Software Design

RATEKICK adds 4 as its insurance-buying platform goes national

By Newsroom

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May 24, 2012

Finding insurance is an endeavor most people don't enjoy undertaking, a problem RATEKICK is turning into a business. The Bingham Farms-based start-up provides an Internet service that offers free, anonymous and impartial quotes for health, car, home and life insurance. "It saves you from calling all over the place giving your personal information over and over again," says Brian Hannigan, CEO of RATEKICK. Hannigan used to sell insurance in Michigan and Florida and saw the frustration of people who gave their personal information again and again looking for a good deal on insurance. It is not a comfortable experience, but one Hannigan thought he could profit off of if he found a way that allowed people to avoid it. RATEKICK came soon after that. The 4-year-old company got its start providing insurance quotes online in Michigan, California and Texas. It has since gone national, hiring three programmers and a chief of marketing in the last year. It now employs seven people, two independent contractors and is bringing on interns this summer. Hannigan expects to keep adding people as the business grows this year. He is aiming to make RATEKICK a household name within the next year. "We're building a brand like Kayak," Hannigan says. "A year from now we want to be the place that people go to shop for insurance." Source: Brian Hannigan, CEO of RATEKICK Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Latest in Software Design

Ferndale’s ardentCause L3C nails down investment, adds to team

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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May 10, 2012

Ferndale-based ardentCause L3C has received an investment from Mission Throttle L3C and the Detroit Development Fund to help spread the use of the low profit limited liability company's (L3C) software. Mission Throttle L3C is based in Southfield and is focused on accelerating philanthropic efforts through targeted investments. The L3C and the Detroit Development Fund, a Detroit-based social entrepreneurial loan fund, found a peer in ardentCause L3C, which specializes in helping non-profits and foundations utilize technology. "Our missions are quite similar," says Kathleen Norton-Schock, co-founder of ardentCause L3C. Woman-owned ardentCause L3C has developed a cloud-based software application called CauseEffectz. It is being used at more than 70 non-profit agencies during the past year, assisting them to efficiently expand their capacity and fulfill their missions. "It's a break-through solution," Norton-Schock says. "It allows foundations and non-profits to build a capacity. It's a business intelligence tool built for non-profits." The 3-year-old start-up has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. The company now employs 11 people, including an intern it recently promoted to a full-time position. The firm has hired five people over the last year and expects to keep growing. Source: Kathleen Norton-Schock, co-founder of ardentCause L3C Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Marvel Technologies hires 30 in Novi, plans to add another 50-plus

By Newsroom

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General

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May 10, 2012

Marvel Technologies started out as a IT company in 2005. It has since shifted to a company that provides IT services but also creates software solutions for IT, a move that has turned the company into a growth gazelle, increasing revenue and adding dozens of new jobs. The Novi-based company grew its revenue by 25 percent in its most recent quarter and has year-over-year growth of 72 percent. It has also hired 30 new people over the last year, expanding its staff to 55 employees. The company has 10 openings right now and expects to keep hiring dozens more people by the end of the year. "I have a goal of crossing the 100 people mark this year," says Bala Rajaraman, president & CEO of Marvel Technologies. "At this rate of growth we could achieve that." Marvel Technologies has created two new SAP products. CompEz is an compensation planning solution for use with SAP applications that provides add-on capabilities to the SAP ERP Human Capital Management application. FormsEz 1.0 provides SAP-certified integration with the SAP NetWeaver® technology platform. It helps customers go “green” by reducing the need and use of paper and enables enterprises to develop, manage and process electronic forms dynamically with speed and accuracy. "The last couple of years have been focused on product development," Rajaraman says. "We have also expanded in development and sales." Source: Bala Rajaraman, CEO & president of Marvel Technologies Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Vision Computer Solutions looks into bigger offices in Northville

By Newsroom

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General

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May 10, 2012

The evolution of Vision Computer Solutions continues. A few years ago the Northville-based IT firm switched its business model from a per-item/hourly rate for IT work to a flat fee for complete support services. Today it has taken to peddling its expertise to grow its business. "We had to become something much more than a company you call if your corporate system is not working," says Peter Marsack, vice president of business development for Vision Computer Solutions. "We're not as much as a firefighter as a high-level consultant." Vision Computer Solutions has grown its revenue by 30 percent, allowing it to hire two people over the last year. It now employs 10 people and is interviewing another person. It is also planning to add interns. The company plans to add another 3-4 people over the next 12 months. The company is also looking at taking on bigger offices, probably in Northville, over the next year. "We're bursting at the seams here," Marsack says. Source: Peter Marsack, vice president of business development for Vision Computer Solutions Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

JEMS Technology hires 3 as it focuses on video service

By Newsroom

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General

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May 3, 2012

Kevin Lasser has a short elevator pitch for his, JEMS Technology. His Lake Orion-based company is the only one that offers real-time stream video for smart devices. JEMS Technology specializes in encrypted real-time video to mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers. The technology is meant for health-care providers looking to conform to federal laws through remote live video. "We are the only company in the world that does this," Lasser says. Lasser, the former CEO of Encryption Security Solutions and Pure Entropy Technologies, was approached by an AT&T executive with the idea for the company two years ago. AT&T is now one of JEMS Technology's biggest customers in a client pool that is growing. Sales for the 2-year-old firm are up 100 percent in the last year, allowing it to hire three new people. The company now employs about 10 people and large stable of independent contractors. Lasser says his company tries to outsource as much of its work to Michigan-based companies to keep the job growth as homegrown as possible. Source: Kevin Lasser, CEO of JEMS Technology Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Vectorform Breaks the Nerd-Human Barrier

By Natalie Burg

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General

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May 3, 2012

Vectorform is Metro Detroit's stealth company, a Royal Oak-based tech firm that does its work on the down low. That work includes phones apps, games, and technological innovations that have a global reach. It has satellite offices in New York, Seattle, Germany and India. But shhhh, that's just between you and us, okay?

DASI Solutions moves to new HQ in downtown Pontiac

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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April 26, 2012

DASI Solutions is consolidating some of its operations in downtown Pontiac, taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves in the wake of the recent recession and the city's fiscal crisis. The 16-year-old tech firm is consolidating its Lake Orion office and its headquarters into a 20,000-square-foot building in downtown Pontiac. Most of the company's 30 employees will work in the new combined office. "We were about to take advantage of the down real estate market in Pontiac," says David Darbyshire, partner with DASI Solutions. "We were able to purchase the parking we needed, thanks to the emergency manager Louis Schimmel." The city's fiscal crisis prompted the appointment of an emergency manager to balance the municipality's books. Part of that effort has consisted of selling some assets the city owns, including downtown parking lots. DASI Solutions needed one of those lots to ensure there was enough quality parking for its customers and patrons. DASI Solutions has been growing market reach, opening new offices in Cincinatti, Indianapolis and Canton. The Canton office is servicing the company's customers in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Monroe. Darbyshire adds that his company's rapid prototyping business has been "doing very well" and the company has watched its technology sales to defense contractors and military agencies increase. That growth has allowed the company to hire four people in the last six months. It has three job openings now for mechanical engineers and expects to bring more interns on this year to fill out the extra space in its new headquarters in downtown Pontiac. Source: David Darbyshire, partner with DASI Solutions Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

From Dining Room to Downtown: Future Help Designs

By Tom Murray

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General

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April 19, 2012

With its low barrier to entry and seemingly endless demand for new product, the phone app market is inspiring a tsunami of start-ups. That wave has struck downtown Pontiac, with Future Help Designs not only making the city its home but establishing an incubator for like-minded efforts.

Panasonic sets up R&D center – and 60 jobs – in Farmington Hills

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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April 19, 2012

A Motorola facility in Farmington Hills has been vacant since it closed four years ago. Soon, however, it will be filled with the sounds of engineers and other employees researching and developing new ways for drivers to interact with automotive sound systems. The Panasonic Automotive Systems Co. of America will hire 60 full-time employees initially, says Teri Arbenowske, economic development director for the city of Farmington Hills, and as time goes on more will be added. The Japanese electronics company has leased 90,000 square feet of space, previously used by Motorola, in a corporate park in the 12 Mile and Halstead area. Mercedes Benz and Greenpath are located in the same corporate park. It is renovating the space, where engineers will research and develop human machine interfaces, vehicle sound systems and electronics for electric/hybrid vehicles. "This will be work with advanced software, testing of vehicle sound systems. The exciting thing about this is the number of jobs and the type of jobs," Arbenowske says. The state awarded Panasonic a $500,000 Business Development Program incentive to expand its Southeast Michigan operations, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. It says the company is investing $8.16 million to establish the research and development center. The city is has also approved tax abatements for the project. "They're looking for high tech jobs, skilled engineers," Arbenowske says. "That's what we really need in Michigan, is to bring more engineers in to develop new products…A lot of our grads leave Michigan and we need companies that can keep that talent here." Mayor Barry Brickner shared his excitement over the company's arrival in a statement: "Farmington Hills is thrilled to welcome Panasonic Automotive Systems of America to our City. Panasonic will provide jobs and will create excitement and growth in the business community.” Source: Teri Arbenowske, economic develop director, city of Farmington Hills Writer: Kim North Shine

SoBuzzMe doubles team as it adds IT, cloud services to social media biz

By Newsroom

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General

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April 19, 2012

Social media and IT are two of the fastest growing tech sectors these days, but it's not too often one finds a company that specializes in both. Meet SoBuzzMe. The Utica-based company got its start last May by providing social media services to small- and medium-sized businesses. It soon expanded to providing cloud computing and other IT services to those same customers. "There really wasn't anyone in that space to serve small- and medium-sized businesses," says Aaron McCarthy, president & founder of SoBuzzMe. "Leveraging a cloud to see what it can save a small business can be huge." McCarthy has a background in IT and was laid off from his job last year. He started SoBuzzMe and has grown it to a three-person firm. He added cloud and IT services two months ago to his growing client list filled with a diversity of customers ranging from real-estate companies to law firms. McCarthy was able to make IT and cloud offerings because he has extensive experience with it from his previous job. "We want to continue to grow our client base and add a few more people," McCarthy says. Source: Aaron McCarthy, president & founder of SoBuzzMe Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.