“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 in our economy: The start-ups that receive assistance through SPARK East attract investment, retain talent and create jobs here in the region. Ann Arbor SPARK business incubators provide the critical support that start-ups need to become drivers of economic success.”

Ann Arbor SPARK was awarded $500,000 for the SPARK East business incubator, located in Ypsilanti, Mich. The funding will enable Ann Arbor SPARK to offer additional business incubator scholarships and business acceleration programming. The funding will also support new services developed specifically for students, including entrepreneur education.

To date, 42 start-ups have been assisted through programs and support offered at the SPARK East business incubator.

The downtown-based incubator recently moved to a bigger space (50 percent larger) on West Liberty Street in the basement of the Liberty Square Building next to the Michigan Theatre. About a dozen early-stage start-ups use the space for a six-month periods, starting in November and May.

This year the organizers behind TechArb, the Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, went for a broad mix of students, focuses and types of start-ups. Those include everything from undergraduates to graduate students with a variety of backgrounds pursuing everything from mobile apps to creating a database for facility managers.

"We want them to learn from each other, not just use the space," says Paul Kirsch, associate director at the Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. "The more diversity in the space, the more cross pollination."

This year's batch includes two holdovers from the last six-month session. The others will be new students with new ideas.

Source: Paul Kirsch, associate director at the Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
News from Concentrate

Hygieia has developed the Diabetes Insulin Guidance System (DIGS), a handheld device that helps insulin-takers effectively manage their diabetes. DIGS adjusts insulin dosage weekly, to help patients get better.

The investment comes on the heels of a study presented at the June American Diabetes Association conference, covering the successful completion of Hygieia’s NIH-backed prospective trial at the International Diabetes Center in Minneapolis.

Founded in 2008, Hygieia was housed in the Ann Arbor SPARK Central Business Incubator and received support from the SPARK Business Accelerator. Last year, Hygieia was named the best medical device company in the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.

Andrew Chu, addressing the U-M Alumni Luncheon

For the past three days Boston has turned maize and blue.  We blanketed the area with Michigan positive message messages and it sure paid off.  Recent articles in Xconomy and positive pieces by a renown technology blogger have taken our message viral.

At our site selection consultant luncheon, one native Bostonian who had never been to Michigan before said, “What the deal with all this positive publicity about Michigan?  I actually think I might want to make a trip to the state just to see what all the buzz is about.”   This is a pretty bold statement from a Bostonian which is home to a business incubator that house more than 300 companies and actually turns a profit!   We have much to learn from the Cambridge Innovation Center and their seven floors of life sciences incubation.

Our MichAGAIN alumni reception was the swan song of our Boston trip and it couldn’t have been more successful.  We welcomed nearly 100 Boston residents who were very excited about learning about the new successful developments in the state.  I even had a chance to chat with two Harvard and U-M grads, in the process of locating back to our region and looking for employment.

So it is time to leave the majestic waterfront behind just in time for the Red Sox home opener.   Perhaps they make that Sox B hat in maize and blue too…

L to R: Lee Gorman, WriteSteps; Jan Gensheimer, Boot Camp Director; Suzanne Klein, Write Steps; Amy Cell, Ann Arbor SPARK; Anik Ganguly, Drill instructor (The Gain Group)

Also at the Boot Camp celebration, Tyler Paxton of Are You a Human (AYaH) was awarded “Best Pitch” by the judges.  AYaH is creating and marketing a human authentication applet for use on websites.

Congrats to both companies!

The competition winner, as judged by a panel of noted funding and business experts, will win prizes to support their venture, including a one year incubator lease at SPARK East and up to $50,000 in business acceleration services.

To qualify for the pitch competition, businesses must be registered as a Michigan business.  The winner of the competition is required to establish the SPARK East business incubator as its primary business location.

Applications to compete in the EIC pitch competition are due by close of business on May 14, 2010.  The five finalists who will compete at the pitch competition event will be notified by e-mail or phone by May 21, 2010.  Click here for the online application.  Click here to register to attend (it’s free!).

Of the news, Eran Bashan, PhD., Co‐founder and CEO of HYGIEIA, Inc. said, “First and foremost, we are pleased to announce achievement of this milestone to our current and potential investors. Along with other significant accomplishments, the granting of the FDA 510(k) clearance demonstrates that HYGIEIA is on track with its business plan. The longer range vision to revolutionize diabetes careis advanced by another mile.”

Congratulations on the exciting progress and achievement!

At the Ann Arbor business incubator, Mobatech utilizes meeting space, administrative support, strategy consulting and other business development events. Mobatech recently won the Best of Boot Camp award for its business concept development and investor presentation and received a $5,000 initial engagement at the Ann Arbor SPARK Business Accelerator. This program offers additional strategy and business development services including financial modeling, marketing and legal services. The goal is to shorten time required for start-ups to attract capital and other resources in order to further increase the company’s chances for business success.

Find out more about the SPARK Central Business Incubator. Contact:

Lori Emerson
Business Accelerator and Incubator Coordinator
Office: 734-527-9153
Email: Lori@AnnArborUSA.org

To learn more about Mobatech, contact:

Greg Schwartz
Office 248-885-8870
Email: greg@mobatech.com

Here’s AnnArbor.com’s Top 5 reasons why the University of Michigan’s student entrepreneurial movement matters to the Ann Arbor region.

1. U-M is putting dollars behind it. The Center for Entrepreneurship recently collaborated with various partners to establish TechArb, a permanent student business incubator in the McKinley Towne Centre next to Google and Ann Arbor SPARK.

2. Real jobs are being created. Several U-M student-led companies, in particular iPhone app developers, are already employing workers.

3. Michigan needs entrepreneurialism. Our culture has historically shunned risk. But only entrepreneurialism can bring about an economic revitalization.

4. Young talent is critical to Michigan’s survival. Michigan needs to attract and keep young entrepreneurs to ensure a strong economic future.

5. Low barriers to entry make it easy for students to start companies. Particularly in the software sector, students can often start companies with little or no capital.