a haunted 3D maze and a "zombie paintball safari." Other tried-and-true attractions include train rides, hay rides, pony rides, a straw maze, story book barn, animal petting farm, barnyard funland, straw mountain and more. Blake's also offer u-pick fruits and vegetables and a store filled with tasty treats and fresh apple cider.

Read the rest here.

Revealed: What's in White Trash Pie

The Huffington Post Thursday, September 27, 2012

Here's a fun interview with Nikita Santches, avante garde baker of Rock City Pies, which currently makes its home in Ferndale's Rustbelt Market.

Excerpt:

"A semifinalist in the Comerica Hatch Detroit contest, he hopes to win the grand prize of $50,000 and open a brick-and-mortar retail space in the city. Santches would plan to sell sweet and savory creations to hungry customers, as well as distribute the pies wholesale.

The Hatch finalists is determined by public voting through Sept. 18, and a final round of judge and public decision-making at the end of the month will determine the winner."

To discover what's in a White Trash Pie click here.

A fascinating look at Dearborn's diversity

The Atlantic Cities Thursday, September 27, 2012

Writer Daniel Denvir does a deep dive into the character and controversies surroundings Dearborn's Arab-American culture. From the ugly anti-Muslim agendas of bigots to the city's unique culture of assimilation, the article is a must-read.

Excerpt:

"When Henry Ford moved production to Dearborn's vast Rouge plant, Muslim workers followed—though the Arab-American population was still largely Christian. The city's American Moslem Society, founded in 1938, is now the area's oldest continuously operating mosque. Chaldeans, Iraqi Catholics who often do not identify as Arabs, joined a tide of more well-to-do immigrants after World War II. After 1970, Muslim immigrants arrived from Iraq and Yemen, alongside many Lebanese fleeing that country's bloody civil war. The Gulf and Iraq wars have dispatched a new wave. The immigrants have found opportunities in a changing and troubled local economy, excelling in the sort of small business entrepreneurship that Jewish immigrants, and earlier Arabs, had skillfully managed a generation before. In Detroit, Chaldeans run most supermarkets and liquor stores, in part because they were tasked with handling alcohol in Muslim-majority Iraq. Lebanese own many gas stations."

Read the rest here.

Michigan needs better cities to attract better talent

Lansing State Journal Thursday, September 20, 2012

Lou Glazer, who heads the nonprofit think tank Michigan Future Inc., has never been shy about his opinion on what Michigan needs to compete as a worldclass economy, destination, or community. In a Q&A he advocates for a better educated workforce and more progressive cities.

Excerpt:

"Culture ends up being the most important ingredient. Learning, entrepreneurship and being (welcoming) to all. Michigan’s having problems with all of them.

You need cars less because all of these cities are walkable.

That’s what’s missing in Michigan."

Read the rest here.

Royal Oak cupcake champions celebrate win

The Detroit News Thursday, September 20, 2012

Back in April the gals who own and run Royal Oak's Taste Love Cupcakes emerged champions on the Food Network's "Cupcake Wars." The win couldn't have come at a better time since the shop hadn't yet hit its stride and talk of closing was in the year. Ah, what a difference salmon caramel cupcakes can make.

Excerpt:

"That episode will re-air at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and to celebrate, Michelle Brown and Yolanda Baston of Taste Love Cupcakes will offer the very products that won the "war.""

Pure Michigan Singalong shows off Metro Detroit, becomes a web sensation

YouTube Thursday, September 20, 2012

Come on, you gotta have a heart of stone not to be touched by this clever Pure Michigan promotional. And at nearly 2 million views in less than 2 weeks that's a helluva successful campaign.

Let's see if I caught all of our region's reps. There's the Erebus' ghouls (Pontiac), a high falutin' toast in Rochester, Royal Oak's polar bears, a Southfield weatherman, The Henry Ford (Dearborn), Ann Arbor's Big House, Detroit's Comerica Park, Lions, DIA, and Fox Theater, an ice rink in Novi, and the Ypsilanti Water Tower. Did I miss any?

Check out the video below.

Grosse Pointe salad joint plans for national expansion

RestaurantNews.com Thursday, September 20, 2012

How far can veggies take you? For this GP-based restaurant chain, they're looking to shoot the moon.

Excerpt:

"The Big Salad, a chain of restaurants in metro Detroit serving fresh, custom-made salads, healthy and hearty soups and a wide range of sumptuous sandwiches today announced plans to open two new franchises in 2013 with a goal to launch an additional 200 restaurants over the next 10 years."

Read the rest here.

The Atlantic magazine is looking for a few good start-ups

The Atlantic Thursday, September 13, 2012

Entrepreneurs and economic development officials, be on the alert for a pair of enterprising reporters from The Atlantic magazine. Beginning next week, they're making a beeline for the Upper Midwest, and Detroit is one of the regions where they're looking to find the region's brightest start-ups.

Excerpt:
"This year, we're starting the trip in Chicago and finishing up in Pittsburgh. Call it a Rust Belt Tour, if that's not a pejorative. If you're starting a business along this route (or even near it), we want to hear from you. While we're primarily interested in tech (very broadly construed), interesting entrepreneurs of all types should feel free to get in touch.

And stay tuned because we're working on putting together a few events, so that we can meet as many people as possible.

This year, we want to build maps of the startup scene in each city we visit. That means we want to map not just where startups have their offices, but also where they get coffees and beers and meetings and employees and money."

Read the full story here. And check here for MLive's coverage.

New Metro Detroit homes are hot properties, once again

Wall Street Journal Thursday, September 13, 2012

While the heady days of '06 and '07 seem long-buried, Detroit's housing market is rising from the dead. The Wall Street Journal reports on a real comeback -- bidding wars! -- in the metro area's new construction market.

Excerpt:
"Low interest rates and improving economic conditions are persuading people like Jerold Hawkins to take the plunge. Mr. Hawkins, a software developer for the auto industry, and his wife, Katherine, a nurse, recently agreed to buy a new five-bedroom home in Rochester Hills, Mich., for $289,900. "I now have a really good job and so does my wife," Mr. Hawkins says.

The auto industry's recovery has spurred demand for new homes in the $180,000 to $500,000 price range in the Detroit area, says Dan Elsea, president of brokerage Real Estate One in Detroit. In the choicest neighborhoods, even homes built without a ready buyer often sell long before completion and with multiple offers, he says."

Get the full story here.

Pure Michigan campaign takes top national awards

Pure Michigan Thursday, September 13, 2012

With its recent spate of national awards, it looks like the Pure Michigan tourism and advertising campaign has some takers. And the visitors are biting, too.

Excerpt:
"The U.S. Travel Association and the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) this week honored Pure Michigan with five Mercury Awards. Pure Michigan was recognized as having the best state tourism television advertising, best state radio advertising, top social media presence, best partnership advertising program and top public relations effort, won jointly with the state of Wisconsin for the “Who is the Real Mitten State?” initiative….

Last year, Pure Michigan's advertising campaign brought a record 3.2 million out-of-state visitors to Michigan, according to a study by Longwoods International. These visitors spent $1 billion at Michigan businesses, paying $70 million in taxes."

Read more here.

Nine Michigan companies make Inc. 500 list

MLive Thursday, September 13, 2012

Michigan's companies are on the up-and-up, taking their share of slots on the "Inc. 500" list. And the state holds its own on the "Inc. 5000" list too.

Excerpt:
"Nine Michigan companies made Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 fastest growing private companies in the country...

The following Michigan companies made the Inc. 500 list:
60. Keen Technical Solutions, Traverse City
189. Marketplace Homes, Plymouth
229. SilkRoute, Troy
275. Mango Languages, West Bloomfield
278. PROLIM, Farmington Hills
299. Dancin' Dogg Golf, Traverse City
334. Grand River, Ann Arbor
450. PrizeLogic, Southfield
459. ProtectCell, Novi "

Read more here.

Five Metro Detroit communities make 100 best places to live list

CNNMoney.com Thursday, August 23, 2012

Metro Detroit represents! Accounting for 5% of the 100 best mid-sized places in the country to live (pop 50K-300K) ain't too shappy. Who in the Mitten ranked highest? Ann Arbor squeaked in at 100. Shelby Township was 78th, Macomb Township was 84th, West Bloomfield Township was 37th, and Troy kicked butt coming in at 26th.

Carmel, Indiana took the very top spot.

Excerpt:

Like many places near Detroit, Troy suffered during the recession, but good times seem to be back. Auto companies' profits are rising and formerly vacant office space in Troy is filling up. Detroit's woes mean housing in the area is a bargain: The median home price is just $166,000, and property taxes are ultralow. That's a pretty good deal for a city that's been rated the safest in Michigan for 10 of the past 14 years, has great schools and the best community sports program in the state."

Read the rest here.

The geography of craft beer

The Atlantic Cities Thursday, August 23, 2012

This is way cool. Michigan didn't rank quite as highly as we sometimes like to think - but we're still in the top 10. Check out Ricahrd Florida's break down of how political, religious, and cultural leanings correlate with artisanal beer production.

Excerpt:

"The numbers look slightly different, however, when we control for population (see the second map below). Vermont now leads with 3.68 breweries per 100,000 people, followed by Montana (3.23) and Oregon (3.16). Alaska, Maine, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Idaho, and Wisconsin round out the top 10. New Mexico, New Hampshire, and Michigan are the only other states to have more than 1 craft brewery per 100,000 people."

Read the rest here.