EAST LANSING Three Michigan technology companies and a small business advice media network operated by two Michigan entrepreneurs won this years Small Business Association of Michigan Innovation Awards announced Thursday at SBAMs annual meeting.
The Innovation of the Year went to Sordal of Holland for its ARMAREX lightweight, nonflammable advanced composite material. Even thought it is paper thin, ARMAREX is ten times stronger than steel and twice as strong as KEVLAR. It has potential applications throughout the economy – from chemical tanks for military aircraft, to fire protective clothing, to gas masks, to lightweight vehicle components.
Sordal is the first repeat winner in the history of the Innovation Awards contest. The R&D lab won two years ago for its SOLREX insulating foam. Sordal is also the recipient of numerous federal SBIR technology development grants, a national Small Business Administration award, and state of Michigan economic development grants.
The Technology Innovation of the Year went to CeeTox of Kalamazoo for its in vitro toxicity screening process. The CeeTox innovation provides valuable information about the toxicity of drugs so that testing in animals is reduced, time-to-market is decreased, and development costs are cut. This year, CeeTox also won the Small Business Technology Development Center Award for Best New Technology-Based Small Business, one of only two such awards made in the state.
The Consumer Service Innovation of the Year went to Leelanau Diagnostic Ultrasound of Lake Leelanau, near Traverse City, for its mobile ultrasound imaging service. After Leelanau county’s only hospital closed, Leelanau Diagnostic Ultrasound was launched in order to provide medical outreach in the form of expert cardiac, vascular, thyroid and abdominal imaging for rural residents, physicians and clinics throughout northwest lower Michigan.
The Business-to-Business Innovation of the Year was awarded to StartupNation in Birmingham for its multimedia content company that provides expert advice on all aspects of starting and growing a small business. StartupNation founders Jeff and Rich Sloan are well-known southeast Michigan media personalities and two of the nation’s top small business experts. Their StartupNation innovation includes a nationally-syndicated, one-hour radio talk show; a content and community-rich Web site, and StartupNation conferences and events across the country.
In addition to the top four winners announced at SBAM’s annual meeting, the following companies will receive certificates of honorable mention in recognition of their achievement in launching a successful innovative product or service in 2003:
KNOWARE of Grand Rapids for its web content management product, the SunShine Line of Troy handcrafted scented candles
Gertsen Interstate trucking systems of Battle Creek
Campus K12 of Caledonia’s virtual learning community
AMJ Industries of Brighton for its active matrix liquid crystal display
Wellco Corporation of Royal Oak and its Health Hammer wellness testing system
Optisave of Grand Rapids and its Optiview wireless phone plan management system.
The Innovation Awards honor remarkable and unique products and services launched in 2003 by Michigan-based companies with fewer than 500 employees. Now in its tenth year, the competition is sponsored by SBAM, the Small Business Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, The Detroit News, the Lansing Community College Small Business Technology Development Center, the Michigan State University Office of Intellectual Property, Mitechnews.com and Strategic Energy Limited.
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