Watch out auto industry, there's a new dog in town. Well, actually, there are a few new dogs in town. Metro Detroit is becoming home to a new set of employers, which are diversifying its economy.
Excerpt:
Coombs and his fellow entrepreneurs cited similar reasons for launching in -- or, in one case, moving to -- metro Detroit.
They
appreciate the area's low cost of living, which translates to
relatively low overhead costs for businesses. They have access to
skilled employees, thanks to Michigan's universities and an
automotive talent base that is looking for work. And Detroit Metro
Airport remains a major transit hub, putting executives in easy
striking of customers outside of Michigan.
The companies we spoke
with are located throughout metro Detroit, including nearby suburbs
such as Pleasant Ridge and Wixom, as well as Ann Arbor, which has
become a hub for technology spin-off companies in Southeast Michigan.
"There
is this notion that high-tech belongs at the coasts, or that the 'Rust
Belt' is not really the place for this. That's patently untrue," says
Ann Marie Sastry, CEO of Sakti3, an Ann Arbor firm working to develop
advanced lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
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