Mobile Technology

Ex-auto worker transitions to app economy with Marvel Apps

By Newsroom

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September 19, 2013

Michael Antaran has succeeded where so many local leaders would like former auto workers to succeed -- at moving on from working for the Big 3 and setting up his own tech firm, Marvel Apps. Antaran worked for Chrysler and started experimenting with making mobile apps on the side in 2007. He took a buyout in 2008 and then took a year off, launching Marvel Apps as a side project. He then worked for GM for three years before making the downtown Royal Oak-based start-up his full-time job last year. “I have always had a passion for Apple products,” Antaran says. “That’s why the mobile app movement encapsulated me.” Marvel Apps does both custom app work for other businesses and makes its own apps for sale in the Apple App Store. Among its customers are Coleman (think lanterns and camping gear) and a few of the major local automakers. It also makes its own apps, including those for fantasy football. One of them has even made the Top 5 in downloads for fantasy football apps in the App Store. Selling to consumers has become a growing part of the business, which now brings in 15 percent of the company’s revenue. Marvel Apps’ revenue is now up by 25 percent overall. The company now has a staff of four employees. It is looking to add two interns this fall and hire one full-time graphic artist. Source: Michael Antaran, founder of Marvel Apps Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Latest in Mobile Technology

Breeze Design Studio stays ahead of tech curve in Birmingham

By Newsroom

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General

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September 19, 2013

Breeze Design Studio has executed a pivot in its business plan that has allowed the Birmingham-based tech firm to grow. The 5-year-old company has made a name for itself with software and mobile app development. Now it is working to stay ahead of the tech curve entirely and sell that expertise to adverting agencies looking for help executing the tech part of their visions. “We are now strictly a production company for adverting agencies,” says Rukmal “Rocky” Fernando, president & founder of Breeze Design Studio. This pivot has allowed Breeze Design Studio to sign an additional nine clients over the last year. It has also added two people to its staff of five (a project manager and business development professional) and Fernando hopes to hire another 3-4 people before the end of the year as it aims to establish a foothold in new markets. “We are also looking at expanding to the East Coast,” Fernando says. Source: Rukmal “Rocky” Fernando, president & founder of Breeze Design Studio Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Creative Breakthroughs, Inc. aims for 50 hires by end of year

By Newsroom

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General

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September 19, 2013

Creative Breakthroughs, Inc. is looking for a few good techies, a few dozen good techies. The Troy-based company will host a one-day career fair on Oct. 9 at its headquarters, 2075 W. Big Beaver Road, Suite 700. The 22-year-old company will be looking for dozens of new employees in project management, IT consulting and engineering, administration and sales. “We are really looking to hire 50 new employees by the end of the year,” says Kristen Sarbu, human resources manager for Creative Breakthroughs, Inc. “To achieve our goal we have to be really aggressive in our hiring.” The IT firm specializes in providing advisory services, network security, integration and infrastructure management strategies. It has hired 43 people over the last year, expanding its workforce to 67 employees. It had nine summer interns, four of which it has hired on this fall. “We have been having career fairs quarterly this year,” Sarbu says. “We have been going to other career fairs. We have been going out aggressively to find the talent we need.” Source: Kristen Sarbu, human resources manager for Creative Breakthroughs, Inc. Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

From Bath City to Tech City: Mt. Clemens

By Jon Zemke

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General

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September 12, 2013

When an old firehouse becomes the new home of eyeWyre Software Studios, you know things are evolving. That's the story of downtown Mt. Clemens, which is increasingly becoming a cool, affordable waterfront downtown for high-tech firms.

Persis Consulting Co. adds 7 employees, creates crowd-sourcing software

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General

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August 22, 2013

Persis Consulting Co. got its start in 1999 as a tech consulting firm but is now moving into creating its own software. Its first software platform is TracVisor, which is designed to collect, aggregate and leverage crowd-sourced data from a mobile device. Persis Consulting Co. has been working on the app for the last year and released its first public version earlier this summer. The company will be releasing custom demos of the platform to its customers later this year. "The idea is to provide the ability to our customers to roll out an application and begin collecting information," says Mo Hariri, executive vice president of Persis Consulting Co. The Rochester Hills-based firm has hired seven people over the last year, expanding its staff to 38 employees across the U.S. Thirty-two of those employees are based in Metro Detroit and are servicing primarily automotive-based customers. The firm is working to diversify its customer base as it keeps growing its local workforce. "We're a Detroit-based company and we plan on growing in Detroit," Hariri says. Source: Mo Hariri, executive vice president of Persis Consulting Co Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

IT firm KNS Technologies opens Metro Detroit office

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Economic Development

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August 15, 2013

KNS Technologies, a Virginia-based IT firm, is opening a Metro Detroit office in St. Clair Shores to take advantage of the rebounding automotive industry. KNS Technologies aims to go after automakers and their suppliers, offering services in cloud computing, data integration, CRM platforms and mobile apps. "With more integration of mobile technology and the automobile, mobile is going to become more important," says Len Capelli, director of business development for KNS Technologies. Capelli is a Metro Detroit native and an Eastern Michigan University graduate. He says he still maintained his membership at the Detroit Athletic Club after he left and wants his company to be part of the automotive industry's rebound. KNS Technologies choose St. Clair Shores for its Metro Detroit office because of its proximity to a number of the region's automotive centers, such as downtown Detroit, Dearborn and Rochester. He also liked St. Clair Shore's low start-up costs to establishing an office and its proximity to Lake St. Clair. "By next summer, I hope to have a boat there," Capelli says. KNS Technologies Metro Detroit office is a one-person venture right now, but Capelli expects that presence to grow to two people by the end of this year. He also sees it growing to seven people by the end of 2014. "We hope to expand it fairly quickly," Capelli says. Source: Len Capelli, director of business development for KNS Technologies Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Computing Source legal evidence business hires 20, makes acquisition

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Arts & Culture

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August 1, 2013

Theresa Webster, a former legal assistant turned litigation graphics expert, is merging her company, Evidence Express, with Computing Source, a full service legal support firm in Southfield. Computing Source's acquisition of Evidence Express in Detroit is the latest in a series of expansions and investments that CEO Mark St. Peter says will serve attorneys and their clients arguing legal cases in "today's visually-intensive world." Computing Source has hired 20 employees this year as part of a plan to provide more and higher-tech visual aids, specialized presentations and forensic and other forms of evidence as well as documents and other communications to attorneys. Merging with Evidence Express's team will add allow Computing Source to offer more services, including 2D and 3D animation to help attorneys successfully tell their stories. Writer: Kim North Shine Source: Andrea Trapani, spokesperson and Identity PR and Mark St. Peter, CEO and managing director, Computing Source

Mobile start-up jacAPPS hires, preps for move to Bingham Farms

By Newsroom

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General

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July 18, 2013

Mobile start-up jacAPPS is expanding its leadership team and moving into some bigger offices in Bingham Farms. The Southfield-based firm recently hired Bob Kernen to serve as vice president and chief operating officer. Kernen's recent experience includes serving as a vice president of product development and data for Sharecare. He was also the co-founder of GrokMusic, where he oversaw digital product development. "Now it's time to bring in leadership with experience in the space," says Paul Jacobs, president & founder of jacAPPS. The company is an early adopter to the mobile world, launching in early 2008. Its bread and butter is creating apps for radio stations, such WRIF. It has created hundreds of apps, mostly custom jobs for clients. Ford is also one of its big clients. Jacobs has an extensive background in radio marketing and consumer research. He admits that the mobile space is not his forte and believes bringing in talent like Kernen will help accelerate the company's growth. The six-person firm is currently gearing up to move to bigger offices in Bingham Farms later this summer. "I think we need to take control of the growth better," Jacobs says. "A little bit of strategic planning will help." Source: Paul Jacobs, president & founder of jacAPPS Writer: Jon Zemke

Veteran marketeer launches sales app, Sales Calls On Fire

By Newsroom

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General

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July 18, 2013

Sandy Barris has been in marketing for a long time. He has owned his own marketing firm, Business Marketing Services, since 1988 in White Lake. In that time he grew frustrated with the advancement of technology needed to make sales calls. "I have been in sales forever," Barris says. "I was using a pencil and a pen because I couldn't find a decent CRM system... Everybody I knew was tired of Salesforce.com." Barris did something about it by creating his own mobile app, Sales Calls On Fire. The technology turns the user's smart phone into a sales call tracker, complete with tools to track goals and activity. It also offers real-time calculations on the effectiveness of sales activity, updates on goal achievement and sales tips. "It's just really quick and easy," Barris says. Barris currently claims to have a little more than 13,000 downloads from sales professionals. He is aiming to have 100,000 users within the next year and an ultimate goal of 50 million users worldwide when its all said and done. Source: Sandy Barris, CEO & chief accelerant of Sales Calls On Fire Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

One Team US adds 12 employees, releases dining out app

By Newsroom

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General

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May 16, 2013

One Team US traditionally makes custom mobile apps for clients, but the 3-year-old firm is expanding more into retail apps with its newest offering, Highway Dining. The idea is that traveling motorists know what restaurants are coming up at the next exit, but not much after that. A family looking for the best option to satisfy everyone often wants to know what all of its options are in the near future. Highway Dining, which is priced at $0.99, does that. "The app tells where you are right now but also where you will be in 20 minutes and 30 minutes and tells you where you can eat," says Kris Gazley, director of business development for One Team US. "It's quite useful." The Troy-based company has produced 250 mobile apps for Apple products and another 80 for Android. The company currently has four in the process of being developed, including one that a local plastic surgeon plans to use to educate patients on their options. "We're always putting out more apps," Gazley says. "We always have three or four in development." One Team US currently employs 30 people after hiring a dozen over the last year. Gazley attributes that expansion to organic growth from good old word-of-mouth marketing. Source: Kris Gazley, director of business development for One Team US Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.