Breaking News

Rental Car Tax Increase Could Fund "Pure Michigan" Ad Campaign LANSING - A few bucks charged on rental cars picked up near Michigan airports could be a way to finance the state's Pure Michigan campaign, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said over the weekend.

Ann Arbor VC, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Snyder "Tough Nerd" Super Bowl Ad Campaign Triggers Rush To Web Site ANN ARBOR - Republican gubernatorial candidate and Ann Arbor technology venture capitalist Rick Snyder's "tough nerd" ad has helped his campaign spark interest among the general public and helped bring focus to his status outside of the "professional politicians that have done damage to the state," staff members told reporters Monday.

Google Set To Unveil Gmail Feature For Sharing Media, Status With Friends MOUNTAIN VIEW - Google is set to unveil a new feature to Gmail designed to make it easier and faster for users to share media and status updates with friends, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Granholm Outlines Plans To Help Michigan Entrepreneurs In State Of State LANSING - Michigan is fully committed down the difficult path of renewal and rebirth, having endured some of the most heart-wrenching and painful economic times in history, and it will continue to a newly diversified economy to replace the industrial economy that has gone, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday in her final State of the State address.

Business, Community Groups Wait For More Details On Granholm Plans LANSING - While most business and community leaders were in agreement with Gov. Jennifer Granholm's State of the State address on Wednesday, especially its optimistic but somber tone and its focus on helping entrepreneurs, the speech seemed more symbolic than revealing, they said.

First Friday Features SmartStart Entrepreneurs DETROIT – Michael O'Neil of Detroit Logistics in Detroit is one of five SmartStart entrepreneurs featured on Feb. 5 at Wayne State University's TechTown's First Friday networking event. These entrepreneurs will discuss what they've learned in the business incubator program.

Podcast

GLEQ SmartZone Award Worth $100,000 ANN ARBOR – Diane Durance, executive director of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest, said she has a new business competition that will award a cash prize of $100,000 in June. The GLEQ awards competition is open to all Michigan entrepreneurs that register to participate by March 5, but selection to compete for the new SmartZone Award requires a SmartZone sponsor.

Current Motor Co 1st Place GLEQ Emerging Business ANN ARBOR – Current Motor Company, an Ann Arbor-based company that designs and manufactures electric motorcycles and scooters, won the top prize in the fall 2009 Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest business-plan competition and a cash prize of $5000 in the Emerging Business category.

Security

FBI Wants Records Kept Of Web Sites Visited WASHINGTON-The FBI is pressing Internet service providers to record which Web sites customers visit and retain those logs for two years, a requirement that law enforcement believes could help it in investigations of child pornography and other serious crimes.

UN Chief Calls For Treaty To Prevent Cyber War DAVOS, Switzerland - The world needs a treaty to prevent cyber attacks becoming an all-out war, the head of the main UN communications and technology agency warned Saturday.

Entrepreneur's Corner

PitchCorner.Com Goes Live, Announces First Quarter Video-Elevator Pitch Contest With $5000 In Cash Prizes DETROIT – Entrepreneurs now have a better way to get their business message in front of potential investors at a new web site called PitchCorner.Com, which will award $5000 for the top pitches posted.

MCWT Connect-Net Network Forum Feb 09 SOUTHFIELD - Inviting high-caliber students, professionals, entrepreneurs, managers, leaders, and people in transition, from all backgrounds, industries and educational institutions, to a networking forum for social, personal, professional and career development and growth. Connect-Net promotes strong group dynamics, interactive collaboration, leadership cultivation and encourages application of topics addressed through active participation, facilitators and guest speakers.

GreenTech

PSC Report: New Cable TV Regs Create Both Competition, Monopolies LANSING - Changes to cable television regulations have meant more communities with competitive programming providers, but also more communities with no provider, according to a report released Tuesday by the Public Service Commission.

Consumers Energy, Detroit Edison Hit Competition Cap During Past Year LANSING - Both Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison saw increases in customers seeking power from competitors sufficient to bring the utilities to the statutory caps on competition during the past year, the Public Service Commission said in a report issued Tuesday.

Politics

Legislature Looks To Fund Pure Michigan Ad Campaign LANSING - A plan passed by the House to fund the Pure Michigan advertising campaign through assumed increased revenue in sales tax collections that come from tourism-related expenditures is faulty, the lead senator on tax policy said Thursday.

Cox Dominates GOP Donations, Snyder Spends $2.7 Million From Own Pocket LANSING - Attorney General Mike Cox moved toward claiming frontrunner status in the Republican gubernatorial race as campaign finance reports filed Monday reflecting fundraising activity in 2009 showed him dominating in donations and leading the field in cash on hand.

Biotechnology

NanoBio Gets Sixth U.S. Patent On Nanoemulsion Technology ANN ARBOR - NanoBio announced Tuesday that a sixth U.S. patent covering its nanoemulsion technology has been awarded. The patent encompasses composition of matter claims for the company's lead anti-infective and vaccine product candidates.

MichBio Launches Membership Campaign - It Pays To Belong ANN ARBOR - MichBio, Michigan's life sciences trade association, has launched a 2010 membership campaign with the theme, "It Pays To Belong." The group represents roughly one-third of the biosciences organizations in the state, and hopes to increase its membership to at least a majority.

ConnecTech

How Will Cloud Computing Affect Companies, I.T. Professionals In 2010 KALAMAZOO - Join ConnecTech of Kalamazoo and featured presenter Alex Ellingsen, Senior Technology Designer from Secant Technologies on Jan. 20 at the Park Club as he shares his insights into software as a service, virtual servers, internet integration and other key concepts involved in Cloud Computing.

ConnecTech Greater Detroit, Lansing Host Holiday Parties BIRMINGHAM - The ConnecTech Greater Detroit Launch 2010 Holiday Party is scheduled for Dec. 9 at the Hamilton Room in Birmingham.

Guest Columns

Security Myth Busting Monday BIRMINGHAM - The attacks against Google emanating from China and the subsequent speech by the US Secretary of State on Internet Freedom have exposed cyber security issues to a wider audience in recent weeks. Perhaps predictably some old ideas are creeping up that should be slapped down quickly.

Five Social Software Predictions For 2010 And Beyond: Gartner STAMFORD - A lot has happened in a year within the social software and collaboration space. And analyst firm Gartner says companies quickly need to develop best practices for embracing social networking with a maximum of safety.

New Products/Contracts

Online Tech, Campfire Interactive Partner On Certified Data Centers ANN ARBOR - Online Tech, one of Michigan's largest managed data center operators, and Campfire Interactive, an Ann Arbor-based product lifecycle management software firm, announced a partnership to deliver Campfire's PLM solution on managed servers in Online Tech's SAS-70 certified data centers.

Strategic Staffing Solutions Earns More Than $168 Million In 2009 DETROIT - Strategic Staffing Solutions, the Detroit-based global information, technology and business services company, reported today that it earned more than $168 million in revenue for 2009, marking its 20th consecutive year of growth.

Automation Alley

Automation Alley Gets $394,800 To Build International Business Center TROY - Automation Alley announced Thursday that the technology networking group received $394,800 in federal funding to build an international business center at its Troy headquarters. The money came from the Fiscal Year 2010 Omnibus Appropriations bill signed into law Thursday by President Obama.

Senior Automation Alley Director Urges Credit Reform TROY - Senior Automation Alley Director Thomas Anderson recently provided testimony before the U.S. Financial Services Committee at the Improving Responsible Lending to Small Businesses hearing on December 1 at Lawrence Technological University.