Michigan Technology News and Entrepreneurs
LANSING–From gamified science learning to empowering youth athletes, entrepreneurs of all kinds joined the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and the greater Lansing community on Nov. 20 for the Hatching business pitch competition, where three business ideas emerged victorious. The November winner was Cytopolis by Johan De Bruin, an online strategy game that teaches microbiology
BIRMINGHAM - Birmingham Angels, managed by City Side Ventures, has made investments in two companies that presented to the group in September. The two companies were REZA (high end streetwear shoes, etc.) and Commando Lock (building the highest quality locks seen in the US market in recent memory). A Kauffman Foundation study showed 90% of
ANN ARBOR – If you want to join one of Michigan’s most active angel funds, you’ll have to do so quickly. Michigan Angel Fund Managing Partner Skip Simms said in an interview with MITechNews.Com that the sidecar fund is nearly closed. “We only accept new members when we are repopulating the sidecar fund,” he said.
DETROIT - A year after record optimism in the wake of sweeping federal tax reform in the United States, respondents to Dykema’s 15th Annual M&A Outlook Survey have tempered expectations for the M&A market, including some notes of pessimism about the broader economy. Thirty-three percent of respondents are bullish about the U.S. M&A outlook over
DETROIT - Watch and luxury goods maker Shinola on Friday promoted Shannon Washburn its first female chief executive. Washburn has been with Shinola since 2012 and moved to Detroit from Texas in 2015. Washburn replaces Tom Lewand, a previous team president of the Detroit Lions, who handed in his Shinola CEO title this week. Lewand
GRAND RAPIDS — The West Michigan industrial economy continues to see marginal growth despite effects from the GM strike, a Grand Valley State University economist said. Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in GVSU's Seidman College of Business, surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the
DETROIT – Plans were announced Wednesday for a $300 million research and development center in downtown Detroit for University of Michigan students pursuing advanced technology degrees, the first phase of a planned multi-building innovation center. The initial phase of the Detroit Center for Innovation build-out also will include incubator and start up services for entrepreneurs,
HOUGHTON – MTEC SmartZone will once again be hosting its Return North on November 29 aimed at connecting jobseekers with local, hiring companies and supporting the attraction and retention of quality professionals in the area. In collaboration with the Innovate Marquette SmartZone, MTEC is inviting local professionals and those coming home for the holidays to
HOLLAND—Seaport Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm, announced that it has made a strategic investment in Rutherford & Associates Inc.. Rutherford provides software for beverage distributors, including route accounting, warehouse management, forecasting, and mobile sales capabilities through its proprietary product, eoStar. Seaport funded the investment through Seaport Capital Partners V, a $230 million
GRAND RAPIDS — Grand Ventures led an investment round in CRE Simple Inc., an Oakland, Calif.-based fintech firm focused on commercial real estate. The Grand Rapids venture capital firm led the round with Fin Venture Capital in San Francisco. Two Chicago-based firms, Darkknight Ventures and Sandalphon Capital, along with Durham, N.C.-based Duke Angel Network and other private investors
