KALAMAZOO ? Southwest Michigan First and the Kalamazoo area?s new business strategy is the focus of a TechTV segment that will air in 29 major national markets over the next two months.
The TechTV segment will feature a Southwest Michigan First produced-eight-minute video, which cost $19,000 to produce. The segment was developed by the Platinum Television Group?s Eye on Technology.
?We?re getting some prime time exposure on an entrepreneurial show,?? said Barry Broome, CEO of Southwest Michigan First. ?We hope to build national awareness that will impact economic development in Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan.?
In the video, Broome emphasis that Southwest Michigan First is taking a different path in economic development by targeting small technology start ups, primarily in the life sciences, since Kalamazoo is home to a major Pfizer R&D facility. When Pfizer purchased Pharmacia last year, more than a thousand scientists were laid off.
The video also emphasizes the role of Western Michigan University, the Kalamazoo Smart Zone and the UpJohn Foundation as key players in economic development efforts.
The TechTV show will air, among other cities, in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Sarasota.
