Ann Arbor Archives – Page 67 of 147

A2 Media Corporation set to create 63 new jobs

By Newsroom

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October 9, 2008

Software developers A2 Media Corp is sinking more than few pretty pennies into Ann Arbor as it looks to expand.Excerpt:More software development in Ann Arbor means more job development in Tree Town, too. Now that A2 Media Corporation (aka Icon Creative Technologies Group) is expanding its presence in Ann Arbor, the 18-person company expects to create 63 new jobs within the next 10 years. It's going to do that by investing about $2.7 million to relocate and expands its Ann Arbor facility. "A great deal of it will be invested in talent," says Sara Johns, project director for A2 Media Corporation.Read the rest of the story here.

Renaissance Venture Capital Fund looks to bridge Detroit, Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 9, 2008

Detroit Renaissance is looking to help bridge the divide between Detroit and Ann Arbor with its Renaissance Venture Capital Fund. Excerpt: Detroit Renaissance has launched a venture capital fund and hired Chris Rizik (co-founder of Ardesta) to serve as the CEO of the new fund, setting a goal of raising $100 million. The fund will launch in November and invest in other venture capital funds (similar to the Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund) in local venture capital firms. That way they can in turn invest in promising local new economy companies in need of capitalization. The idea is to help support Southeast Michigan's entrepreneurial community. "If you want to support that community you need a strong venture capital community," Rizik says. Read the rest of the story here.

Internet2 creates 85 jobs in Ann Arbor, looks to add a few more

By Newsroom

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Education

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October 9, 2008

Internet2 may not be out for the profits, but it's definitely growing in Ann Arbor. Excerpt: The laws of supply and demand at their most basic are working in favor of Internet2. The Ann Arbor-based non-profit started with four people a dozen years ago with the simple premise of providing high-performance networks for higher education and research labs. Today it has grown to 85 people and a handful of interns, picking up the slack that traditional companies couldn't provide. "It turned out they weren't able to do that because the growth of the Internet was so rapid," says Douglas Van Houweling, CEO of Internet2. Read the rest of the story here.

UM students building tiny satellites to study space weather

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 9, 2008

Grad and undergrad students at the University of Michigan are building small satellites, about the size of a loaf of bread, for the Radio Aurora Explorer project that will study space weather. Yeah, that's right, space weather. These space weather satellites are the first free-flying space crafts built by UM students. Excerpt: "This project will help us better understand space weather processes, how the Earth and Sun interact, and how this weather produces noise in space communication signals -- noise that translates to lower quality telecommunications capabilities and error in GPS signals," Cutler said. The RAX satellite will act as a receiver that will pick up signals from a ground radar transmitter. These radar pulses will reflect off disturbances, or space weather phenomena, in the ionosphere. Read the entire article here.

New Toyota Technical Center hosts grand opening Thursday

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 9, 2008

Toyota is officially opening its latest big investment in the Ann Arbor area. Excerpt: You know the work is done when the grand opening banners are rolled out, and that's just the case with Toyota's new technical center in York Township. The auto-manufacturer plans to hold a grand opening tomorrow in it's brand-spanking new nearly $200-million facility. Officials expect the 700-acre campus and its 530,000 square feet of space to house as many as 1,100 workers by 2010. These employees will specialize in engineering design and vehicle performance development. Read the rest of the story here.

Developer shrinks 601 Forest high-rise project

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 9, 2008

Ann Arbor is building up, but not as high as before. Excerpt: Ann Arbor is literally growing up, up and away these days ...especially after the Ann Arbor City Council gets closer to giving the green light to the 601 Forest project. The developer has shrank the 26-story building to 12 stories after loud protests from local residents. The number of beds in the project has also been about halved. However, since it's still alive the project seems to be a sign that the verticals are winning out over the horizontals. The city is wrestling with whether to increase the density of its core neighborhoods or adopt the more suburban approach to horizontal growth. Building 601 Forest would definitely a win for the verticals. Read the rest of the story here.

Metromode Radio: Making Electricity Underwater

By Chris McCarus

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Environment & Sustainability

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October 2, 2008

In the race to produce cheaper renewable energy, one U-M professor is looking to harness electricity from the Detroit River using experimental cylinders. Chris McCarus has the story on Metromode Radio's latest podcast.

Evigia adds 8 people, plans to triple number of employees

By Newsroom

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General

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October 2, 2008

Evigia has big plans for making radio frequency ID tags smaller. Excerpt: Ann Arbor-based Evigia Systems has big plans for its radio frequency ID tags, which should lead to greater local expansion. "What we want to do to radio frequency ID tags is what has been done to cell phones," says Karl Ma, vice president of marketing for Evigia Systems. "We want to make them lighter, cheaper and smaller." The company started with one person in 2004 and has grown to 14 people today. Most of that growth has occurred in the last year as it added eight jobs. That expansion is expected to continue in the near future, with Ma foreseeing the firm's staff tripling. Read the rest of the story here.

Cleanest City in Michigan honors go to Ann Arbor

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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October 2, 2008

Squeaky clean... and pretty green. Ann Arbor picked up recognition from the Clean Cities Coalition as Michigan's 2008 Clean City of the Year. Keep up the good work. Or should it be clean work? Or green work? Either way, stay the clean course, Ann Arbor. Excerpt: Ann Arbor was cited for its Green Fleets Program, created in 2004, which organizers said has set a national example for municipal clean fleets programs. The city's fleet has been reduced in size and increased use of biofuels, compressed natural gas and electric vehicles. That has reduced fuel consumption by more than 14 percent since 2003 and has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 290 tons annually. Read the entire article here.

Barracuda Networks creates 23 jobs in Ann Arbor, aims for 185 within 5 years

By Newsroom

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General

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October 2, 2008

Barracuda Networks sees a lot of software engineers in Ann Arbor and a lot of opportunity to hire them. Excerpt: Barracuda Networks opened its office in Ann Arbor in 2007. Today it employs 23 software engineers. And it's looking to add more. This hiring binge is part of the Silicon Valley-based firm's march to create 185 jobs in Ann Arbor within five years. "We will hire as many good people as we can find," says Sean Heiney, director of new product initiatives for Barracuda Networks. Read the rest of the story here.