The economic development agencies that make up the Economic Development Coalition of Southeast Michigan helped bring more than $1 billion in investment to Metro Detroit in 2008, according to a report from Detroit Renaissance.

The coalition is made up of agencies like Ann Arbor SPARK and TechTown, which assisted 1,200 companies create 19,688 jobs last year through 183 projects. Automation Alley helped 24 companies to spur $9 million in investment and add 150 new jobs, thanks to $4.5 million of cash infusions.

"The water is not out of the tub in Southeast Michigan yet," says Kenneth Rogers, executive director of Automation Alley. "There is a heart beat here. There is still business going on in Southeast Michigan."

Source: Roger Curtis, executive director of Automation Alley
Writer: Jon Zemke

The money from all of those MacBooks, iPods and iPhones you see in coffee shops and classrooms isn't just going into Steve Jobs' pockets. Macprofessionals is getting its fair share and then some.

The Novi-based firm got its start in 2000, providing support for the growing contingent of Mac users. Today it employs 53 people and about 8-10 independent contractors on a consistent basis. That's up from 43 employees at the beginning of the year and it expects to hire up to five more people by year-end.

The firm, which is currently on the Edward Lowe Foundation's Michigan 50 Companies to Watch list, also recorded 25 percent revenue growth last year and expects to post a similar number next year.

"It's been growth year after year," says Maria Eby, finance controller for Macprofessionals. "A lot of companies are coming to us now."

It has been riding the Mac popularity wave and its own wave of good word-of-mouth marketing. Macprofessionals plans to focus on education this year as more schools get federal funding to provide computers and other electronics.

Source: Maria Eby, finance controller for Macprofessionals
Writer: Jon Zemke

Downtown Royal Oak is known for its boutiques but few have as many unique aspects as Burn Rubber.

The small business is more than a shoe store, it's a sneaker boutique. Customers don't come in to buy shoes. Sneakerheads spend days in line Star Wars-style to buy kicks that double as art and status symbols.

"We sell a lifestyle," says Roland Coit, co-owner of Burn Rubber. "It's more about being your own person. Most of the stuff we have they only make 1,000 pairs or 500, or even less, and they sell out fast. It's a lifestyle of exclusivity."

It explains why Coit and his partner Rick Williams need only 480 square feet of space and six people to do business. It's unnecessary to have a large retail floor for shoes that come in short supply, like Nike Air Yeezys (Kanye West's shoe) and Clark Kent Air Force 1s.

These shoes are often made of expensive leather and horse hair. It explains why prices can get into the $300s for a pair or even higher. Coit and Williams even know where to point people who are looking for personalized shoes with graffiti-like art.

"That makes a shoe that much more limited," Coit says. "It makes it one of a kind."

Source: Roland Coit, co-owner of Burn Rubber
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ever wonder what makes the vehicles and robots in the U.S. military go? DRIVE Developments does.

The Sterling Heights-based firm specializes in diagnostics and controls for those types of vehicles. The company has turned this into a business with about a dozen people, up from just one person when it started three years ago. It has already hired two more so far this year.

"We're looking at doubling the size of our staff within the next year," says Larry Osentoski, CEO and founder of DRIVE Developments.

It has been able to do that by expanding its client base into different agencies in the U.S. Department of Defense. It expects to continue this in the near future as it develops new products.

"We're developing a lot of new technologies that we expect to present to the military for funding," Osentoski says.

Source: Larry Osentoski, CEO and founder of DRIVE Developments
Writer: Jon Zemke

What was once JADI is turning into iTrack, taking in a nice tax incentive and planning to begin a big growth move next year.

"We are projected to grow to 25-30 people within five years," says Jerry Atkinson, CEO of iTrack.

The robotics firm got its start in Troy as JADI in 2004. It made the jump to Oakland University's SmartZone Business Incubator (OU INCubator) last year with the help of $250,000 from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund.

The company is working with a $3.5 million U.S. Department of Defense grant to develop a system that will allow people to track and control an autonomous robotic vehicle, like NASA's Mars Rover. Options are also being explored on the commercial market.

It made the change to iTrack earlier this year when it joined Oakland County's Emerging Sectors Program. It also formed a partnership that brought in a large state tax incentive to finish product development by next year. When that happens, it plans to leave the incubator and set up shop in Auburn Hills.

Source: Jerry Atkinson, CEO of iTrack
Writer: Jon Zemke

Oakland University wants to see more of its students getting their professional feet wet at local businesses. But the Rochester-based school doesn't sees it as a one-sided proposition. 

OU is starting a free workshop on creating an internship program for local businesses through Automation Alley. The workshop will cover the benefits companies enjoy by having interns. Those incentives range from lower costs to bringing in creative young people with fresh ideas.

"It's a win-win situation for both the employer and the students," says Michael Stromayer, job locator developer coordinator for Oakland University.

It will also show businesses how to find, process and treat an intern. The workshop will also detail how (in)expensive it is to keep an intern around to help out with work.

"It doesn’t cost a lot of money," Stromayer says. "A lot of internships are unpaid."

The all-day workshop is set for July 7 at Automation Alley's headquarters in Troy. For information, call (248) 370-3250 or click here.

Source: Michael Stromayer, job locator developer coordinator for Oakland University
Writer: Jon Zemke

Three workshops to be held over multiple dates throughout the summer will be designed to explain to business owners and nonprofits how to green their buildings, improve energy efficiency and -- perhaps most importantly -- finance their projects.

Here's the deets.

The intro class "Go Green to Improve Your Bottom Line" is free of charge and is intended as an overview of energy efficiency and green building principles and an explanation of the triple bottom line. It will be held twice in Detroit: June 23 at Hannan House (4740 Woodward) and July 1 at Sts. Peter & Paul (3700 Gilbert). Both take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Both of the other classes cost $25 apiece, but you can save $10 if you register for all three.

The second is called "Re-Energize Buildings, Systems and Behaviors". The focus is on planning the steps necessary to make significant energy changes in a building and, accordingly, evaluation tools will be presented. Dates are July 7 at Hannan House and July 8 at Sts. Peter & Paul.

The final class, "Financing Your Green Project', will be held July 21 at Hannan House and July 22 at Sts. Peter & Paul.

All classes take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The classes are presented by WARM Training Center and Rebuild Michigan. Host organizations include Michigan Avenue Business Association, Greater Corktown Development Corporation, Southwest Detroit Business Association, and the Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation.

Register online at www.warmtraining.org.

Source: Dian Van Buren Jones, WARM Training
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

It might not be pretty and it might not be ideal, but the Russell Industrial Center has become home to hundreds of businesses in Detroit.

Excerpt:

Small businesses continue to flock to the Russell Industrial Center and Bazaar, making the old Rustbelt factory turned creative enclave arguably the most successful business incubator in Michigan.  

Today more than 285 fledgling firms call the structure home. Six new tenants joined the complex in May, including a photographer, artist and lighting company. So far another four have signed up for space in June, including a web and graphic design firms.

The Russell Bazaar, a flea-market-style retail center, continues to attract more clients, too. Occupied by independent retailers, the Bazaar's tenants range from clothing makers to computer repair shops. With 125 businesses, it is now 70 percent full and continues to grow.

"We're seeing people coming in asking for more square footage," says Eric Novak, the Russell Industrial Center's leasing agent, adding that recent square footage requests he has seen have started at 10,000 square feet and up.

Read the rest of the story here.