Ypsilanti's Clean Energy Coalition lands $15M federal grant
Source: Concentrate, 9/3/2009
The Clean Energy Coalition looks to bring
more than a few jobs to Ypsilanti's Depot Town with the help of a $15
million federal grant.
Excerpt:
The Clean Energy
Coalition will take a major step forward this fall now that it has
roped in a $15 million federal contract, a hit that is expected to
result in an expanded staff at the Ypsilanti-based non-profit.
"Obviously our staffing could grow significantly from this," says Sean Reed, executive director of the Clean Energy Coalition.
Read the rest of the story here.
Ann Arbor SPARK's Micro Loan Fund takes aim at Ypsilanti
Source: Concentrate, 8/27/2009
Ann Arbor SPARK is paying more and more attention to business acceleration in the Ypsilanti area these days.
Excerpt:
Business on the east side of Washtenaw County is getting some special love from Ann Arbor SPARK.
The
business development agency and Washtenaw County have teamed up to
create the Eastern Washtenaw Micro Loan Fund. The $225,000 will provide
precious capital for start-ups based on the east side of the county.
Read the rest of the story here.
ISSYS creates partnership and hires in Ypsilanti
Source: Concentrate, 6/11/2009
ISSYS goes to Switzerland, creates a partnership and then adds more jobs in Ypsilanti.
Excerpt:
Good things come in threes for ISSYS. First the Ypsilanti-based firm hired two people since the last time we checked in
with it earlier this year. Second it formed a partnership with a
Switzerland-based firm, a move that is expected to (thirdly) create
more jobs in Ypsilanti.
As of today ISSYS employs 32 people and
has a couple of positions open right now. It expects to hire another
5-6 people by the end of the year. The Swiss firm, Endress + Hauser,
might also open an office nearby.
Read the rest of the story here.
Ypsilanti's LookInTheAttic named one of Michigan's 50 Companies to Watch
Source: Concentrate, 4/9/2009
Don't lose sight of Ypsilanti's LookInTheAttic, because it's one of Michigan's 50 Companies to Watch.
Excerpt:
It's not hard to find LookInTheAttic these days, especially now that the downtown Ypsilanti-based firm has been named one of the Edward Lowe Foundation's Michigan 50 Companies to Watch.
It's
easy to see why when you look at the company's year-to-year growth.
Steady success has allowed the eight-person firm to add one more person
to its staff and open yet another position. It hopes to create yet
another job later this year, as the company continues on its growth
track.
"We're consistently seeing 20-30 percent growth every year, even in this recession," says John Coleman, president of LookInTheAttic.
Read the rest of the story here.
Metro Detroit scores $2.8 million in federal earmarks
Source: Metromode, 3/19/2009
Business development in Metro Detroit is getting a little venture capital from Uncle Sam. The recently passed federal Omnibus bill includes $2.784 million in earmarks for regional business development.
Omnibus is short for an Omnibus Appropriations Act, which is basically a budget bill that Congress passes each year. These are notorious for earmarks (federal dollars set aside by members of Congress for projects in their districts) which make up a fraction of the overall bill. What some talking heads like to decry as pork often turns out to be valued funds for getting stuff done outside the beltway.
These get-stuff-done funds include:
- $100,000 for a micro business incubator at Cleary University
- $73,693 for the Detroit Creative Business Corridor
- $343,900 for business retention and attraction programs at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
- $385,000 for the Macomb County Business Accelerator
- $225,000 for an entrepreneurship center on the Oakland campus of Wayne State University
- $245,643 for an ex-offender Entrepreneurship Program at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan
- $245,643 for a telecommunications portal and logistics center at the Aerotropolis
- $167,676 for the small business clinic at Wayne State University Law School
- $285,000 for planning and reconstruction of an international business center for business incubation at Automation Alley in Troy
- $285,000 for the DREAMS teacher training initiative at Eastern Michigan University
- $333,000 for curriculum development for an associate of applied science degree in energy management at Macomb Community College in Warren
- $95,000 for the Institute of Radio Frequency Electronics and Nanoelectronics at Oakland University in Rochester
Source: Offices of senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow
Writer: Jon Zemke
GREEN SPACE: A2 & Ypsi undergoing holistic sustainability training this weekend
Source: metromode, 1/29/2009
This weekend, about 50 participants from all over Southeast Michigan
will gather to undergo training in the Transition movement, which
emphasizes a local solution to the global issue of oil dependence.
Transition
was founded by Rob Hopkins in the UK, and has spread across the world
-- Boulder, CO, Portland, ME, and Ketchum, ID are all Transition towns.
It addresses food and farming, medicine and health, the prison
industry, education, the economy, transportation, energy and housing --
all with an eye towards local, sustainable thinking.
"We're
working towards an effective and meaningful response to global warming
and the end of cheap energy," says organizer Lisa Bashert. "Through
this process, we hope to come up with some plans towards a more
localized culture and way of life."
The planning team will be
led by trainer Michael Brownlee from Boulder County in Colorado, who
has been trained by Hopkins. The group consists of representatives from
the Ypsilanti Food Co-op, Growing Hope, the City of Ann Arbor's Energy
Office, Bioneers, Sustainable Ypsi and members of the Sustainable
Michigan/Peak Oil Meetup group. Bashert hopes the training will
encourage collaboration between participants.
While
registration for the training is closed already due to the high level
of interest, there are a couple of public events tied in. On Thursday,
January 29, from 7:30 to 9:30, the Detroit Evolution Laboratory
will host a welcome event for Brownlee in Eastern Market's Shed 5, on
Russell Street. On Friday night, the group will show the film The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil at the Ann Arbor Friends Meeting house.
To learn more about the Transition movement, check out these websites:
http://www.transitiontowns.org/
http://www.hopedance.org/cms/content/view/540/86/
http://www.transitionus.org/
http://TransitionMichigan.ning.com
Source: Lisa Bashert
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
Ann Arbor SPARK raffles off Ypsilanti incubator space at ACE
Source: Concentrate, 1/22/2009
A new, free office space for start-ups is up for grabs in downtown Ypsilanti thanks to Ann Arbor SPARK.
Excerpt:
Everything an ambitious start-up needs to be successful will be up for grabs at the Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship tomorrow.
A whole lot of start-up know-how will be available at the conference, but something more valuable will also be on hand – free space in Ann Arbor SPARK's new East Business Incubator in downtown Ypsilanti. Ann Arbor SPARK plans to raffle off one free year's lease.
That free space, worth $4,800, will include access to a VOIP phone system, T-1 internet connection, a full kitchen, two conference rooms, free parking and administrative resources such as copiers and cleaning services. There will also be access to Ann Arbor SPARK's business acceleration services.
Read the rest of the story here.