Economic Development

Microloan helps iQ-Telematics nail down patents

The Michigan Microloan Fund Program has proved essential for iQ-Telematics.The 1-year-old company recently received $15,000 from the Ann Arbor SPARK-run program. It used the seed capital for a number of items, but most importantly, for obtaining foreign and domestic patents."If we didn't gather money we would have lost the European or American patents," says Mouhamad Naboulsi, president of iQ-Telematics. "We couldn't have done both at the same time."The West Bloomfield-based firm, staffed by nine co-founders, is developing software for automobiles that can require safer driving practices, like disabling music and other extra activities if the driver isn't keeping two hands on the steering wheel. The idea is to make the experience safer for motorists, such as young drivers and people who haul hazardous waste.The microloan and assistance from Ann Arbor SPARK is also helping cover exhibit costs at trade shows and a market study of its product. "That should be done by the end of October," Naboulsi says.Source: Mouhamad Naboulsi, president of iQ-TelematicsWriter: Jon Zemke

The Today Show profiles Detroit’s burgeoning film industry

Michigan's generous film incentives continue to gather positive press from national media outlets. The Today Show takes a quick look at how Metro Detroit's workforce, image, and talent retention efforts are increasingly benefiting from the tax incentives, the most competitive in the nation.Watch the video here.Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Michigan brewers snag 10 medals at Great American Beer Festival

Microbrewers are on the upswing in Michigan as many of them continue to grab the brass ring, errr… gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Members of the Michigan Brewers Guild won 10 medals at the world famous festival in Denver last week. Excerpt:The best was probably Canadian Breakfast Stout from Founder's Brewing in Michigan. While some Imperial Stouts are aged in bourbon barrels, the Founder's brewmasters age their regular oatmeal-chocolate-coffee Breakfast Stout in maple syrup barrels.Read the rest of the story.

SF Business Times lauds Michigan govt programs to boost new economy

Maybe it's a case of the grass being greener on the other side of the fence, but whatever the reason, it's nice to see Michigan's new economy initiatives get some respect; if not even a little envy from the state it's trying to emulate. California, take a page from Michigan's playbook.Excerpt:"Michigan," the founder of San Francisco's CMEA Capital repeated. "Now I'm not that close to it, but you see it more in programs and policies. They're protecting small businesses, providing tax breaks — lots of breaks — and they're providing worker training incentives."Also, Baruch noted, Michigan has a strong delegation in Congress that has helped funnel federal stimulus program cash in an effort to transform the world's auto capital into a green-auto hub."(State government has) tends to be less antagonistic and more of what you might call 'participatory' in bringing together assets within the state, including the universities," said Baruch, whose firm has bankrolled the likes of cleantech companies Codexis and Solyndra.Read the rest of the story here.

What’s Next For The Silverdome?

After picking up the Silverdome at bargain-basement prices, the stadium's new Canadian owners are fixing up the place and bringing in events like international soccer teams and concerts. It may just turn the hulking building from a local punchline into an economic driver.

Reduced rate art studio space available in downtown Mt. Clemens

One Mt. Clemens business is turning empty space into creative space.According to David Case, president of Fox Photography in downtown Mt. Clemens, the office space on the floor above his family's photography business has been largely vacant as a result of most of the title company tenants vacating after everything went online; two still rent space there to take advantage of proximity to the county building.After asking around and re-evaluating the rent they were asking, Case partnered with the Anton Art Center to offer a reduced rate to artists for studio space, turning it into an arts incubator of sorts. "It's very affordable space, it's in town, and it's close to the art center," Case says.Plus, with each signed lease, Case will make a contribution equal to the first month's rent to the Anton Art Center. So far, a jewelry designer has moved in and more have come to look at the remaining five spaces.Photography being an art in itself, Case says the business is sensitive to the needs of artists making a name for themselves. "The town has been smacked hard, and there's not a lot of retail in town right now," he says. "We need some bodies. Usually when a town turns around, artists come first."The spaces range in size from 80-360 square feet. The rental rate is $1 per square foot per month, on a month-to-month basis. Utilities are commonly shared between the studio tenants.Source: David Case, president of Fox PhotographyWriter: Kristin Lukowski

Detroit Mayor Bing, local leaders to speak on mass transit, urban vitality

Downtown Grosse Pointe storefronts get facelifts

Robert Wood, owner of Grosse Pointe-based Robert Wood & Associates, says both buildings, on Kercheval, are getting old and were ready for a revamp. The single-story Blockbuster building has new overhangs, a repaired roof, new lighting, and drainage. Faulty drainage can lead to a lot of an old building's problems."It always surprises when you open up these old buildings, but everything was solid behind the facade," Wood says. "You never know what you're going to get into when you peel the face off the building. You kind of hold your breath and hope that there's nothing major."The Ann Taylor Loft building is next for a facade redesign, but there's an issue to work through: A neighboring building's condition is causing Wood and his team to reevaluate the original plan to pull the brick off the facade. Instead, they may tuck point and save it, but they'll likely have to come up with a new plan, which will probably have to go back to the city for re-approval, Wood says."It is an upscale store, and the building right now doesn't reflect that."Something else to keep in mind as he works on the building is that most of the traffic comes through the back door, from municipal parking lots a block from the main street. "You really end up with two fronts to the building," he says. "Trash cans, lighting, all of that has to look equally good. It encourages people to park in the back and off the street."Among the renovations are updated windows and doors, to make the building more energy-efficient and to be ADA-compliant. Plus, the business of restoring old buildings, as opposed to knocking them down and building new ones, is not only green, but saves time and money, and preserves the past, he says."It's good for the city, and it's good for the whole block," Wood says.Source: Robert Wood, owner of Robert Wood & AssociatesWriter: Kristin Lukowski

Wayne County wins economic development award for Aerotropolis

Wayne County's Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) is flying high after it received an Excellence in Economic Development Award Tuesday in recognition of the Detroit Region Aerotropolis.At the International Economic Development Council annual conference in Columbus, Ohio, earlier this week, the Aerotropolis was recognized in the category of Regionalism and Cross-Border Promotion, for communities with a population greater than 500,000. It also received an Honorable Mention in the category Multi-Year Economic Development.The Detroit Region Aerotropolis Initiative includes four cities, three townships, two counties, Wayne County's Airport Authority, and private partners. The idea is for everyone to work together as a unified regional alliance to promote the region. In the past few years, almost 6,000 jobs and $1 billion in investment have been created by projects looking to be in the Aerotropolis.The Excellence in Economic Awards program annually recognizes the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities. The IEDC is dedicated to helping economic development professionals create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions.Source: Wayne CountyWriter: Kristin Lukowski