Sterling Heights

Metro Detroit home prices climb 20% in June

By Newsroom

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July 24, 2014

The spring home-buying season proved to be a bountiful one for regional property values as buyer confidence increased. Excerpt: "The median selling price in Metro Detroit rose on an annual basis for a 16th straight month in June, according to figures released Monday by Farmington Hills-based Realcomp, the multiple listing service for southeast Michigan and a small portion of northern Ohio. The median selling price in Metro Detroit climbed 20.2 percent year-over-year to $149,000 in June. Realcomp defines Metro Detroit as Oakland, Wayne, Livingston and Macomb counties." More here.

Sterling Heights mom turns art into a biz, A’peeling Fruit

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Arts & Culture

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July 17, 2014

Pam Pfropper's path through adulthood took a number of fairly typical turns. The Sterling Heights woman worked as a technical illustrator in the automotive industry for a decade before becoming a stay-at-home-mom to raise her two children. Not long after that is when Pfropper started to take a road less traveled. She started a business, a fruit-carving business. A'peeling Fruit carves small pieces of art out of large pieces of produce, such as watermelon or carrots, and sells them to event organizers and other businesses looking to bring a bit of artistic flair to the table. "I have always had an interest in food and gardening," Pfropper says. "It kind of progressed from there." Pfropper noticed not many people were doing fruit carving, so she entered a couple of contests. One was a national competition that earned her an invitation to take her carving skills to the White House. "I thought I might have something here," Pfropper says. Not long after, Pfropper turned A’peeling Fruit into her full-time job. Her business allows her to work from home creating her pieces of art while her children are away at school. "It fits in well with my lifestyle," Pfropper says. Source: Pam Pfropper, owner & artist of A'peeling Fruit Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Play-Place for Autistic Children builds fun escape for children and families

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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July 17, 2014

At 25,000 square feet, the size of the Play-Place for Autistic Children is sprawling, but its purpose is close to the heart: "To provide provide a fun-filled, judgment-free haven of hope for families affected by autism." The facility at 41105 Technology Park Drive in Sterling Heights is "a unique play-powered environment" and is the brainchild of Shell Jones, mother of a son living with autism. "We combine recreation and education with a variety of social, occupational and physical therapeutic overtones. Our one-of-a-kind destination focuses on development, life skills, independence, respite relief, resource management and vocational rehabilitation to assist families with the everyday nuances of living with autism. Play-Place for Autistic Children’s bottom line is inclusion, acceptance and support." The building housing Play-Place for Autistic Children is planning an opening day in August after completing more than $1 million in renovations at its facility near 18 Mile and Dodge Park roads. Inside, the features packed into Play-Place are part amusement park, part daily necessity, part education, and all are about being happy and getting strong. There's a merry-go-round for fun and for sensory integration, the birthday bunker for parties, calming centers to manage meltdowns, movie theater Cinema City, a Haircut Hut to take the stress out of a trim, a massive playscape that helps with all sorts of motor, mental, and social functions and Swing Central, where a variety of swings await rides that can aid in treating special needs and just be fun. Many other services and programs will be offered at Play-Place for Autistic Children, and a bistro and coffee shop, along with a computer cafe, will up the hang-out atmosphere. Source: Play-Place for Autistic Children Writer: Kim North Shine

Resident Reach creates service that checks in on seniors

By Newsroom

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Health

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July 10, 2014

James Abraham and Steven Pikor are launching their third business together this summer, Resident Reach. The serial entrepreneurs started and sold a marketing company and Christian social network. Resident Reach is a senior-oriented business that periodically checks in with senior citizens on behalf of family to make sure they are fine. The idea is to help busy young people close the gaps so the health of their older loved ones doesn’t fall through the cracks. "I saw a lot of gaps with the people I worked with," says James Abraham, managing partner of Resident Reach. "Steven and I both grew up with grandparents living with us." The two person operation is based in Sterling Heights and got its start at the Blackstone LaunchPad at Walsh College. It is looking to build up its clientele in Metro Detroit this year to establish itself. Abraham and Pikor expect Resident Reach will take hold as more and more families have to deal with aging loved ones who want to grow old in place. "Our services are designed to create independence," Abraham says. "Hopefully, the longer we serve them the longer they can stay in their homes." Source: James Abraham, managing partner of Resident Reach Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Aqaba Technologies moves growing client base toward mobile

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General

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June 26, 2014

Aqaba Technologies isn't just a company. It's its clientele. The 10-year-old firm has grown its client base to 200 organizations, including the addition of 40 new customers over the last year. That enabled the Sterling Height-based business to add a new digital marketing professional, expanding its staff to six employees and an intern. "We're still going strong," says Ramsey Sweis, CEO of Aqaba Technologies. "We had our bumps along the way because of the economy but we’re still strong because of our client base. We’re in growth mode now." Aqaba Technologies is moving those customers toward mobile. Today about the two thirds of the digital marketing firm’s work revolves around mobile app, mobile web apps, and mobile marketing. "The mobile part has just taken off," Sweis says. Aqaba Technologies became a Google Certified Partner about two years ago. That training opened the door for it to perfect its mobile strategies for its clients across the spectrum, ranging from experience mobile users to mobile novices. Source: Ramsey Sweis, CEO of Aqaba Technologies Writer: Jon Zemke

Macomb-OU Incubator steers next-level dollars to two start-ups

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Community Development

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June 12, 2014

An advanced technology developer working to improve fuel efficiency and emissions and a biotech start-up that's designed a natural supplement to treat diabetes and pre-diabetes are receiving grants to help bring their products to market. The awards of $50,000 to Nostrum Energy LLC and $36,635 to Omni One LLC and its DiabetainC supplement come from the Michigan Small Business Development Center's Business Accelerator Program through the Macomb-Oakland University INCubator. The Sterling Heights-based incubator selected the two recipients based on their success to date and their sound business practice and potential. "We look forward to watching these two well-positioned companies take it to the next level," says Julie Gustafson, executive director of the Macomb-Oakland University INCubator. "The BAF program, supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is an important catalyst for business growth in the state." The amount of awards allotted to the Sterling Heights-based business incubator for its clients make it the top recipient statewide of dollars from the Business Accelerator Fund to date. The incubator provides space, expertise and other services to high-tech businesses, academic innovators and research and development start-ups. Source: Joan Carleton, spokesperson, Oakland University Writer: Kim North Shine

Splash360 increases staffing to 14 since last year’s launch

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General

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May 8, 2014

The co-founders behind Splash360 all worked in business marketing and began to see the same thing in recent years: digital marketing was all over the place. That inspired them to launch Splash360. "They weren't unified. There was data all over the place," says Robert Standwick, CEO of Splash360. "That's when we saw the need to create a unified system." The Sterling Heights-based startup housed in the Macomb-OU INCubator launched a software platform a year ago for use in both digital and traditional marketing. It enables customers to create, manage, customize and deliver brand-building marketing content, utilizing features like contact management, email marketing, print marketing, social media and lead acquisition. Since Splash360's launch last year, its team of 14 people have been building up clientele, focusing on small- and medium-sized business like grocery stores. "We're sending out more than 1 million emails a month," Standwick says. Splash360 is now focusing on making its emails and website more mobile compatible. "If you're not mobile then you're not in the game," Standwick says. Source: Robert Standwick, CEO of Splash360 Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Rave Computer pushes STEM education with RAVE CAVE

By Newsroom

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General

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May 8, 2014

Rave Computer is making a push into local education with the establishment of the Center for Automated Virtual Environments, commonly known as RAVE CAVE. Rave Computer, the anchor tenant of the Macomb-OU INCubator, works in modeling, simulation and visualization software. The 26-year-old firm has made three replacement hires over the last year and is looking to add another three people to its staff of 35 employees. It launched RAVE CAVE last year, taking a 3-D immersion cave out of storage at TARDEC and repurposing it as an educational tool to get more local students interested in science, technology, engineering and math. "I really enjoy STEM and being involved in the community," says Rick Darter, founder & CEO of Rave Computer. "I thought this is a great way to give back." RAVE CAVE is a Reconfigurable, Automated, Virtual Environment, powered by a five-system cluster that was configured, built and installed by Rave Computer engineers. The system enables the users to experience visualization software and how it is used in the creation and design of new products. "There are a lot of teaching tools that you can use to demonstrate why math is important. Why (information technology) is important," says Art Adlam, president of RAVE CAVE. RAVE CAVE has hosted close to 500 local students, ranging from grade school to college students, with the bulk of the number coming from local high schools. The non-profit gives tours of the technology and also hosts workshops. It hopes to ramp up its usage over the next year, adding things like college courses and summer camps. "We'd like to (host) as many (students) as possible," Adlam says. Source: Rick Darter, founder & CEO of Rave Computer, and Art Adlam, president of RAVE CAVE Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Metro Restyling adds industrial facility in Sterling Heights

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Community Development

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February 20, 2014

Metro Restyling, a supplier of custom lighting and vinyl, is adding a 13,500-square-foot industrial facility to the online business that caters to custom car enthusiasts. The new building is located 5400 Eighteen Mile Road in Sterling Heights, and is a mile away from its existing facility. Besides its online and telephone sales, metrorestyling.com is an online community and idea source for customizers. Source: Jason Capitani, broker, L. Mason Capitani, Corfac International Writer: Kim North Shine

Macomb-OU INCubator startups score seed funding

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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February 13, 2014

A handful of startups leveraging the Macomb-OU INCubator have scored a nice round of seed funding. Three startups received a total of $78,000 from the Michigan Pre-Seed Microloan and the Business Accelerator funds. The winners include Splash350 ($15,000), Mobile Data Holdings ($38,000) and Coupon Wallet ($25,000). "It's a big chunk of change for them when they are starting out," says Julie Gustafson, executive director of the Macomb-OU INCubator. "It helps propel them forward." Splash360 is developing a software platform that allows customers to create, manage, customize and deliver brand-building marketing content. The Business Accelerator Fund money will help it launch and market the product. "We think it’s a pretty exciting product," Gustafson says. Mobile Data Holdings has created a black box for data collection and verification that can be used in the seats of automobiles. The Business Accelerator Fund money will help Mobile Data Holdings test its Mobile Digital Video Recorder system. Coupon Wallet received money from the Michigan Pre-Seed Microloan fund. Coupon Wallet's technology is digitizing paper coupons. Its microloan will help it integrate the technology with business loyalty programs. Source: Julie Gustafson, executive director of the Macomb-OU INCubator Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.