Sterling Heights

LogiCoul Solutions hires 3 after move to Macomb-OU INCubator

By Newsroom

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March 28, 2013

LogiCoul Solutions spent its first couple of years trying to gain traction for its battery enhancement technology in Massachusetts. The 4-year-old start-up began to pick up speed last year when it switched its focus market from mobile devices to automotive and made the move to the Macomb-OU INCubator. That shift brought three jobs to Sterling Heights and brighter prospects for the firm. Its team notes the difference in how Metro Detroit's business community is more collaborative and helpful as a significant reason for its optimism. "If people here can't help you, they point you in the right direction," says David Stout, executive vice president of LogiCoul Solutions. LogiCoul Solutions is developing technology that sends electromagnetic waves to a battery, which lowers resistance and creates more useful energy. The bottom line is a longer-lasting and more energy-efficient battery. The company won the Emerging Business award at the 2011 Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest business plan competition, an experience that played a significant role in attracting the business to Michigan. LogiCoul Solutions also recently received $9,872 from the Business Accelerator Fund of the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center. That seed capital will help the business do more testing on its technology. "If we get the results we expect to get, we think our technology will be in automobiles within a few years," Stout says. Source: David Stout, executive vice president of LogiCoul Solutions Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Macomb-OU INCubator scores more than $1.2M in grants

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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March 21, 2013

Macomb-OU INCubator has landed a couple of large grants this year, totaling to a bit more than $1.2 million in new funding. The business accelerator based in Sterling Heights has won a $500,000 marketing grant from the state of Michigan to help get the word out about its entrepreneurial efforts. It has also scored a $776,000 federal grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to help get more local companies involved in the defense and homeland security industries. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency grant is meant to help encourage more Metro Detroit companies to engage the growing defense sector in Macomb County. The grant helps pay for educational programs, such as showing them how to clear the federal hurdles to compete for defense contracts. It is also looking to set up a $350,000 matching funds program for companies looking to raise seed capital. "We want to help some people with some matching awards," says Larry Herriman, director of Michigan's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Matching Funds program. "We want to sweeten the pot." The Michigan Economic Development Corp also awarded a $500,000 grant to the Macomb-OU INCubator. The money will allow the business accelerator to provide entrepreneurial resources, capital, and provide more assistance and access to Oakland University resources and the student internship program. It will also beef up program offerings to small business clients, such as the Lunch and Launch series, Fireside Chats (where successful entrepreneurs tell their stories), an Executives-in-Residence program, business advisory boards and a monthly Capital Raise Meetup. Source: Larry Herriman, director of Michigan's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Matching Funds program Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Range Gen hires 10, scales up in Sterling Heights

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Economic Development

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March 14, 2013

When Nathan Oakes launched his energy and mechanical services firm Range Gen two years ago, he looked at only one space to base it out of, the Macomb-OU INCubator. The Sterling Heights-based incubator helps companies and organizations with large automotive fleets become more fuel efficient and operate in a more optimal manner. The Macomb-OU INCubator's deep contacts and resources in Metro Detroit's defense and homeland security sectors provided the prime platform for Range Gen's launch. The company is now preparing for a significant scale-up this year. "It is really in a class of its own," says Oakes, president & CEO of Range Gen. "There isn't one organization that is doing the type of work that is being done at the Macomb-OU INCubator." Range Gen now employs 14 people and is getting ready to welcome a handful of interns (its first batch) this spring from Oakland University. It has hired 10 people in the last year and expects that number to grow exponentially in 2013. "We are turning the corner, so to speak," Oakes says. "With Diesel at $4.15 a gallon, our services are in high demand. ... We are growing pretty quickly. We believe in the next 100 days we will have 200 bodies (120 permanent jobs, 80 temporary positions). We are close to signing a couple of big clients." Source: Nathan Oakes, president & CEO of Range Gen Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

RAVE Computer hires 5 as it expands local clientele

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General

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February 7, 2013

RAVE Computer, formerly Rave Computer Association, has been growing its clientele through adding more business with Michigan-based firms. It's a plan that has allowed the Sterling Heights-based company to hire five people over the last year. "The growth has been in our presence in Michigan," says Rick Darter, president & CEO of RAVE Computer. "It's been phenomenal." RAVE Computer works in modeling, simulation and visualization work. It is the anchor tenant of the Macomb-OU INCubator, allowing it to focus on growing its business with firms based not only in the Great Lakes state but in the defense industry. A few years ago, about 3 percent of the company's customer base came from Michigan. Now it's well into the double digits. The firm now employs 40 people and one intern. Its new hires work in areas that focus on government contracting expertise, product development and marketing. Darter expects to keep hiring in 2013. "We will continue to hire a strong presence in the defense industry," Darter says. "I see a large portion of our growth being in the commercial sector right here in Michigan." RAVE Computer is also serving as a mentor advocate for the Women In Defense Michigan chapter's GRID Mentorship program this year. The program assists Women In Defense Michigan members looking become more active in the defense and national security industries to help grow the military business sector in the Great Lakes State. Source: Rick Darter, president & CEO of RAVE Computer Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

From Inmates To Infants: An Entrepreneur Finds His Niches

By Patrick Dunn

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General

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January 17, 2013

Ryan Santangelo is what folks in the biz call a serial entrepreneur. First he launched the firm Dynamic Media. Then Secure Media Systems. His latest effort is SafeToSleep, which is bringing infant monitoring into the new millennium. And all three businesses are thriving in Sterling Heights, a place he calls the Silicon Valley of Michigan.

Growing Precision Global Systems moves to bigger Sterling Heights facility

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Community Development

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December 20, 2012

Precision Global Systems is moving into a 60,000-square-foot space in Sterling Heights, bringing it closer to many of the manufacturing customers it counts as clients. The new office at 6600 E. 15 Mile Road becomes the company's second metro Detroit location. The other is in Troy. When that space was outgrown PGS chose a recently renovated building in Sterling Heights that is co-occupied by the Macomb Group. The Sterling Heights facility is ideally located near many of Precision Global Systems' customers, and it will be used for warehousing and distribution functions. The nearly 30-year-old company provides specialized manufacturing and engineering services and consulting to companies such as Ford, Chrysler, Dana and Bosch. Five full-time jobs are being created with the office opening. Writer: Kim North Shine Source: Teresa Jarzab, management assistant, City of Sterling Heights and Kasey Green, economic development manager, City of Sterling Heights

Flavor Flav to open restaurant in Sterling Heights

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Arts & Culture

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December 6, 2012

I guess with a name like Flavor Flav how could you not open a restaurant? Metro Detroit joins Iowa and Las Vegas as a locale for the celebrity's chicken and shrimp joints. Excerpt: "Flavor Flav’s Chicken & Ribs is coming to metro Detroit with a grand opening scheduled for December 16, according to the chain’s Facebook page. Flavor Flav’s, described on Twitter as “a quick serve dining experience with 5 star quality” will be located at 8200 15 Mile Road, Sterling Heights." Read the rest here.

And the band plays on for Freedom Hill Amphitheatre, reopens in June

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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December 6, 2012

The operators of Freedom Hill Amphitheater in Sterling Heights, a venue that closed in 2009 after 10 years in business and in the midst of legal disputes, is reopening and predicting its second shot at success will stick. The venue is pinning that prediction on the music promoter who will book acts for the 7,200 seat outdoor theater. With the reopening will come jobs and crowds again. The theater is located at a Macomb County park on Metro Parkway near Schoenherr and will open in June. The first major act announced for the re-opening is Lady Antebellum for a June 13 performance. Freedom Hill, which is a partnership between president & CEO of Andiamo Restaurant Group, Joe Vicari, and Luna Entertainment CEO and owner of MotorCity Harley-Davidson, Tom Celani, will work with concert promotor AEG Live instead of Live Nation, which sued the amphitheater over disputed concert revenues. Freedom Hill's location on Metro Parkway near Schoenherr taps into markets in northern and eastern suburbs not so easily served by larger venues and also pulled from the metro Detroit region and around the state. Writer: Kim North Shine Source: Crain's Business Detroit and Jason Brown, PublicCity PR

Metro Detroit firms take top prizes at Accelerate Michigan

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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November 29, 2012

Metro Detroit start-ups ran away with the top prizes in this year's Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition earlier this month. Plymouth-based Algal Scientific took home the grand prize of $500,000 in seed capital for its wastewater treatment system technology that uses algae to remove nutrients from contaminated water, leaving the raw materials for biofuel production. Livonia-based nanoMAG took home the $100,000 runner-up prize for its work developing a new type of Magnesium compound that can be used for biocompatible stents and implants. Six people and an intern are now employed at nanoMAG, which moved from Ann Arbor to Livonia about a year ago to take advantage of a manufacturing facility. It expects to hire a few more people next year as it continues development of its technology. Steven LeBeau, president of nanoMAG, plans to use the cash and the win to leverage an even bigger seed capital round next year. "We're using the contest as a PR tool to get in touch with people we have been in contact with over the last year for fundraising," LeBeau says. "We're hoping to leverage the $100,000 into seven figures." Other Metro Detroit winners include: - InfiChem Polymers, which won the $25,000 prize in the the Advanced Materials category. The Sterling Heights-based start-up reuses a main chemical in polyurethane foam as a basic building block to manufacture new polyurethane foam. The old polyurethane foam comes from post-industrial scrap that is normally landfilled. - BioSavita, which won the $25,000 price in the Life Sciences category. The Plymouth-based start-up is developing biotechnology focused on accelerating therapeutic antibody development. - Coliant, which won the $25,000 prize in the Next Generation Manufacturing category. The Warren-based start-up's Powerlet brand is an electrical accessory in the powersport industry that allows users of things like motorcycles and ATVs to plug their gadgets into the vehicle. Source: Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition and Steven LeBeau, president of nanoMAG Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Sterling Heights and Troy singled out for their biz dev virtues

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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November 1, 2012

In an eCities study, eight Michigan communities were singled out by U-M Dearborn's iLab for their innovative approaches to business development. Sterling Heights and Troy made sure Metro Detroit was properly represented. Excerpt: "Eight communities across the state of Michigan are top performers at fostering entrepreneurial growth and economic development, according to the annual eCities study. The study, conducted by iLabs, University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation and Research, identified Alpine Township, Grand Blanc, Grand Rapids, Imlay City, Meridian Township, Midland, Sterling Heights and Troy for their incentives, innovative programs and best practices geared toward business development." Read the rest here.