Concentrate Speaker Event: Building A Competitive Downtown
What makes businesses want to set up shop in a downtown? How do downtown policies and infrastructure impact their ability to thrive, to attract the best and brightest employees? Concentrate and the Ann Arbor DDA have invited economic consultant Todd Poole and a panel of local business leaders to discuss the economic viability -our strengths and weaknesses- of Ann Arbor's downtown. Sign up now for this May 17 event. News from Concentrate Read More →
Insomnia Cookies serves moonlight munchies in Ann Arbor
Cookie dreams don't need to go unfulfilled, as long as you can stay awake. Right in time for the exam crunch, Insomnia Cookies, a chain of shops located primarily in college towns around the country, has opened a storefront in the former Yogo Bliss space at 1229 S. University, just off U-M's campus in Ann Arbor. This is the cookie purveyor's second incarnation in Ann Arbor; it formerly operated from a food truck parked near campus.... [Read More...]
Got green chemistry? GreenScreen conference educates Ann Arbor businesses
From the University of Michigan laboratories to Hewlett Packard, institutions and companies are increasingly utilizing green chemistry, the practice of using safer and more environmentally friendly products and processes in their operations. The principles of green chemistry, however, don't specify how to assess hazard, according to Shari Franjevic, principal of Transform to Green LLC. As such, on May 8, a GreenScreen training session will be... [Read More...]
PWB Marketing Comm leverages SEO/social media hire for more biz
Ask Sean Hickey which way Internet marketing is heading and he will give you two answers: Search and social. Media, that is. The COO of PWB Marketing Communications has watched those areas go from a driver of his company's growth to a integral part of its product portfolio. So much so that its most recent hire, a SEO/social media worker, has become a vital force in the company. "We have been really surprised how our clients have needed... [Read More...]
Greenview Data rides data encryption wave to 4 more hires
Streamlining the email experience has been the bread and butter of Greenview Data for years. About a decade ago the Ann Arbor-based software firm made a splash with its email spam prevention software called SpamStopsHere. Today it has enjoyed a lot of growth by helping companies encrypt their emails. "A lot of states are requiring that all patient data be encrypted when its emailed," says Theodore Green, president of Greenview Data. "We're... [Read More...]
SPARK Hosts 20th Entrepreneur Boot Camp
This past month Ann Arbor SPARK put on it’s 20th Entrepreneurial Boot Camp. We had 14 participants, many of which came from all over the state. With companies from Detroit to the U.P., this program reached greatly outside of Ann Arbor. Warmilu, LLC won "Best Pitch" at this year's boot camp. Warmilu has developed and is commercializing nonelectric, instant heat technology, specifically for infants. The camp is a 2-day intensive... [Read More...]
Johnny women’s boutique to open in Ann Arbor’s Nickel’s Arcade
Best-dressed ladies will soon have another place to pick up new threads in Ann Arbor. On April 23, Johnny, a new women's fashion and accessories boutique, will be opening just across the hall from its sister store, Wendy, in Nickel's Arcade. The stores are co-owned by their namesakes, Johnny Vaughn and Wendy Chapman. Coming off Wendy's successful first year in operation, the partners will be devoting about 90% of the new 300-square-foot... [Read More...]
Trail! Trail! to Michigan: What Ann Arbor Can Learn From Indianapolis
How do you turn a 5.5 mile loop into $100 million of development while drawing enthusiastic cyclists, walkers, and strollers? If you're Indianapolis you do it with a $65 million Cultural Trail that connects people to art, nature, and local history. News from Concentrate Read More →
Online Tech hires 5 as it expands cloud computing sales
Compliance is becoming an increasingly important word at Online Tech. The IT firm continues to grow its bottom line as more companies are looking for secure cloud computing options to comply with government regulations, such as HIPAA. "It used to be 10 percent of our sales and now its 50 percent," says Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech. "Half of our sales have some sort of compliance aspect to it. They all want to go to the cloud but they... [Read More...]
Ann Arbor librarians interviewed by Publisher’s Weekly
Never doubt their clout. AADL's director Josie Parker and the library's associate director for IT & Production have a virtual tete-a-tete about the future of books, digital media, readership and libraries. Excerpt: As a consumer, given the mix of affordances and restrictions that e-bookspresent, do you see a place in the market for both e-book rentals and purchases? JP: No, rental is not a practical model for our library system... [Read More...]
