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Pet spa and boutique caters to pet lovers in downtown Plymouth

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Economic Development

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January 29, 2015

A new pet spa and boutique celebrated its grand opening in downtown Plymouth Britt's Bow Wow Boutique & Spa at 550 Forest Ave. also provides doggie day care, and since it's official opening a few months the furry clientele has continued to build. The new business moved into a closed yarn shop after major renovations were completed to add tubs, showers, grooming areas and retail space. It is located in the Westchester Square shopping and office development and is next door, ideally, to Three Dog Bakery. Source: Plymouth Downtown Development Authority Writer: Kim North Shine

IPS Technology Services adds 5 new staffers, looks to hire 3 more

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General

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January 29, 2015

Revenue increases have become par for the course for IPS Technology Services since its launch in 2009. Back then the Troy-based tech firm had revenues in the five figures. Those have risen sharply each year since. Revenues crossed into six figures within three years and into seven figures within four years.   "Now the challenge is to maintain it," says Pradip Sengupta, president of IPS Technology Services. IPS Technology Services works primarily in technology spaces, such as software, IT and staffing. It has made significant gains in sending new employees to other companies in the IT and engineering fields. That has allowed the company to hire five people over the last year in IT, business analysts, and software development. It currently has a staff of 30 employees and is looking to hire three more in software development right now. "We try to hire the best," Sengupta says. Sengupta credits the company's rise to its ability to deliver on its services and please its customers. He expects that philosophy to carry the company's growth trajection this year. "We would love to cross the $2 million mark," Sengupta says. "Our goal is $2.5 million. We want to hit $20 million in 2020." Source: Pradip Sengupta, president of IPS Technology Services Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

App firm jacapps adds voice-recognition technology to arsenal

By Newsroom

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General

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January 29, 2015

Bingham Farm-based jacapps recently signed a deal to partner XAPPmedia to bring new voice recognition technology to its line of mobile apps. Radio stations have been leveraging jacapps mobile apps for years, giving the company enough credibility to expand its client base into other industries, such as automotive. XAPPmedia provides an interactive audio advertising service, utilizing voice recognition technology. That way people listening to an ad on the radio can respond to a cue on the advertisement to make an order with just their voice. No buttons needed. "We think this is a huge leap forward," says Bob Kernen, COO of jacapps. "You can see how it can be a big driver with ads." The 6-year-old company also recently launched a new product platform that allows it to streamline the creation of its apps. "It allows us to work in a much more efficient way," Kernen says. "We don't need to build each app from scratch. We can configure them to our clients needs." Which has allowed the company to grow its revenue by 20 percent over the last year. That in turn has prompted jacapps to hire two people (software developers), rounding its staff out to 10 employees and an intern. "We have had really strong revenue growth over the last few years," Kernen says. Source: Bob Kernen, COO of jacapps Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Clicktivated Video turns watching videos into revenue events

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Technology & Innovation

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January 29, 2015

Chris Roebuck started a company out of frustration while trying to relax. The founder & CEO of Clicktivated Video wanted more when he was watching a video on a small, mobile screen, so his Metro Detroit-based company is tackling it. "There was no way of satisfying the urge to dive deeper into the online video while you’re watching it," Roebuck says. Clicktivated Video, which has offices in Birmingham and downtown Detroit, has developed a software platform that allows viewers to click on items in a video. The click creates a small bookmark that allows the viewer to make an online purchase or find out more information on it. The company's team of six people is still working on enhancing the technology. The 1-year-old startup launched its service midway through las year. It has signed on a couple of mid-sized players in video, such as the Home Shopping Networking. "We are starting to work with a few major networks," Roebuck says. Source: Chris Roebuck, founder & CEO of Clicktivated Video and Ben Hatala, director of operations for Clicktivated Video Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

2015 Detroit auto show a record-setter

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Community Development

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January 29, 2015

This year’s North American International Auto Show is another one for the record books when it comes to attendance. After setting a high last year for the last 11 years this year’s show 808,775 visitors helped kick that record to the curb.   Was it milder weather or a rebounding economy? Could it be the dozen new displays or 55 new car and truck reveals? Was it the fact that the average car is 11 years old and people are ready to shop?   Does anyone really care? What matters is whether show-goers find their way to real, car-selling showrooms after the show.   Excerpt:  “The automotive industry is really resurging right now and so they brought the best of the best,” says Scott LaRiche, chairman of the 2015 show. “Not only great displays and new things. It makes us very proud of the fact that the manufacturers feel that it’s important to bring that kind of firepower to Detroit.” Read more here

Eminem’s taking Detroit’s pugilist message to masses with new video

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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January 29, 2015

It was a t-shirt that first introduced us to the Detroit Vs. Everybody cry. Eminem then put the us-against-them message to song. Now comes the video follow-up to the November release and the worldwide audience that will view the black-and-white scenes of grimy and abandoned spots, the solid sports meccas and local monuments that are the backdrops for Detroit rappers as they wax on what’s good and bad about the city with a fight to fight. For Eminem’s part (he was raised in part in Warren, worked in St. Clair Shores and now lives in northern Macomb County) he promises to never leave the bitch. It may not be fodder for chamber, economic development or tourism officials, wanting to retain and attract talent, but there’s no denying that the city will be in the heads of countless fans – for better or worse. Excerpt: "The approach definitely suits the song and its gritty portrayal of Detroit, lending a kind of personality and romanticism to all that darkness and intensity."   Read more and watch the video here.

Free ride for lucky LTU engineering students

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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January 29, 2015

A $5 million gift to Lawrence Technological University will cover the cost of education for future engineering students and go to applicants based on academic merit primarily and also financial need and other qualifications. The Minks’ scholarship fund is one of the largest in LTU’s College of Engineering. The donation from the trust of the late George and Dorothea G. Mink will pay for college tuition starting in the fall of 2016. Mink attended LTU and held several patents for material handling apparatus. Excerpt: The scholarships will help Lawrence Tech attract and retain more top students, according to LTU President Virinder Moudgil. “This generous bequest will have a profound impact on the lives of our students,” Moudgil said. “We are so grateful that Mr. and Mrs. Mink chose to share the priceless gift of a great education with so many other students today and for generations to come.” Read the whole story here

Check out these techs. Google Demo investors will.

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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January 29, 2015

Three Detroit-area tech startups have won a chance to pitch their companies to investors lined up by Google and looking for business ideas to put their money behind.   After competing last week in the Grand Circus Detroit Google Demo Day competition, the founders of AdAdapted, GENOMENON and LevelEleven, are hoping to be picked to visit Google’s California HQ in April and spill to investors what’s promising about their companies. One or two will make the cut to make the trip to Mountainview, Calif.   Excerpt: “We’re very impressed by the talented entrepreneurs and innovative companies in the Detroit area. Google for Entrepreneurs partners with organizations like Grand Circus to help these local communities of entrepreneurs grow and thrive,” said John Lyman, head of partnerships and marketing for Google for Entrepreneurs.   Read more about these little companies that could here.

Juice Bar business added to fitness studio in downtown Ferndale

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Arts & Culture

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January 22, 2015

The owners of two health-and-fitness focused businesses are operating under one roof in downtown Ferndale as a way to tap into one another's clients by offering them more products and services. The grand opening of Pure Juice Bar & Cafe is being celebrated this Friday. It shares its space at 23440 Woodward Ave. with TV Fitness, a workout studio that offers personal training and trainer-assisted workouts with popular TV and DVD exercise routines. Pure Juice Bar & Cafe serves fresh juices, smoothies, fruits, vegetables and light meals in the cafe or for takeaway. It also is a source for drinks and education for clients on cleanses. Its counter with bar stools and a small seating area with tables and chairs take up part of the lobby at TV Fitness, which has a gym and workout space behind glass partition off the lobby. TV Fitness owners and brothers Ryan and Earl Carruthers see the two businesses as natural complements.Friday's grand opening will double as a health expo with TV Fitness hosting an open house while Pure Juice cuts the ribbon on its business opening. Source: Ryan and Earl Carruthers Writer: Kim North Shine

M1 MRI Center brings latest tech to $700K facility in Berkley

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Arts & Culture

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January 22, 2015

The M1 Imaging Center, which operates from a $700,000 facility in Berkley, is the only MRI center in the state to hold a license for a weight-bearing imaging device that was developed by NASA and is used to treat chronic back, neck, leg and knee pain. The owners of M1, one a radiologist, the other a health care administrator, combined their expertise to open the MRI center inside a 75-year-old, 3,000-square-foot former Henderson Glass at 27501 Woodward Ave. The center offers several forms of MRI, and the latest, the DynaWell L-Spine, is non-invasive and allows patients to stand and bear weight during MRI in for more accurate diagnoses, and potentially, more effective treatment plans. It is one of several services and technologically-advanced tools offered by M1 to patients and doctors in southeast Michigan, some of them available only at M1. “By simulating gravity on the lumbar spine through the compression device, we can make a more comprehensive diagnosis than an MRI that does not offer weight-bearing images,” says Joshua Katke, the health care administrator who owns M1 with muscoskeletal neuroradiologist, Dr. Chintan Desai.“What we see may be the difference between conservative treatment and surgery. Weight-bearing MRI will not create a false positive or worse condition of spinal stenosis when there isn’t one but rather will be the first to detect a previously under-diagnosed condition.” Source: Lynne Golodner, Your People LLC Writer: Kim North Shine