Innovation + Job News

Even if it's just a little shot in the arm, Amir Makled is pleased to get some extra business from the local show biz.

Makled owns Checker Collision on Trumbull Boulevard near Woodbridge Pub in Woodbridge where he employs four people. Most of his work is local, such as fixing cars for the likes of ABC Cabs. Recently his garage got a job connected to the the shooting of "Betty Anne Waters," the new movie starring Hilary Swank.

The movie, which recently shot in Detroit, turned one of ABC's cabs into a Boston Police Department cruiser. Checker Collision got the job of turning the 2004 Ford Crown Victoria back into a cab. It wasn't a huge contract, but it's also $700 the small business didn't have before.

"We're just a mom-and-pops shop," Makled says. "We'll take any extra business we can get."

The Detroit Film Office and Wayne County Film Initiative have been pushing to get more local business integrated into the flood of movie shoots. More and more movies have been coming to Michigan since the state passed generous film incentives last year. That has produced millions of dollars in spin-off business for local companies.

Source: Amir Makled, owner of Checker Collision
Writer: Jon Zemke
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The Detroit chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women Detroit is making its CREW Careers Building Opportunities even bigger and better this year, doubling it in size from its first outing last year.

Last year members of CREW worked with 23 female Detroit high school students. The first year was such a success CREW expanded the program to include 48 young women, even though 70 applied to take part this year. The event, which will be held on April 28, introduces high school age girls to the fundamentals of commercial real estate and career opportunities within the industry by women working in it today.

"They thought real estate was just for men," says Alicia Buisst, director of outreach for CREW and a vice president of real-estate capital at Key Bank in Ann Arbor. "They thought it was just houses. They didn't know about commercial."

This year the women will focus on sustainability, technology and self empowerment, focusing on retail opportunities in downtown Detroit. The students from Detroit Public School’s Randolph Career & Technical Education High School will work with members of CREW a few times in their school before going to big event at the Detroit Opera House.

The women will take a hardhat tour of the subject building and a vacant retail space near the Opera House. They will use that as the basis for working in teams to create redevelopment plans for the building.

Source: Alicia Buisst, director of outreach for Commercial Real Estate Women Detroit and a vice president of real-estate capital at Key Bank in Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemkeread on…

Rufus Bartell has brought a distinct sense of style to Detroit's historic Avenue of Fashion with his store, Simply Casual, on Livernois.

The graduate of Western Michigan University's school of business lives in the University District neighborhood, not far from his clothing stores -- Simply Casual and ShoeHouseBoulevard. He employees 10 people at his stores, is looking for interns and of course, customers.

Describe your business in two sentences or less?
Simply Casual and ShoeHouseBoulevard are lifestyle stores. We cater to a cross mix of customers who are travelers, athletes, entertainers, salespersons, city officials and overall taste makers who are fashion forward.

Why did you decide to set up shop in Detroit?
I love the excitement of the urban environment. I love the energy. Furthermore, Detroit is under served.

What are some of the advantages to doing business here?
The advantage of during business Detroit is the current cost of real estate -- the ability to get prime locations at a fraction of what it would cost in other markets.

What do you see in Detroit that other people who live outside the city don't?
Most people who live outside Detroit don't utilize the entire city. Oftentimes visitors would only visit downtown, while there are so many hidden jewels throughout the city. For example, the Avenue of Fashion where Simply Casual clothing store is located on Livernois. This is a historic street located in a historic neighborhood, that's making a serious comeback. However, it goes almost unnoticed by people who live outside of the city because of misperceptions and lack of press. Once Detroit is truly promoted as a city that is for all, by all, to be enjoyed by all, then, many of those concerns will began to die.

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about opening a business in the Motor City?
My advice for new businesses coming into the city is to find out what's needed and fill that need. Detroit has tremendous opportunities in spite of the current economic conditions. Make sure your presentation is second to none (the look and feel of your business). Learn the political landscape by getting involved and volunteering.

If you could change one thing about Detroit, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about Detroit's business climate, I would re-build and re-populate the city through small businesses. I would give small businesses carte blanche. I would serve and protect my small business class at "all cost." Small business generation would be my top priority. I believe small business development has the single greatest return on investment than any other city business priority. You show me any thriving city, and I will show you a city where small business is a top priority.

Source: Rufus Bartell, owner of Simply Casual and ShoeHouseBoulevard
Writer: Jon Zemke

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Know an entrepreneur to feature in Model D? If so, send an e-mail to Jon Zemke.

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The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute offers some new findings in its asbestos-related disease research.

Excerpt:

Michael Harbut, co-director of the National Center for Vermiculite and Asbestos-Related Cancers at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, and chief of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine Wayne State University, announced the use of a new technology to aid in the diagnosis of asbestos-related lung disease. The announcement was made at the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization's annual conference, Saturday, March 28, in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

"Radiographic approaches developed by Carmen Endress, M.D., FACR, Associate Professor of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine and radiologist at the NCVAC, allow us to visualize lesions caused by asbestos exposure in three dimensional detail and often at a much earlier stage than that of the current standard radiographic techniques," said Harbut.

Read the rest of the Great Lakes IT Report story here.read on…

Detroit businessman John Hantz has put forward plans for a large-scale urban farm in the city.

Excerpt:

Detroit could become a center of locally grown food and put large swaths of vacant land back on tax rolls under a proposal to create the city's first large commercial farm.
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Businessman John Hantz of Detroit, in an exclusive interview with the Free Press, unveiled his plans for Hantz Farms -- a concept that would convert hundreds, even thousands, of vacant parcels in the city into urban agriculture.

Offering jobs and an ability to produce fresh fruits and vegetables locally, Hantz Farms could help Detroit "become a destination for fresh, local and natural foods and become a major part of the green movement," Hantz said.

Detroit already is home to hundreds of smaller community gardens. But Hantz's proposal is the first to envision large-scale commercial farming.

Read the rest of the Detroit Free Press story here.read on…

Alternative energy firm NextEnergy  recently hired three more people in its Industry Services Department. They will help Michigan's manufacturers diversify into the alternative energy market, making parts for things like wind turbines and solar panels. The idea is that facilitating this diversification will help save and create more manufacturing jobs in Metro Detroit.

NextEnergy also has hired four people recently to fill human resources, business development and technology development positions.

"We're growing with the alternative energy industry and we're adding staff to keep up with it," says Mark Beyer, director of communications for NextEnergy.

The company now employs 22 people and one independent contractor from its headquarters in Detroit’s TechTown business incubator in New Center. The firm was one of TechTown's first start-ups when it opened in 2002.

Source: Mark Beyer, director of communications for NextEnergy
Writer: Jon Zemke
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Wind turbines promise to become a major part of DTE Energy's future as it gets ready to meet Michigan's new Renewable Portfolio Standard.

Michigan’s RPS calls for power companies to get 10 percent of their electricity from renewable resources, such as solar and wind. In a state filled with more coast line than any other in the continental U.S., that means wind turbines.

"To meet that we’ll need 1,200 megawatts of alternative energy," says Scott Simons, spokesman for downtown-based DTE Energy. "We think we will get half of that from wind farms we own and half from other sources."

DTE Energy recently announced that most of those wind farms will be in Huron County in Michigan’s Thumb area where it has secured 50,000 acres of easements. About 250-270 wind turbines are expected to be built there.

Right now DTE Energy has erected meteorological towers on that acreage to determine the best places to put the wind turbines. It should know that by next year when it plans to start building them. They should all be up and running by 2015.

Source: Scott Simons, spokesman for DTE Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke
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The Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau has attracted a number of conventions from multicultural groups that are expected to bring $80 million into the city.

These conventions include the Black Enterprise (1,500 attendees), National Baptist Convention USA (55,000), Asian American Journalists (1,000), Urban Financial Services (500) and National Funeral Directors and Morticians (1,500).

The bureau is going after more of these faith-based and multi-cultural conventions, releasing three new viral videos depicting what Detroit has to offer to the multicultural, religious and African-American markets. It's also going after other groups besides the multi-cultural-based markets, but the multi-cultural groups present a big opportunity for Detroit.

The Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau is targeting 30 groups specifically now that downtown has been spiffed up and ready to shine with the likes of the newly restored Book Cadillac and Fort Shelby hotels.

"The caliber of all the new hotels built in the last few years can satisfy the need," says Deanna Majchrzak, marketing and community specialist for the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The downtown is very walkable and walkability is very important thing for these groups."

Source: Deanna Majchrzak, marketing and community specialist for the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau
Writer: Jon Zemkeread on…

The first Clean Energy Prize went to a start-up with roots at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, connecting the state’s three major research centers of Detroit, Ann Arbor and East Lansing.

Downtown Detroit-based DTE Energy and the University of Michigan started the competition last year with the idea of helping fund Michigan’s emerging alternative energy start-ups. This year’s winner is Team Algal Scientific, which is headed up by graduate business students at U-M and MSU.

Team Algal Scientific’s technology uses algae to simultaneously treat wastewater and produce the raw materials for biofuels. It wins $65,000 in cash to help get its idea off the ground. The two runners up received $21,000 and $3,400.

The $65,000 for Team Algal Scientific is just the shot in the arm it needed get going. The start-up plans to use the cash to continue to develop its technology over the next couple of years, hopefully at the MBI International technology incubator in Lansing.

"It's what we need to get started and take the next step," says Robert Levine, chief technology officer at Team Algal Scientific and a PhD student at the University of Michigan.

Source: DTE Energy and Robert Levine, chief technology officer at Team Algal Scientific
Writer: Jon Zemke
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Jeremiah Staes' calls himself "Guru of Making Wow! Happen" on his business card. The 28-year-old Detroit resident runs downtown-based Portage Media Solutions out of the Beal Building in Harmonie Park. The online/social media company does everything from designing web sites to teaching people how to Tweet. The company has two partners, a business acceleration engineer, an intern and 10 contractors/specialists. They hope to hire two more people this year. We caught up with him recently to talk about his business.

Describe your business in two sentences or less:

We make our clients money and accomplish their objectives in the online media and marketing space through designing and executing digital strategies (social media, communities, email, video, audio, blogging, etc).

Why did you decide to set up shop in Detroit?

If it wasn't in Detroit it wouldn't be in Michigan - our company's DNA is made up of urbanist threads and there is no better place to be that than Detroit. The local community is supportive; there's tons of creative inspiration, and we want to be part of the solution, not the problem.

What are some of the advantages to doing business here?

It's strong local community. The businesses do support each other. The attraction for new and young talent; the people who work with us want to be near the action of stadiums, coffeeshops, bars -- in short, the urbanist lifestyle that is a magnet to the creative thinkers and doers we need.

What do you see in Detroit that other people who live outside the city don't?

That it's a community made up of real people, not some theory in a planning textbook or cartoon of destruction on the evening news. So many people look at Detroit as a "them" or a "they" or even worse, like there's no people here. And that's false. Detroit is made up of so many wonderful people who have a great community that is working hard to survive and in some areas, even in this down economy, thrive.

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about opening a business in the Motor City?

Be persistent and don't get caught up in the hysteria. We as a region have this horrid habit of knocking ourselves down; of living in the "can't" or "shouldn't." Instead of complaining about the problems, do something.

If you could change one thing about Detroit, what would it be?

The government needs to focus on the core city services, and forget about everything else for now. It's a city, not a state, not a country, and keep the main thing the main thing. The public and private sectors both have important roles to play, but too often I see the city doing what private folks should do and the private sector doing things the city (public sector) should be doing.

Source: Jeremiah Staes, guru of making wow! happen at Portage Media.
Writer: Jon Zemkeread on…

Detroit has figured out how to get sports fans here by hosting major events like the Super Bowl and the Final Four. Now it's working on getting these people to spend, spend, spend.

Excerpt:

DETROIT -- The Final Four won't rival the Super Bowl in size or scope, but Detroit's turn at hosting the college basketball championship comes just in time to rescue the city's ailing national reputation -- and boost the coffers of downtown businesses to the tune of as much as $50 million.

The 100,000 fans expected to descend on Detroit the weekend of April 4 for this year's NCCA Men's Basketball Final Four are likely to be as fanatical about technology as basketball, with visitors sending updates about their visit in real time through instant messages on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, city boosters said.

The word-of-mouth publicity is "more valuable than dollars and cents," said Jim Townsend, executive director of the Tourism Economic Development Council, a division of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Read the rest of The Detroit News story here.read on…

Richard Florida reinforces the idea that Detroit can learn a lesson or two from Pittsburgh when it comes to reinventing itself.

Excerpt:

There’s sure been a lot of this in recent weeks. But this op-ed by John Craig in the Wa-Po is on target. Craig is a former editor of the Post-Gazette who I got to know well during my time in Pittsburgh.

So when I think about the lessons the Steel City’s 30-year economic transformation may hold for Detroit, another town built on an industry beaten by competition and confronting bankruptcy, I have to say that the first and hardest lesson for the Motor City is this: Fundamental change will be much longer in coming than you can imagine. You’ll survive. The automakers, bailed out or not, will shrink and adapt to a new future and a new reality. The city will remake itself in whatever ways it can. But there’ll be no “getting over” your past, only moving beyond it.

Read the rest of the Richard Florida's Creative Class story here.read on…

Farming and film aren't two subjects that normally go together, but they do with Detroit’s newest start-up IndiEdibles.

"We have created a model of making urban farming happen in large metropolises," says Michael Peters, co-creator and host of IndiEdibles.

The company creates online TV shows every two weeks that are geared at promoting local food, farming, cultural events, and 'how to' demonstrations. The four people behind IndiEdibles are trying to capture some of the momentum caused by the spreading urban farming trend that has taken root across the U.S., especially in cities like Detroit, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

The company has leased 10,000 square feet of space at the Russell Industrial Center. Indi Edibles also hopes to bring on some interns soon to help with its expanding workload.

Source: Michael Peters, co-creator and host of IndiEdibles
Writer: Jon Zemke
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Some good news for budding entrepreneurs in Detroit:

Wayne State University recently received a $90,000 grant for its Adams Entrepreneurship Fellowship program, and Detroit Start-up Weekend is set to get started on Friday.

Start-up Weekend is similar to Ann Arbor SPARK's highly successful Entrepreneur Boot Camp. It will bring together entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and creative people of all stripes to help them create their own businesses in Detroit. For information, click here.

The Wayne State entrepreneurship fellowship program is in its fourth year thanks to the $90,000 from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Each year a Wayne State MBA student or alumni works closely with an entrepreneur, assessing new business ventures and taking part in the management of a start-up.

Applications are due by April 27 and can be found here. For information, send an email to adamsquestions@wayne.edu.

Source: Wayne State University and Detroit Start-up Weekend
Writer: Jon Zemkeread on…

TechTown's Asterand has been named the best performing share by The Financial Times.

Excerpt:

Asterand, a supplier of human tissue samples to the drug development industry, expects to report its first annual profit this month.

After a year tightening up operations on both sides of the Atlantic, a wide-ranging management shake-up and the replacement of two-thirds of its sales force, 2008 was when these changes started to pay off.

Edison Investment Research, which conducts paid-for research for clients, forecasts a pre-tax profit of £3.6m in the year to December 31 2008 on turnover doubled to £15.1m.

"We broke even in the first half and the second half is always stronger," says Martyn Coombs, who was brought in as chief executive in March 2007 from Amersham, the pharmaceuticals group bought by General Electric. Within three months, he announced a strategy to shake the company up.

Read the rest of The Financial Times story here.read on…