Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund Invests $585,000 in Three Start-Ups
Three Michigan companies recently received investments from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, totaling $585,000. To date, the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, a collaborative effort of Michigan’s SmartZones, has awarded 63 Michigan companies with seed funding totaling more than $14 million. The Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund companies have attracted more than $18 million in matching grant and equity funds. In 2011, the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital... [Read More...]
Ann Arbor SPARK awarded $500,000 from the MEDC for SPARK East Incubator
Ann Arbor SPARK was recently awarded $500,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) 21st Century Jobs Fund. The funding will support the Ann Arbor SPARK East business incubator. “MEDC support for Ann Arbor SPARK’s East incubator extends and enhances opportunities for start-ups throughout the region,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO, Ann Arbor SPARK. “Business incubators play an important role... [Read More...]
Former Pre-Seed Funding Company Receives Venture Capitol Investment
Tangent Medical Technologies, a recipient of Pre-Seed Capital Funding in 2010 through Ann Arbor SPARK, has recently secured 4.5 million in venture capital to bring their product to market. This funding will accelerate the commercialization of Tangent’s medical device, the NovaCath™, which is designed to replace the intravenous drug systems that are currently used in hospitals. Tangent’s history with SPARK dates back to 2009, when they participated... [Read More...]
Akervall Technologies Repays $15,000 Michigan Microloan Fund Program Award
Sassa Akervall, COO of Akervall Technologies, and Skip Simms, senior vice president of Ann Arbor SPARK Akervall Technologies recently repaid its Michigan Microloan Fund Program award, making it the first microloan recipient to repay funding. The company, whose work on the innovative Protech Dent™ mouth guard was also awarded phase I SBIR funding, repaid its $15,000 microloan in just 15 months, nine months before it was due. “Akervall Technologies... [Read More...]
HookLogic Awarded $9.5M in Funding
HookLogic, the leader in e-commerce media, announced this week that it has been awarded a $9.5 million round of financing from Bain Capital Ventures. HookLogic will use the funding to further develop its unique Software-as-a-Service (Saas) platform and expand its business across the retail, travel and automotive sectors in North America and Europe. HookLogic is headquartered in New York. Its office in Ann Arbor is focused on developing software... [Read More...]
Liebherr-Aerospace expands facility, adds 20 jobs
Liebherr-Aerospace, located in Saline, is adding 33,000 sq ft to its existing 100,000 sq ft facility. As part of the company’s expansion, it will also add 15-20 new jobs. This expansion will help the company accommodate increased demand for its services. “Liebherr-Aerospace is able to expand in the Ann Arbor region, in part, because of its access to highly skilled, technical talent,” said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president... [Read More...]
Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund Invests $2.5 Million in 2010
Several Michigan companies recently received investments from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, pushing the total investments made through the Fund to over $11.6 million. To date, 52 Michigan companies have received seed funding from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, a collaborative effort of Michigan’s SmartZones. “Companies that received support from the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund are currently employing 285 people throughout... [Read More...]
MI has new Tax Credit for Angels
Heading to the Governor for signature is HB 5921 the Small Business Investment Tax Credit bill. Finally there is a credit Michigan Angels can use. A big SHOUT OUT to Representative Ellen Lipton for proposing this bill and pushing it all the way to the goal line. This legislation may prove to be one of the most important programs that will release the millions of private capital in Michigan that is currently sitting on the sidelines. It also... [Read More...]
Get Face Time with a big Michigan VC
Many entrepreneurs want to get in front of a VC. Well here’s your chance. The folks at Beringea, Michigan’s largest Venture Capital firm, will hold ‘Office Hours’ in 2011 in several communities around the state. Similar to the office hours format used by university professors, these sessions will provide the Michigan entrepreneurial community open access to Beringea venture capitalists for their perspective, feedback... [Read More...]
Smart Grid Companies look at this
4 big venture firms and General Electric are dangling $200 million in seed capital for good ideas and start-ups that will dramatically improve the grid. Check out this article in cnet for more information. GE, VCs offer $200 million in smart grid challenge. Read More →
