GRAND RAPIDS - After taking a year off, Start Garden is bringing back a business pitch competition that awards $1,000 to 100 contestants and $20,000 to 10 finalists. The Start Garden 100 begins accepting pitches from entrepreneurs who are asked to submit a 90-second video describing their idea. Start Garden will accept entries through July 26. Judges
GRAND RAPIDS — The autonomous shuttle that runs through downtown could transition to an on-demand format with new vehicles under a proposal before city officials to renew the pilot program that’s set to expire on April 30. The Autonomous Vehicle Initiative led by Mobile GR, Ann Arbor-based May Mobility Inc. and various private sponsors started in July 2019.
ZEELAND — Herman Miller Inc. plans to buy competitor Knoll Inc. in a $1.8 billion cash-and-stock deal that will create a new office furniture industry sales leader. Combining the two office furniture industry icons will create “the preeminent leader in modern design, catalyzing the transformation of the home and office sectors at a time of unprecedented disruption,” according to
ZEELAND — Office furniture manufacturer Herman Miller Inc. unveiled a new e-commerce platform this week that caters to the company’s commercial clients. Called Herman Miller Professional, the online store was created for small and mid-size businesses looking to purchase office furnishings online. Designed to make the ordering and shipping processes quick and convenient, Herman Miller compiled a
GRAND RAPIDS - IMMY Inc. — originally formed in 2002 in Detroit — is developing a display system aimed at curing the typical problems that accompany current head-mounted displays used for virtual and augmented reality. These displays — like Microsoft’s HoloLens, Facebook’s Oculus and MagicLeap — tend to cause eye fatigue, motion sickness and other
BENTON HARBOR - As a manufacturer with a reputation for skating the cutting edge of technology, Whirlpool Corp. leverages relationships with organizations and researchers globally to uncover emerging technology capable of transforming its operations. The Benton Harbor-based appliance manufacturer can look closer to home to find these emerging technologies thanks to an Industry 4.0 accelerator program created
GRAND RAPIDS — A West Michigan capital investment fund that involves the family office for Doug and Maria DeVos wants to make long-term investments across a variety of industries with a goal of preserving and growing local companies and jobs. The DeVoses’ Continuum Ventures LLC has partnered with Grand Rapids-based Auxo Investment Partners to manage the new Michigan Opportunity Fund, whose
GRAND RAPIDS — Former Lakeshore Advantage CEO Randy Thelen is returning to West Michigan to lead regional economic development firm The Right Place Inc. Thelen will replace long-time President and CEO Birgit Klohs, who is planning to retire at the end of January after 33 years with the organization. Thelen starts March 1. The Right Place board
GRAND RAPIDS — The new managing partner for Grand Angels looks to tap his statewide contacts to build a bigger presence among early-stage investors. Dale Grogan joined the Grand Rapids-based Grand Angels in late November from Charter Capital Partners, where he worked for 13 year s. At Charter, Grogan helped launch and manage Michigan Accelerator Fund
GRAND RAPIDS - As details on a recent cybersecurity attack against Grand Rapids-based office furniture giant Steelcase Inc. begin to surface, local manufacturers of all industries and sizes may want to take notice. The ransomware attack on Steelcase, which shut down its global operations for two weeks, was a stark reminder of the growing number and sophistication
