X-ology Magazine - Winter 2014

A publication of

E x p l o rin g M i c h i g a n ’ s E mer g in g T e c h Se c t o r s WINTER 2014 $3.99

mobile tech takes over

+ Jason Vazzano envisions the human side of technology + Detroit Labs: the business of building apps

+ Kick the winter doldrums

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WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

A publication of

Exploring Michigan’s Emerging Tech Sectors

features

22 people profile

Jason Vazzano sees the human side of technology

24 business profile

Detroit Labs: in the business of building apps

28 focus on

technology

24

Mobile technologies

34 lifestyle

Delightful winter diversions

departments 6

editor’s letter

8

automation alley update Views and news from Automation Alley

12

metro retro Ups and downs of airline seating

14 health+tech

Double vision; making brain

waves; cancer-detecting knife;

goodbye to back pain

18

education kaleidoscope Competition focuses on student entrepreneurs

38

expert outlook China’s growing role in Michigan

40

making the scene X-OLOGY captures area tech events

winter 2014 Volume 8, Number 1

42 trends

The wonders of wireless tech

16 tech+design

Stage fright … redefined

Log on for the latest michigan tech news

www.xologymagazine.com

34

editor'sletter ANGIE BAAN

www.xologymagazine.com

e d i tor i a l Editor | Jane Racey Gleeson

X

-OLOGY Magazine was introduced as a publication of Automation Alley in 2007. Creating a high-end magazine that promotes the business potential of Southeast Michigan’s emerging tech sectors has been a great opportunity for everyone involved. Today, our team is happy to welcome you as we begin our eighth year of producing X-OLOGY. We kick off 2014 with a new department called “Trends.” Our goal is to showcase the latest and greatest in tech trends impacting not only Southeast Michigan, but also the world. In this issue, we focus on the impressive changes driven by the wireless revolution, including incredible statistics and facts presented in an easy-to-access format.

Our Focus on Tech feature article takes a look at the mobile tech industry — possibly one of the most innovative, transformational industries of all. New mobile apps are created every day, often with the potential to change the way we live, work and function. Writer Matt Totsky introduces some of the area companies that are fueling the fire in the world of mobile tech.

Our Business Profile features Detroit Labs. One of many successful Southeast Michigan app developers, the company creates innovative apps for a diverse client base that includes Domino’s Pizza, DTE Energy and medical device maker Stryker Corp., just to name a few. Its location in the heart of Detroit has helped attract some of the best and brightest talent in the field.

X-OLOGY’s People Profile features Jason Vazzano, co-founder and CEO of Vectorform.

This Royal Oak, MI-based digital experience studio works with some of the world’s leading brands, including the North American International Auto Show and Microsoft. Vazzano is passionate about innovation, entrepreneurism and technology, which are adding up to success for his company.

And if the post-holiday months are adding up to cabin fever for your family, our Lifestyle feature offers ideas for curing it. Writer Lisa Drummond takes us on a tour of some of Southeast Michigan’s best indoor activities offering fun for the whole family.

The X-OLOGY team invites you to share your thoughts about the magazine, including ideas for future issues. We’re always happy to hear from you!

Editorial Advisors Ken Rogers Kelly Kozlowski Erin Sommerville copy Editors Nicole Kampe

Erin Sommerville

Contributing Writers Julie Baumkel Matthew Totsky Nicole Kampe Stephanie Vozza Lisa Drummond Ilene Wolff Leslie Mertz

c r e at i v e Creative Director | Alex Lumelsky CONTRIBUTING Photographers Mark M. Gaskill Brian Mitchell Mark Gjukich Max Wedge ProductioN | SKY Creative

p u b l i s h i ng published by rde enterprises inc.

Publisher | R. David Eick PRINTED BY ArborOakland Group Vice President | Chuck Rymal operations | Joseph P. Pietrangeli a dve rt i s i ng MANAGING DIRECTOR, SALES AND MARKETING | R. David Eick account managers Scott Cooper Cal Moore FOR ADVERTISING: 248.231.8067 or 248.549.0981 david@xologymagazine.com

X-OLOGY is a quarterly magazine published for Automation Alley. The mission of X-OLOGY is to uncover the most surprising and resonant stories about the people, companies, technologies and ideas that are transforming Southeast Michigan. X-OLOGY is distributed to 10,000 homes and 5,000 businesses throughout eight counties; 2,500 are distributed for recruiting in the tech sector and 2,500 copies are sold in street sales. For subscriptions, please call: 248-549-0981.

COPYRIGHT © 2014, RDE Enterprises

Jane Racey Gleeson Editor jane@XOLOGYmagazine.com

6

WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

No part of X-OLOGY Magazine may be reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the publisher.

For permission and re-print requests, please Contact publisher@xologymagazine.com. The X-OLOGY name and logo, and the various titles and headings herein, are trademarks of RDE Enterprises.

Postmaster: Send address changes to X-OLOGY Magazine, 4303 Normandy Court, Royal Oak, MI 48073

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automationalleyupdate

Photo courtesy AUSA October Trade Mission

In October, 12 Southeast Michigan companies joined Automation Alley on a trade mission to the Association of the United States Army 2013 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., where they explored opportunities in the defense industry. Next up, Automation Alley is off to explore opportunities and create business for local companies in Mexico and the United Kingdom, with a focus on the automotive and aerospace industries.

upcoming trade missions target automotive, aerospace industries Automation Alley has set the bar high for exporting programs available to Southeast Michigan companies. As a result of Automation Alley’s trade missions, local companies have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in export sales.

These trade missions allow companies to capitalize on the growing demand for Michiganmade products and services around the globe.

They also allow companies to explore opportunities for industry diversification. This summer, Automation Alley will set its sights on Mexico and the United Kingdom, two fast-growing centers of automotive and aerospace production.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was enacted in 1994 and created a free trade zone for Mexico, Canada and the United States, is the most important feature in the U.S.-Mexico bilateral commercial relationship, according to the U.S. Commercial Service. In addition, Mexico is the United States’ third-largest trade partner and secondlargest export market for U.S. products.

Automation Alley will visit the Mexican cities of Guanajuato, Puebla and Queretaro, specifically focusing on the automotive industry. According to the U.S. Commercial Service, Mexico ranks as the eighth-largest vehicle producer in 8

WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

the world and is currently home to nine manufacturers, including General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, Fiat, Renault, Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen. The country produces more than 2.5 million cars on a yearly basis, and according to the National Auto Parts Industry Association, Mexico ranks fifth worldwide in auto parts production, recently surpassing South Korea.

Like Mexico, the United Kingdom is an excellent place for Michigan companies to expand

their business. According to the U.S. Commercial Service, the U.K. has the sixth-largest economy in the world and the third-largest economy in the European Union. The U.K. is the secondlargest market in the world for U.S. service exports. While the U.K. is relatively small geographically, it has a population of more than 63 million people. With few trade barriers, the U.K. is the entry market into the European Union for more than 41,000 U.S. exporters.

Automation Alley’s trade mission to the U.K. will coincide with the Farnborough International Airshow, one of the world’s >>

about automation alley® Automation Alley is a technology business association driving the growth and image of Southeast Michigan’s economy through a collaborative culture that focuses on workforce and business development initiatives.

Since its founding in 1999, Automation Alley has expanded to include nearly 1,000 businesses, educational institutions and government entities from the City of Detroit and the surrounding eight-county region. Automation Alley promotes regional prosperity through entrepreneurial and exporting assistance, workforce development and technology acceleration. For additional information, visit www.automationalley.com.

mission Automation Alley exists to grow the innovation cluster of Southeast Michigan. We believe in a bright technology future for our state that is innovation-led and driven by exporting.

We create business development opportunities and results for our members and stakeholders who share our values. By helping our members achieve success, Automation Alley increases the quality of life in Michigan.

June 2014 Guanajuato, Puebla and Queretaro

Automation Alley Trade Mission to Mexico

Automation Alley Trade Mission to the united kingdom Farnborough July 2014

Save the dates and visit automationalley.com for more information on Automation Alley’s upcoming trade missions, or contact the Automation Alley Resource Center at 800-427-5100 or info@automationalley.com.

ÂŽ

automationalleyupdate

>>

largest exhibitions. According to the U.S. Commercial Service, the U.K. aerospace industry is the second largest in the world behind the U.S. The industry is split almost equally between civil and defense aerospace. The aerospace industry is a major category for U.S. exports in the U.K. U.S. exports to the U.K. of civil aircraft, aircraft engines and aircraft parts were $6.2 billion in 2012, with military equipment exports running at $600 million.

Save the dates, and visit automationalley.com for more information on Automation Alley’s upcoming trade missions, or contact the Automation Alley Resource Center at 800-427-5100 or info@automationalley.com.

• Trade Mission to Mexico Guanajuato, Puebla and Queretaro June 1-6, 2014* • Trade Mission to the United Kingdom Farnborough July 12-20, 2014* The cost to participate is $4,995 for each mission and includes travel costs (airfare, five star hotels, some meals and ground transportation), business briefings and receptions, cultural tours, interpreters (for Mexico) and matchmaking meetings. Be sure to inquire about Michigan STEP reimbursements that are available to eligible companies.

*Dates subject to change.

don’t miss the technology industry outlook luncheon For more than a decade, Automation Alley has promoted Southeast Michigan as a center for cutting-edge tech companies and a highly skilled workforce in an effort to attract talent and investment to the region. Automation Alley’s annual Technology Industry Report is a key resource for this effort, highlighting how Southeast Michigan stacks up against other major technology hubs in the Midwest and across the country.

This year, Automation Alley will take its efforts to promote the region one step further with a Technology Industry Outlook Luncheon, to be held at the Detroit Marriott Troy on March 27.

Open to Automation Alley members and non-members, the event will not only mark the debut of Automation Alley’s latest Technology Industry Report, but it will also provide an in-depth analysis of the region’s technology economy and its key industries.

Keep an eye on automationalley.com as more information becomes available for the Technology Industry Outlook Luncheon.

automation alley adds, promotes staff

Cynthia Hutchison

Diane DeForest

Rebecca Thibault

10

WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

Automation Alley announced staff changes and additions to support the association’s commitment and dedication to its members and its mission. The three employees include a new director of member relations, a director of marketing and events and a graphic designer.

Joining the staff at Automation Alley is Cynthia Hutchison. As the new director of member relations, Hutchison is responsible for managing and growing Automation Alley’s membership portfolio, which includes nearly 1,000 businesses, educational institutions and government entities in Southeast Michigan.

Hutchison is also in charge of enhancing the overall member experience by identifying new trends and best practices to improve Automation Alley’s membership offerings.

Hutchison has more than 15 years of management and development experience working for nonprofits.

She is founder of the Band of Angels Foundation, a national organization

supporting individuals with Down syndrome. In 1998, Hutchison was appointed by Michigan Gov. John Engler to serve as special education advisor on the Michigan Board of Education. In 2008, she was appointed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to the Michigan Rehabilitation Council. Hutchison has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. Diane DeForest, who worked previously with Automation Alley as manager of events and promotions, was promoted to director of marketing and events. In this role, DeForest is responsible for Automation Alley’s marketing, events, promotions and sponsorship efforts. She will take the lead on planning Automation Alley’s signature events, including the Annual Awards Gala.

DeForest has a deep resume of event planning, marketing and promotional experience. Prior to joining Automation Alley, DeForest was director of marketing and communica-

tions for the Detroit Economic Club.

She was also the marketing lead at Starbucks’ regional office in Rochester Hills, directing marketing and public relations campaigns for Starbucks stores across the Midwest and on the East Coast. DeForest has also worked as marketing director for Kmart and mall developer Taubman Company.

She holds a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Michigan University.

Automation Alley also promoted intern Rebecca Thibault to fulltime graphic designer. In this role, Thibault is responsible for executing the design of all Automation Alley marketing and promotional materials and website visuals. She also serves as staff photographer.

Prior to working for Automation Alley, Thibault interned for Townsquare Media Flint, owner of six radio stations in the Flint and Lapeer market. Thibault holds an associate degree in digital media design from Baker College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the same field.

Automation Alley Foundation Members Automation Alley would like to thank its Foundation Members for their regional leadership and support in contributing to the success of the organization.

All Covered Altair Arab American and Chaldean Council Automotive Design & Production Baker College Blue Cross Blue Shield Butzel Long Central Michigan University Chrysler Group LLC City of Troy Crain’s Detroit Business Delphi Corporation Detroit Economic Growth Corporation Detroit Manufacturing Systems Detroit Regional Chamber Dickinson Wright PLLC DTE Energy Fourstream USA General Motors GlobalAutoIndustry.com Goodwill Industries Grand Circus Greater Media Detroit Grid4 Communications HP Enterprise Services ITC Holdings, Corp.

Johnson Controls Inc. Just Energy Corporation Keaton Publishing Group Kelly Services, Inc. Kettering University Lakeside Software, Inc. Lawrence Technological University Macomb Community College Macomb County Government Macomb Daily Meeting Coordinators, Inc. Meritor, Inc. Michigan Economic Development Corporation Microsoft Oakland Community College Oakland County Oakland County Workforce Development Board Oakland Press Oakland Schools Oakland University Plante Moran Plex Systems, Inc. Rave Computer Rehmann Salesforce.com SMART SMZ Advertising The Resource Network, Inc. Troy Michigan Works!

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11

metroretro Airline single passenger seats through the years:

c. 1928

c. 1930

1940s

Airline first class single passenger seat (1993)

the ups and downs of airline seating

By Stephanie Vozza

F

lying coach isn’t exactly a ticket to luxury, but it’s a far night service to Europe in 1949. Forty years later, Singapore cry from the seats that welcomed travelers aboard the Airlines would install the first fully reclining seats in first class.

The growing demand for personal entertainment spelled first commercial passenger plane — the 1919 26-seat Lawson Airliner. There, carry-on bags were stowed next to a the demise of the in-flight movie, where passengers could row of wicker armchairs placed near the cabin’s windows. purchase earphones and watch on a large screen. Instead, Lacking insulation, the planes were cold and dirty, with in- Virgin Atlantic installed video screens on each of its businesstake vents open to the elements, often spraying passengers class seats in 1991 and offered movie and television on dewith dirt and water upon landing. First class seats were mand. Two years later, the company put screens in all classes, and other airlines followed suit. nonexistent — or maybe they In 2007, Singapore Airlines rewere the ones reserved for pasdefined first class by installing 12 sengers who wanted to stay dry. suites on its A380 super-jumbo.

Early versions of airline seats consisted of wicker and wood, The private accommodations feature sliding doors, a 23-inch which were at risk for warping, infestation or combustion. In video screen, a leather seat and 1930, the Aluminum Company a standalone bed. And for those of America (Alcoa) revolutionized who can’t afford first class, Air the airline seat by introducing the New Zealand introduced the first light metal version. No more The Skycouch from Air New Zealand “Skycouch” option in coach in comfortable than its predeces2010, with a row of three seats sors, this seat got an upgrade in the 1950s when foam rub- that transform into a bed for two. ber cushions were introduced along with built-in features What’s next for airline seating? Malaysian engineering student Alireza Yaghoubi has designed the AirGo, an such as armrest ashtrays and a recline button.

During this time, airplane designers worked to create an economical, ergonomic concept seat that doesn’t infringe in-flight experience, coordinating the colors of upholstery on neighboring passengers. Instead of tray tops, footrests fabrics with the uniforms of the crew. TWA even hired fash- and video screens mounted to the seat in front, the AirGo ion designer Oleg Cassini to outfit its “air hostesses.” is self-contained. It reclines, and has trays and screens As flying became a more widely used mode of transporta- mounted on its arms. The best part? Each seat has an indition, style was combined with comfort as a way for airlines to vidual locker for stowing carry-on bags — no more vying compete. Pan Am introduced the “Sleeperette” seat for over- for coveted room in crowded overhead bins.

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WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

Early versions of airline seats consisted of wicker and wood.

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a: It’S not a StatE. It’S oaKland County, MIChIgan.

There is a county in Michigan where a community is advancing life sciences.

Where research, development and manufacturing resources are outpacing those in Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. A county where an educated and diverse work force is growing. Exponentially. In fact, it’s one of the top 10 counties in the country with the highest job growth since June 2010. Come see why life sciences thrive on Medical Main Street – right in the heart of Oakland County, Michigan.

Life sciences and Michigan are working together.

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health+tech

making brain waves

double vision One day in the not-too-distant future, you might experience magnified vision. This is according to a team of researchers at the University of California San Diego, who have developed a prototype for a telescopic contact lens that can switch between normal and magnified vision using modified off-the-shelf 3-D television glasses.

The new lens could ultimately be used to improve vision for patients suffering from eye disease, including age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over age 60.

The contact lens, which measures one millimeter thick, incorporates aluminum mirrors, fit tightly together, to create a ring-shaped telescope embedded in the contact lens. The center of the lens allows for normal, non-magnified vision. Its periphery, where the telescope is located, magnifies images nearly three times.

Once fine-tuned, the lens will be less invasive than the miniature telescopes that can currently be implanted into patients’ eyes and is designed to collect more light. The contact lens’ optics make it possible to switch between normal and magnified vision by combining the contact lenses with glasses such as the “active shutter” glasses worn to watch some 3-D televisions.

goodbye, back pain A new biomaterial created

by Duke University biomedical engineers could make cell therapy a more feasible solution to spinal disc degeneration and back pain caused by the breakdown of the jelly-like tissue responsible for absorbing shock between the spinal vertebrae.

The material helps keep the nucleus pulposus cells in place longer, starting out as an injectible liquid that solidifies into a gel, holding more of the cells where they’re needed. When it stays at the injection site between the spinal discs, the biomaterial helps distribute pressure and improve spine mobility.

14

WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

The first brain wave test to diagnose Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. ADHD is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children, with the average age of diagnosis at 7 years.

The test involves an electroencephalogram, or EEG, with sensors attached to a child’s head and hooked by wires to a computer to measure theta and beta brain waves. Different types of electrical impulses given off by nerve cells in the brain are traced and recorded in this 15-20 minute test. Certain combinations of theta and beta brain waves tend to be more prevalent in children with ADHD, according to the FDA. Developed by NEBA Health of Augusta, GA, the device — known as the Neuropsychiatric EEG-Based Assessment Aid — was used to collect data from 275 children and adolescents, ages 6 to 17, all exhibiting attention or hyperactivity behavior. According to the FDA, “the study results showed that the use of the NEBA System aided clinicians in making a more accurate diagnosis of ADHD when used in conjunction with a clinical assessment for ADHD, compared with doing the clinical assessment alone.”

cancer-detecting knife An experimental surgical knife has been developed to ensure surgeons have removed all cancerous tissue. During surgery on cancer patients, surgeons typically use knives that heat tissue as they cut, producing a sharp-smelling smoke.

The ‘‘smart’’ iKnife, created by Dr. Zoltan Takats of Imperial College London, is hooked up to a refrigerator-sized mass spectrometry device on wheels, which analyzes the smoke from cauterized tissue. The smoke is then compared to smoke ‘‘signatures’’ from cancerous and non-cancerous tissues and analyzed, with results appearing on a monitor: green means the tissue is healthy, red means cancerous and yellow means unidentifiable. Scientists tested the new knife at three hospitals between 2010 and 2012. Tissue samples were taken from 302 patients to create a database of which kinds of smoke contained cancers, including those of the brain, breast, colon, liver, lung and stomach.

That database was then used to analyze tumors from 91 patients, with the iKnife correctly spotting cancer in every case. The study was published recently in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

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15

tech+design

stage fright …

redefined

By Jane Gleeson

W

hen the world’s largest walking robot made its debut as the lead in the play “Drachenstich” (Slaying of the Dragon), the audience sat up and took notice. After all, it’s not every day you see a 51-foot, fire-breathing robotic dragon on stage, but it happened in Furth im Wald, Germany, last summer for the country’s oldest traditional folk play.

Dating back 500 years, the re-enactment of the slaying of the dragon, which threatened the town in the Middle Ages, is part of an annual event that takes place for two weeks in August. And, while iterations of the play’s dragon, Tradinno (also known as Fanny), have come and gone, this newly created dragon might just be the most terrorizing yet.

With a name that stems from a combination of the words “tradition” and “innovation,” Tradinno’s fame has reached beyond Furth im Wald, having been recognized in the 2014 edition of the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest walking robot, complete with a 40-foot wingspan and weighing in at 11 tons.

16

WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

Designed by Zollner Elektronik AG, an electronics manufacturing services provider located in Zandt, Germany, Tradinno is the proud accomplishment of 15 engineers who developed and assembled the beast over a period of 3.5 years at a cost of approximately $3.1 million. The robot features hardware and software of nine modular control units that were created by the company. Each contains two processors: a digital signal processor responsible for control and regulation by Texas Instruments and a microcontroller for communication by Fujitsu.

The robot also consists of: • 272 hydraulic valves • 65 animated axles • 238 sensors • 984 feet of hydraulic lines • 4,200-plus feet of electric cables • 360 feet of pneumatic lines According to Thomas Reitinger, one of six mechanical engineers assigned to the project, the company accepted the challenge of building the life-size robotic dragon in part to “show what we are capable of doing, even though we’re located in a small city away from

universities and other resources.” The company has a worldwide client base serving such industries as robotics, automotive, medical, aerospace and electronics, among others.

The Zollner mechanical development team worked diligently to determine the logistics of the four-legged robot’s gait, coming up with a solution that features seven mobile degrees of freedom per leg, which enables Tradinno to maneuver corners

and to move sideways. The company currently has a patent on the control concept and the mathematical walk algorithm.

Tradinno’s realistic movements are the result of bi-directional wireless data transmission via four control units developed by Zollner engineers.

The same method is used with the 4.3-ton, all-wheel drive, 2.0-liter turbo diesel transport vehicle used for transporting the robot. And, al-

though the dragon’s permanent home is in Furth im Wald, where he “sleeps” until next summer’s presentation of “Drachenstich,” he has been spotted in other locations, most notably transported along the German autobahn on his way to Berlin.

Fortunately, there was no evidence of road rage on the part of passing motorists, who surely would have been no match for a fire-breathing dragon.

German engineers spent 3.5 years creating Tradinno, the world’s largest walking robot, for the play “Drachenstich.”

X-OLOGY • WINTER 2014

17

educationkaleidoscope

new venture competition Where student ideas take flight

By Ilene Wolff

W

hen Nick Reynolds and his Cool Life Livin’ line of casual wear entered Central Michigan University’s (CMU) New Venture Competition (NVC) for student entrepreneurs, his NVC mentor helped keep him on track with formulating a business plan. Cool Life Livin’ sells caps, T-shirts and hoodies with an anti-bullying message.

The NVC is a program of CMU’s College of Business Administration — the first college in Michigan to offer an undergraduate bachelor of applied arts in entrepreneurship — and its Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship.

To date, more than 250 CMU and Michigan Technological University students — 40 percent of them from Southeast Michigan — have participated in the program and have been matched with mentors, including business professors, university alumni and professionals from the local community.

“Anti-bullying is a great message,” Reynolds recalls his mentor telling him in a dis18

WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

cussion about trying to persuade potential investors in NVC’s pitch competition. “But they want to know how you’re going to make money.”

Reynolds, 23, of Mt. Pleasant, MI, graduated in 2012 and didn’t win the competition, but his online retail business continues to grow. Cool Life Livin’ is one of 15 businesses in existence after their originators participated in the New Venture Competition, which was Automation Alley’s 2013 Educational Program of the Year.

The Automation Alley honor recognizes an outstanding program from an accredited educational institution that helps develop a skilled labor force for Southeast Michigan, partners with business and shows a strong desire to engage people in technology.

Let the competition begin Students also attend the NVC’s series of 10 workshops for aspiring entrepreneurs. Workshops include sessions on lean principles (creating more value for customers with fewer resources), entrepreneurial finance and

creating a value proposition, among other topics. The seven-month program culminates in a one-day competition during which students can attend presentations by business professionals and pitch their ideas to judges and potential investors.

“Each year of the competition the students’ ideas are richer and more in-depth,” says Deb Zellner, executive director of CMU’s College of Business. “Each year they get better and better.”

The NVC’s current group of students is working on projects ranging from creating a green replacement for polystyrene that is made from mushrooms, to a new social media website that focuses on users’ likes and dislikes and pushes that information out to friends, family and businesses.

The program taps into university resources, such as the CMU Research Corporation business incubator and the school’s academic leaders. It also uses external resources such as the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Centers; local economic devel-

CMU students Jacob Linklater and Nick Reynolds launched Cool Life Livin’, a line of casual wear, as part of the New Venture Competition in 2012 and 2013.

opment groups such as Middle Michigan Development Corporation and Midland Tomorrow; business incubators and accelerators like the MidMichigan Innovation Center and Automation Alley; and investment groups such as the Blue Water Angels.

The day of competition attracts such executives as Ken Rogers, executive director of Automation Alley; Michael Finney, president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation; and Diane Durance, executive director of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest. These executives act as presenters as well as judges for student pitches.

“I think of it as building a little bit of a web in a positive way,” Zellner says. “You’re meeting with resources that can make the business stronger.”

The winners’ hard work is rewarded with in-kind services and startup capital ranging from $30,000 for the best overall venture to $1,500 for the top two-minute pitches.

A winning plan Robert Gaillard’s “A Hero’s Home” earned him $10,000 in prize money when it was selected as best social venture in the 2013 competition.

A Hero’s Home is to be an apartment building in Union Township, MI (west of Mt. Pleasant), that will help military veterans and their families transition to civilian life successfully. Gaillard, a veteran of the Iraq War and a 2012 CMU grad who is now a veteran service officer for the Marine Corps League, says the money from the NVC helped him

hire an accountant and an attorney to start the process of becoming a nonprofit. Gaillard hopes to break ground for the new facility this year.

Gaillard, 44, of Mt. Pleasant, says he almost didn’t participate in the NVC because standing before an audience and pitching his idea was “too scary, although I’m good in public. You just can’t tell I’m sweating under my suit.”

The program paired him with fellow student Julian Lacey, who has experience in social services-type work, and mentor Mike Vuillemot, a CMU instructor of entrepreneurship, marketing and management. “He gave us these tidbits of constructive advice,” Gaillard says of Vuillemot. “But he would never tell us what to do.”

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educationkaleidoscope

Student entrepreneurs find venues to compete Most would agree that when it comes to entrepreneurship, vision and passion trump education. Apple founder Steve Jobs certainly comes to mind.

But for students with great ideas who aspire to be entrepreneurs, their educational status may qualify them for mentoring help and seed money in competitions such as Central Michigan University’s New Venture Competition (see related article).

Other student entrepreneur competitions in Michigan include:

Jason Ratledge, NVC project manager; Deb Zellner, executive director of CMU’s College of Business; Joe Shaheen and Samantha Fiani, CMU students and members of Solar Cycle Lights; Michael Finney, president and CEO of MEDC; Tyler Dunbar, CMU student and member of Solar Cycle Lights; and Jon Voigtman, managing director of Global Head of Structured Assets, Royal Bank of Canada.

Sometimes it takes tenacity Gaillard’s fellow 2012 grad, Jeff Wegner, didn’t make the cut the first time he participated in the NVC in 2011, but he didn’t let that setback stop him. Instead, Wegner, 24, of Detroit, continued to attend the NVC workshops for a second year, refined his business pitch and strengthened his relationships with the CMU faculty.

“Over the course of that one year, I gained tremendous confidence in public speaking,” he says. “I came back, and I was more structured and more developed.”

Wegner did one more thing to develop his business. While he could have graduated in 2011, he extended his college career by one year in order to take upper-level marketing classes and to continue in the NVC. His hard work paid off. He placed second in 2012 and won $10,000.

Wegner used the money to upgrade the camera equipment he uses for his business, Movement Creative Media. The company creates e-resumes and digital asset libraries for businesses to market their services or products. Wegner helps his clients connect 20

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with their target market using techniques like Google Ad Words, Facebook advertising and search engine optimization.

Wegner’s clients so far include Red Bull, Food Junky (an online lunch ordering service), The Empowerment Plan (a nonprofit that hires homeless women to sew coats that morph into sleeping bags) and the Goethe-Institut Chicago, a cultural organization. CMU’s Kenneth Cherry, assistant professor of marketing and professional sales, helped Wegner get the GoetheInstitut work while he was still in school.

Somewhere along the way, Wegner also learned how to be a gracious runner-up when he didn’t win first place in 2012. “My initial thought was ‘Dang, I wish it was first,’” he says. “(But) I was proud of the students who won first place.”

That first-place venture was Baisikeli Ugunduzi, which is Swahili for “modern bicycle.” The company won $30,000 for best venture and an additional $10,000 for best social venture for designing and producing high-quality bicycle parts for the millions of rural poor in Sub-Saharan Africa who depend on bikes to earn a living.

• Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition, led by the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, Business Leaders for Michigan, the University Research Corridor and the New Economy Initiative, for innovation-based businesses.

• The Clean Energy Student Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and administered by the Clean Energy Trust, for those with ideas to develop clean energy businesses.

• The Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest, for new, high-growth industries in Michigan.

• The Michigan Collegiate Innovation Prize, for consumer or industrial products or services. The six-month program takes teams from the idea stage to a venture launch.

• Grand Valley State Business Plan Competition, for GVSU students with ideas for new business ventures.

• Michigan Business Challenge, for University of Michigan students and U-M Innovation Center fellows who want to start a business.

• New Business Venture Competition, for Northern Michigan University students who have an idea for a new business.

• The Skandalaris Business Plan Competition at Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business, for university, community college and K-12 students from the Midwest.

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peopleprofile

Jason Vazzano Co-founder and CEO, Vectorform

“Our goal is to make technology human. We want it in our lives, but not in our way.”

WOW FACTOR Jason Vazzano is co-founder and CEO of Vectorform, a Royal Oak, MI-based digital experience studio that helps the world’s leading brands drive innovation and capture market share. Vazzano, who recently spoke at the TedxDetroit technology conference about wearable computing, says one of Vectorform’s first accomplishments was working with Microsoft on its surfacecomputing platform for the 2008 presidential election coverage. Another was the 2009 North American International Auto Show where Vectorform developed the first iPhone-connected vehicle for the prototype 2000C. A recent project saw Vectorform partnering with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and Microsoft to develop a five-minute non-invasive virtual colonoscopy.

“We are really excited to see Detroit emerging as a world-class city. We grew up here and have always appreciated what Michigan has to offer,” Vazzano says.

“Lately, though, we’ve seen an increase in global awareness about our area and are now able to successfully recruit skilled people to Detroit from other parts of the U.S. as well as from other countries.”

View From The Top “Every single day, we get a new tool in our industry. You need to have insight and vision to determine what is viable. It can’t just be intuitive. It’s too expensive to make mistakes. You have to be technology-agnostic and determine which are the strong technology bets. You also have to look across industries for opportunities.”

Passion for Industry “Since high school, Kurt Steckling (the company’s co-founder) and I knew we wanted to do something different with technology. We began our business in 1999, the bust of the dot.com boom. A lot of people were questioning the real value of technology. We didn’t have any question about proceeding with our company. We knew technology was not a fad. We just had to prescribe what we would do differently.”

Voice of Experience “As an entrepreneur, I hear a lot of people talk about innovation but not everyone is able to innovate. I feel we can teach people the skills to do the work, but what we can’t do is teach them the entrepreneurial spirit and the insatiable drive for invention.”

– Interviewed by Julie Baumkel

Corporate Climb Jason and his friends, Kurt and Karl Steckling (Karl is Vectorform’s CIO), began collaborating on their technology interests in high school. After college, the trio started their business in the Steckling family’s mini-storage facility, financing it with zero percent interest credit cards. “We were actually making money from day one although it took until year three for us to really hit our stride.”

Credentials • University of Detroit-Mercy, Information Science • Board member, Crossroads for Youth, a nonprofit organization that provides children with the tools and skills to lead a productive and happy life

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businessprofile

build an app, grow a business M

ost companies would be thrilled to add an app that would help them engage more efficiently and more favorably with their customers. Unfortunately, the majority of companies don’t know how to build one. That’s OK, according to Bill Camp, who works in development and planning at Detroit Labs. His business can do it for them.

“We work with all different sizes of companies to create mobile apps,” Camp says.

As an example, Detroit Labs helped build the app that customers use to order a Domino’s pizza and have it delivered. “To the customer, the app looks beautiful and is simple to 24

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use. They can watch their pizza being made and delivered on the app’s ‘Pizza Tracker.’ To order again, they can tap the app and easily get the same thing they had last time,” he says. “The idea is you want the customer to have a positive experience because the easier and more pleasant that experience is, the more they are going to order pizza.”

It’s working. “That app now accounts for 10 percent of Domino’s U.S. sales, so it’s a significant part of their business,” says Camp.

On top of that, users have given the app a rating that hovers around 4.99 on the Apple and Android app stores’ rating scale, which goes up to 5. “This app has been download-

By Leslie Mertz

ed more than 8 million times, so for such a widely used app, it’s amazing to get that high of a rating. We’re pretty proud of our part in that,” he says.

Although the pizza-ordering app may be straightforward from the customer’s point of view, it is actually a very complex system on the back end. “Part of the reason is that Domino’s has 5,000 stores that are all a bit different. For instance, they do not all have the same menus or the same delivery hours,” says Camp. “So the app had to take all of the data that Domino’s has and create a way to access and use it, all while creating a seamless customer interface.”

Above: Detroit Labs’ location in the heart of downtown Detroit has helped attract top talent.

Left: Domino’s pizzaordering app accounts for 10 percent of the company’s U.S. sales.

Taking on new challenges Detroit Labs’ staff thrives on challenges.

“One of the things that makes us unique is our robust hiring process that recruits both designers who are artistic but also have some technical skills and developers who have the technical expertise but also understand the user experience,” Camp says. “As a result, our people are really cross-dimensional and can apply that broad approach to create a very successful app.”

Detroit Labs also created an app for DTE Energy to improve customer interactions in the event of a power outage. “The features of the ‘outage app’ include allowing a

customer to report a power outage, to get an estimate of when the power will come back on, to receive tips on what else they can or should do during the outage and to find out which other places in the area — the grocery store or a coffee shop, for example — have power,” Camp says.

Like the Domino’s app, the DTE app is complicated on the back end. “The outage app has to connect to their systems that keep track of each location across their service area and to their scheduling system to anticipate when the power will resume,” he says. “We designed the app to make the customer’s experience a little

bit more positive during what can be an otherwise difficult time.”

Apps for everyone Detroit Labs works with smaller organizations, too. For instance, it is helping a small company develop an educational app to assist people who have learning disabilities.

Specifically, the app walks users through individual words with the goal of teaching them to read.

“We’ve also just started working with the Autism Alliance of Michigan,” says Camp, noting that this was an outgrowth of staff interests. “Our employees are >> X-OLOGY • WINTER 2014

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businessprofile A little freedom goes a long way On a typical Friday at Detroit Labs, the employees turn into mad scientists — in a good way. “We allow our people a certain percentage of their time to work on their mad-scientist projects, which we call lab time,” says Bill Camp who works in development and planning at Detroit Labs. “Those projects can be anything from building a robot to building a game app, or maybe even learning Pascal (a programming language) — whatever they think is interesting,” he says. “The only thing we require is this: At 4 or 5 o’clock, we all get together and the employees have to present what they did that day, and we do that because we think there’s something to be said for speaking up for your work. As you can imagine, some of the presentations are really interesting.”

Every once in a while, one of the lab-time projects evolves into a consumer product. One of these is Emochi. “It’s a multi player game that we launched in the early fall. It’s like charades except that players arrange emoticons to give the clues,” Camp says.

Another lab-time project that is piquing interest is an app that turns a phone or iPad into a temperature sensor. “You can picture it

>>

talented people who like to have different and interesting projects to work on, and since we have a few people who are passionate about this disorder, we wanted to partner with the organization.”

Detroit Labs has already created many apps for local, regional and national businesses and nonprofits, and the company is growing as a result. “We started out in 2011 with five people, including the four company founders,” Camp says, noting that after doubling in size a few times, the staff size has jumped to 42. That 26

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being used for all kinds of things, including checking windows and doors for heat loss in the winter,” Camp says. “We recently showed it to DTE, and they were fascinated by it. Now, at this point, we don’t know if that project is actually going to come to fruition in some sort of commercial application, but it’s certainly got a lot of people thinking.”

Company products like these are terrific, but the real point of lab time has nothing to do with new products. “Before I came to Detroit Labs, I worked on Internet development in San Francisco, and I thought that moved fast, but the app-development space is moving even faster,” Camp says. “We really have to keep up, so we not only have to attract employees who want to keep up, but we also need to encourage that behavior.” Lab time does both, he says. “It’s an attractive thing to the kind of people we want to hire.”

Everybody wins with lab time, says Camp. The employees thrive by challenging themselves, the company has motivated and happy developers and designers who remain at the top of their game, and the company’s growing customer base gets fresh, innovative apps.

For this company, mad scientists are indeed good to have around.

fast growth spurred the company to move from Detroit’s M@dison Building to the old Lane Bryant department store building on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. The newly renovated location features large windows, tall ceilings and exposed brick and beams.

Delighted with Detroit Besides providing a beautiful workplace, the site is proving to be a draw for potential new hires. That’s an important aspect because good app designers and developers are often

in short supply, Camp says. “These are people who want to be in an urban center, and fortunately we are finding a lot of untapped talent in this area,” he says.

But the company’s primary reason for moving downtown was simpler than that, Camp says. “We all love Detroit, and that’s the main reason we wanted to be here. As more and more businesses are seeing the many advantages of mobile apps, we’re looking forward to growing along with them right here in Detroit.” detroitlabs.com

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focusontech

mobile “Mobile technology is actually a variety of technologies,” says Linda Daichendt, president and director of the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan. “It’s so much more than what you can do with your cell phone or tablet, and it’s going to continue to become an ever-increasing part of your personal and business life. Machine-to-machine technologies will soon be commonplace, allowing everything in your home — from the alarm clock to the coffee pot — to communicate, and all of it will be enabled by mobile/wireless technologies.”

Paul Chambers, CEO of Core 3 Solutions, shares Daichendt’s perspective. “This sort of intelligent marketing 28

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is quickly evolving,” he says. “Homes will soon be equipped with sensors throughout, telling you if you’re running low on things like milk, toothpaste or toilet paper. This will make your daily routine convenient and easier because your life will be more closely integrated with business.”

Marketing on the Move Troy, MI-based Core 3 Solutions is one of the Southeast Michigan companies at the forefront of this new wave of mobile marketing. Its product, Exmosi, which works as a mobile website for a car on a dealership lot, is changing the way

e technologies

By Matthew Totsky

T

he “Internet of Things” is a concept that has permeated our daily lives to such an extent that it’s impossible to go anywhere without seeing someone tapping away on a smartphone or using some type of mobile device. While many find this tech addiction annoying, others have embraced the infinite possibilities these devices offer for making our personal and business lives easier and more productive. Even the shrinking minority of people who don’t own a product like an iPad or Android phone are probably using some sort of mobile technology without knowing it — even if it’s just a garage door opener.

people buy vehicles. It essentially replaces human car dealers with a text code on a window sticker. When a potential buyer enters the code into his or her phone, Exmosi will return a mobile Web page with information about that vehicle, so the shopper has the specs of the car on-hand after leaving the lot. Each time a text code is used, that individual’s cell phone number, the car of interest and the exact time he or she visited the lot is logged into the dealer’s customer relationship management system, allowing more leads to be generated and more vehicles to be sold.

“Consumers today shop for cars much differently than they

did in the past — even just last year,” Chambers says. “And they’re seeking information quickly, in a mobile form, at their convenience. As more smartphones make their way into consumers’ pockets, shopping habits continue to evolve, as well.

The most important thing is that merchants keep up with the ever-changing marketing strategies available out there.”

Ann Arbor, MI-based Protean is another firm set to unleash a product that will make the lives of consumers easier — through the age-old concept of “less is more.”

“Echo is the ideal product for today’s consumer,” says Henry Balanon, CTO of Protean. “It’s a Bluetooth credit card X-OLOGY • WINTER 2014

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focusontech Mt.Clemens-based EyeWyre creates functional business applications for mobile tools.

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that syncs with a mobile wallet app, making it possible to access all of your cards with just one card. Echo users won’t need to dig through their purse or wallet for their Macy’s card or that gift card they received on their birthday. Instead, they’ll just need Echo and their phone.” The technology works simply by selecting a card on the mobile app, and then swiping Echo as though it were that card. “This solution can be used anywhere, by anyone, and comes with some awesome security features,” says Balanon.

More and more businesses are integrating apps as an essential part of the daily work routine.

courtesy eyewyre

Benefits for Business Consumers aren’t the only ones reaping the benefits of mobile and wireless technologies created in Southeast Michigan. These days, more and more businesses are integrating apps as an essential part of the daily work routine.

“What smartphones and tablets are doing is revolutionizing how we work and how we interact with people,” says Jim Brown of Coil Group in Rochester, MI. “These devices allow people to take data with them.

They’re tools to enhance the personal connections and make them better. Think about how a salesperson can now meet with a client over lunch and share all the details of their products while looking them in the eye.

There is no need to follow up with a brochure sent via mail or to share some large PDF file after the meeting.

Sellers can connect at a personal level and give the customer what they want instantly.”

Coil Group launched its mobile sales catalog, called Stage, in December. Stage is the first of several apps designed to transform how organizations sell their solutions and manage their sales teams. With Stage, sellers are able to present an up-to-date, easy-to-use and elegant product catalog that helps clients visualize how the sellers will help them. Additionally, marketing has the ability to manage the catalog behind the scenes, and sales management gets a report of everything that each sales reps shows during his or her sales meetings.

“It’s insight, it’s one version of the truth, and it’s connecting on a human level,” Brown says. “We see a lot of firms in the Midwest still trying to figure out how to adopt mobile in their organizations. It seems many business leaders are wondering if these devices are a fad. Business and IT leaders often struggle to find useful solutions to make their iPad or smartphone into a business and productivity tool. What we’re trying to do is show organizations that mobile devices are not for kids to play games on or for you to update your Facebook status while watching ‘Game

The Supply Chain Sherpa application was created by eyeWyre Software Studios for LLamasoft, Inc.

of Thrones.’ Done right, mobile devices can bring people together. Whereas PC technology typically locks people in a cube staring at a screen, great mobile solutions bring people face to face.”

Mount Clemens, MI-based application developer eyeWyre Software Studios created Supply Chain Sherpa for LLamasoft, Inc. “This is the most advanced business application introduced into the Apple App Store to date — and one of the most expensive,” says Suzanne Chartier, eyeWyre’s director of engineering services.

Chartier refers to Supply Chain Sherpa as a “gamechanger” in the supply chain management business because it brings advanced network design and analysis to tablet-based computing. “Changes made to a network are computed in real time, making interactive analysis timely and convenient,” she says. “Users can experiment with ‘what-if’ scenarios and determine how much risk can be eliminated from their supply networks and at what cost if they were to open a new plant anywhere else in the country.”

Logic Solutions, Inc., is another local company whose product — Showcase — has changed the way people conduct business by increasing sales productivity. “We primarily create awesome custom applications for our clients,” says Matt Sarkesian, the company’s chief technology officer. “Unlike anything else we’ve done, Showcase combines that ‘Wow!’ moment with a super-streamlined process. It’s a content management system that feeds your mobile app with product catalogs, a marketing and sales materials library, quotes and order entry, customer lookup, company branding and a two-way sync with your database. Showcase does not care if you are connected to the Internet, but once you do connect, it syncs all of your orders seamX-OLOGY • WINTER 2014

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Coil Group’s mobile sales catalog helps firms spend more face-to-face time with clients.

lessly. In doing so, it can free up 90 minutes a day on average — or one additional day per week — to spend on selling.”

A Safer Workplace — On the Road Many things in Southeast Michigan revolve

around the auto industry, and the mobile/ wireless tech community is no exception. The trend these days, according to industry experts, is for cars to become more like a living room or office — a comfortable, productive space. The advent of mobile technology and

A Glimpse into the Future The state’s first-ever Code Michigan event was held Oct. 4-6 at Detroit’s M@dison Building. Sponsored by Michigan’s Department of Technology, the event featured code developers designing and building code applications for state government and provided a glimpse of the future of the state’s mobile/wireless technology field.

First place was awarded to Sam Harrell of Ann Arbor, who took home $20,000 for his MiMaps app, which maps the state’s great outdoors. “Code Michigan was an excellent opportunity,” Harrell says. “Any time you can get

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your hands on open data, take it.”

A team from Midland High School won both the Crowd Favorite and Civic Involvement awards for its miLegi application, netting $7,500 in the process. The app — which enables users to track state legislature — was designed by seniors Richard Doktcz, Aaron Green and Thor Russell along with computer science teacher Robert Fox. Michael Evans, Dennis Fiore and Ben Fraser from Detroit were the recipients of the Best Idea award for their LoveTax app, which allows for easy credit card payments of taxes owed on any property.

more sophisticated electronics is helping to make this transformation a flawless one.

“Today, there are more and more electronics in vehicles, and they are increasing at a linear rate,” says K. Venkatesh Prasad, group and senior technical leader for Vehicle Design and Infotronics, Ford Research and Innovation. “Now there is a broad set of technology available in automobiles that allows for greater user customization. Flat-screens and apps can become a driver’s signature.”

According to Prasad, Americans commute 5 million hours per week on average. And while more and more of them are conducting business in their vehicles, auto manufacturers feel the responsibility to make sure they are safe when doing so. This has led to mobile innovations designed to protect the driver, including wiper blades that react to changes in humidity and cloud layers or access functions on steering wheels that can sense sudden lane changes to determine if the driver is feeling drowsy.

A recent Ford Motor Co. innovation uses a motor from the Microsoft™ Xbox 360® game controller to create a shift knob that vibrates

when a driver should shift gears, essentially improving his or her driving skills. “I wanted to create something that expands the car’s capabilities and improves the experience for the driver,” says Ford Engineer Zach Nelson. “The vibrating knob can be installed onto the stock shift lever, and I’ve tested it on several vehicles, including Mustang and Focus ST,” he says.

General Motors is another auto manufacturer with its own set of mobile apps designed to benefit drivers. The automaker’s Find My Car feature is powered by Google Maps and helps mark parking spots and set parking meter alarms. The OnStar RemoteLink app allows users to remotely start their vehicles, control their door locks and check vehicle diagnostics from nearly anywhere.

The advent of mobile technology in vehicles has also improved the buying experience for consumers by providing upgrades and add-ons after the point of purchase, giving the perception of vehicle evolution.

“I feel excited about the rapid customization of auto technology,” Prasad says. “Things that have traditionally looked or seemed mun-

Ford Motor Co.’s Sync AppLink lets you connect to favorite smartphone apps, stream Internet radio, listen to tweets and more.

dane are waiting to be transformed, altering the overall driving experience in the process.

Even tires — which were once completely isolated and insulated — now have bits and bytes streaming from them to help the driver monitor tire pressure while on the road.”

A Bright Outlook The impact of the mobile/wireless field in Michigan has been strong and far-reaching. Michigan companies like Domino’s Pizza, Consumers

Energy and the Whirlpool Corporation are all incorporating mobile technology to increase productivity and improve customer service. Amtrak is installing Wi-Fi on its Michigan routes, taking the concept of the mobile office to another level. The industry also has a high jobs creation factor, making it one of the few sectors comparable to the state’s manufacturing industry.

Amy Butler, executive director of OU INC, the Oakland University SmartZone Business Accelerator, has noticed a swift upswing in the mobile/wireless field. “When I started this position two years ago, we knew we had expertise in energy and automotive, but the demand for assistance with information technology solutions really moved us to add this industry focus,” she says. “It has been very exciting to see how mobile technology can spur innovative solutions in virtually everything we do.”

One of OU INC’s clients is Lean Fox Solutions. The company’s app — Practical Lean for Healthcare — is available on the iPad and teaches healthcare professionals how to cut costs and enhance services by streamlining operations while improving the work environment and patient experience. Founder Todd Sperl launched the consulting business after a 2008 downsizing at St. John Providence Health System left him at a professional crossroads. He saw an opportunity in the mobile technology field and went for it.

Sperl’s idea has paid off as Practical Lean for Healthcare has proved to be an international success story, having been downloaded in at least 15 countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

This kind of success story is inspiring, and Daichendt has been impressed with the progress in Michigan’s mobile/wireless technology sector over the past seven years and the positive impact it’s having on the state’s economy.

“The big advantage that Silicon Valley currently has is density,” she says. “There are so many tech-related companies in close proximity that the area is viewed by those seeking to work with these technologies as providing more opportunity and options. Unfortunately, that density is not yet a reality in Southeast Michigan. Still, we’re making tremendous strides — very quickly.” Daichendt says she foresees a day in the not-so-distant future when a mobile/wireless tech corridor stretch-

Other inspired apps After using some of the mobile technologies developed by Southeast Michigan companies that let you shop till you drop or become more productive at work (see main article), it may be time to experience other tech innovations designed to help you blow off steam or sooth your mind.

• AutoBike — a client of business accelerator OU INC — has developed an electronic automatic shifting system for bicycles that features Bluetooth communication with your iOS or Android device through the AutoBike app. AutoBike currently features this system on its own line of cruiser/comfort bikes and is working with other bike companies — including TerraTrike, the largest recumbent trike manufacturer in the world.

• eyeWyre has developed numerous highly successful apps for digital health and wellness company Saagara LLC. In 2012, eyeWyre’s breathing application, Relax, reached No. 118 of the top paid apps in the Apple App Store. The company’s latest is Universal Meditation, the world’s first “crowd meditation” application available on iPad, Android, Mac and Windows. Universal Meditation allows people from around the world to schedule and participate in group meditation events.

eyeWyre’s app for Saagara LLC

es up and down Woodward Avenue from Detroit to Pontiac, creating jobs and opportunities that will drive Michigan’s economy for many years to come.

If Daichendt’s vision becomes a reality, there’s no doubt the commuters cruising on Woodward — or riding on the planned light-rail system — will have the very latest mobile/wireless technologies at their fingertips to make the experience a safer and more productive one.

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lifestyle

delightful

winter diversions Kick those winter doldrums to the curb

By Lisa Drummond

T

he excitement of the holidays has come and gone, the weather outside is more frozen than friendly and the family is starting to venture into the “cabin fever” zone. You’re bored. The kids are bored. And any minute you’re going to hear that dreaded complaint: “There’s nothing to do!”

Not to worry. Southeast Michigan offers a plethora of indoor activities both fun and engaging. >>

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WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

Mark M. Gaskill

An Arctic Fox is just one of many creatures you may encounter this winter at the Detroit Zoo.

X-OLOGY • WINTER 2014

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lifestyle

Judith G. Yaker

The Detroit Zoo and Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum are fun-filled destinations the whole family will enjoy.

>> Cranbrook Institute of Science Let’s start with the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills. Founded in 1930 with the goal of “developing a scientifically literate public able to cope with today’s knowledge-based society,” Cranbrook has 200,000 visitors each year. The region’s bestknown Museum of Natural History features changing exhibitions and 11 permanent galleries. Dynamic Earth explores topics such as “Ice Ages Come and Go” and “Life Changes Over Time.” In Wasserman Hall you’ll find the “Motion Gallery,” the “Mineral Study Gallery” and the “Acheson Light Lab.” And in Water Passage, young minds can explore “The Story of Us.” Cranbrook is open Tuesday–Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.10 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. Thanks to the Masco Corporation Foundation, admission is free after 5 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. The observatory is included in the ticket price, however, there is a modest charge to add the planetarium to your visit. science.cranbrook.edu, 248-645-3245 36

WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

Detroit Zoo Just down the road, in Royal Oak, is the Detroit Zoo, which is open 362 days a year.

From Nov. 1-March 31, hours are 10 a.m.4 p.m. Not only can you observe animals in their habitats and learn how they cope in Michigan winters, but the zoo also offers inside attractions to keep you warm.

The Wildlife Interpretive Gallery features “Science on a Sphere,” a display developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This amazing spherical display system projects dynamic simulations of the Earth, its atmosphere, oceans and land.

The Arctic Ring of Life, North America’s largest polar bear exhibit, lets you walk beneath seals and giant polar bears as they swim across a glass tunnel. There’s also a penguinarium and butterfly garden where you can enjoy nature and find shelter from the cold. detroitzoo.org, 248-541-5717 Belle Isle Nature Zoo The Belle Isle Nature Zoo in Detroit is at the far end of the island, just northwest of Blue

Heron Lagoon. The zoo is home to 15 European fallow deer that are one part of a project to convert the former nature center into a nature zoo focusing on Michigan wildlife and vegetation. Weekends feature family-oriented nature programs. Tickets aren’t needed for the Belle Isle Nature Zoo, which is open Wednesday-Sunday, Nov. 1- March 31, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. belleislenaturezoo.org, 313-852-4056 Dossin Great Lakes Museum While on Belle Isle, stop by the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. The museum is open to the public at no charge Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and chronicles the role Detroit has played in maritime history and the story of the Great Lakes. Among the displays are: “Miss Pepsi,” a hydroplane from the 1950s, and the bow anchor from the legendary Edmund Fitzgerald. You can even try your hand at captaining a freighter in the SS William Clay Ford Pilot House. Currently, through April, guests can enjoy “A River’s Roar,” an overview of hydroplane racing in Detroit. glmi.org, 313-791-8452

courtesy ann arbor hands-on museum

Michigan Science Center Have a budding scientist in your fold? Try the Michigan Science Center for inspiration. The Centennial Lab has hands-on activities and demonstrations. The Nutrition Kitchen teaches weights and measures as well as healthy eating. And in the Toyota 4-D theater, future scientists can take an interactive journey into the real life of engineers. Electricity is the star in the Sparks Theater. Educational presentations and programs take place at the Chrysler Science Stage. Open Wednesday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday noon-6 p.m. Check the website for ticket pricing and for special events like the BASF Kid’s Lab Experiment and Winter Break Camp March 17­-21.The IMAX Theater and planetarium can be added to your visit for an additional cost. info@sciencedetroit.org, 313-577-8400 Detroit Historical Museum Eyes on history, rather than science? The Detroit Historical Museum, located in Detroit’s Cultural Center, is open Tuesday-Friday

9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free. The museum underwent renovations in 2012, including several new exhibits. “Kid Rock Music Lab,” for example, explores the rich history of Detroit’s music from Gospel to Motown and lets you participate in the music. Signature exhibits include “America’s Motor City,” “Doorway to Freedom - Detroit and the Underground Railroad” and “The Gallery of Innovation.”

Perennial favorites include the “Streets of Old Detroit” where visitors stroll the sidewalks of 19th century Detroit; and the “Glancy Trains,” an extensive train layout where guests can control the different functions. As part of the museum’s changing exhibits, you can view handmade Pewabic Pottery in the Community Gallery and explore Detroit’s legacy of artists in the Detroit Artist’s Showcase. Debuting in February will be “Detroit Decides” — a look at the buildings Detroiters have selected as our most celebrated. Did your favorite make the list? detroithistorical.org, 313-833-1805

The Henry Ford Museum While Greenfield Village is closed from Jan. 1-April 4, The Henry Ford Museum stays open 7 days a week from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. A sampling of the exhibits includes “With Liberty and Justice,” which explores the evolution of American Freedom. There you will see the Rosa Parks bus and the Abraham Lincoln chair. “Heroes of the Sky” traces the history of aviation and early flight. Among the planes on display are a 1939 Douglas DC-3 and replicas of the Wright Flyer. In “Fully Furnished” you’ll see examples of American furniture from 1670 to the present including George Nelson’s “Marshmallow Sofa.” The Henry Ford is also home to the only remaining prototype of R. Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion house. Take a tour of this aluminum abode, which was designed in 1946 to be “the house of the future.”

Museum admittance and IMAX 2-D and 4-D movies require ticket purchase. The Ford Rouge tour is also part of The Henry Ford.

There you can learn the history of the Rouge plant, get a 360-degree look at automotive manufacturing and take the assembly plant walking tour. Buses from the museum to the Rouge tour run every 20 minutes Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Additional tickets are necessary for this venue. hfmgv.org, 313-982-6001 Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum If hands-on is more your style, try the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. This child-centric venue is dedicated to “discovering the wonder of science, technology, math, art and engineering.” There’s the “Concourse” with whisper dishes, water tables and the Google Liquid Galaxy. “All About You” explores the human body. Kids can climb into a full-sized ambulance and hear their own heartbeat.

During the second weekend of every month, the live animal program, “Critters up Close,” is presented in collaboration with the Leslie Science and Nature Center. For the 4-and-under set, there’s even a Preschool Gallery designed just for them.

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. aahom.org, 734-995-5439 X-OLOGY • WINTER 2014

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expertoutlok

China’s Growing Role in Michigan

By Tom Watkins

C

tural and educational — that make hinese investment and talent it attractive to Chinese investors, are coming to the Motor City and I suspect as the relationship as well as to the rest of the matures, the investments and job state that put the world on wheels. creation will only continue to grow.”

This is good news for the auAccording to Jerry Xu, president tomotive community, which has of the Detroit Chinese Business been repeatedly pummeled by the Association, “Many successful hollowing out of American domesChinese auto suppliers, including tic manufacturing.

Tom Watkins Nexteer, Yanfeng USA, Henglong Why have the Chinese selected and ZYNP International, have esMichigan as a destination for business, cultural and educational investment? tablished operations in Michigan and are Quite simply, the state is ripe for rolling out creating jobs for our community.” the welcome mat on many levels.

Ample opportunity Global auto technology and talent are clusPro-business climate Rick Synder, our business-friendly governor, has tered in Michigan, including more than 15,000 traveled to China three times in as many years. Mandarin-speaking engineers. Opportunity He is building win-win relationships with China, abounds. John McElroy, a global auto expert and president of Blue Sky Productions, underresulting in job growth here at home.

Gov. Snyder is seeking foreign direct invest- stands this, saying, “The Chinese are coming ment in our state and wants to export Michi- to Michigan because when they look around they don’t see shuttered facgan technology know-how tories. They see nothing but and other goods and servicTrade events help opportunity.” es around the globe. He undevelop relationships that Michael Dunne, a leading derstands that Michigan is lead to job and wealth creation. For information expert on China’s auto intwo beautiful peninsulas — about upcoming dustry and author of “Amerinot simply an island — in a Automation Alley trade can Wheels, Chinese Roads: global knowledge economy missions, see page 8 or The Story of General Motors where ideas and jobs can visit automationalley.com. in China” observed, “The and do move effortlessly.

Chinese are bringing new Michigan’s business community now includes more than 50 major Chi- money into the state of Michigan. Thirty years nese companies that have collectively invested ago China showed signs of potential but more than $1 billion in the state, and the num- had no capital. Today, the situation seems almost reversed. The Chinese are cash-rich, bers are growing.

At a recent meeting in Detroit, Chinese and Michigan is seen as a place with great Consul General Zhao Weiping said, “Michigan potential, thanks to the strong design and has many ingredients — economic, social, cul- engineering talent.”

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WINTER 2014 • X-OLOGY

Spreading the ‘Pure Michigan’ story Michigan is getting more aggressive in telling its story on the global stage. Hairong Li, professor of advertising at Michigan State University, and I teamed up to post Michigan’s award-winning promotional campaign, Pure Michigan, on Chinese social media websites as a way to communicate to the Chinese people everything that Michigan has to offer. Koralo Chen is helping tap the Chinese tourism market by publishing a Pure Michigan picture book written in both Mandarin and English. The pristine beauty of our state leaps from each page.

Michigan is creating an environment where foreign investment is wanted, nurtured and appreciated. These “soft” attributes make the Great Lakes State a wonderful place for our Chinese colleagues to live, work, invest, send their children to school, recreate and create jobs and wealth.

The Chinese are fast discovering that Michigan is the place to be.

Tom Watkins serves on the University of Michigan Confucius Institute Board of Advisors and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation International Advisory Board. He is also a former Michigan State superintendent of schools and former president and CEO of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County, FL. He has been working to build cultural, educational and economic ties between the U.S. and China for more than 30 years. He can be reached at tdwatkins88@gmail.com, or followed on Twitter: @tdwatkins88 Portions of this article have appeared in other publications.

makingthescene

automation alley celebrated its new location in Detroit on Oct. 29 with a luncheon and remarks

by Automation Alley Executive Director Ken Rogers, Automation Alley Member Relations Supervisor Genna Piscopo, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation President and CEO George Jackson. The new office, located inside the Grand Circus training institute in the historic Broderick Tower, provides Detroit businesses with easier access to Automation Alley resources and programming and gives Automation Alley opportunities to collaborate with Grand Circus and its growing list of clients.

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courtesy of Automation Alley

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1. The Automation Alley team celebrates at Great Lakes Coffee in Detroit 2. Bob Ficano of Wayne County, Genna Piscopo of Automation Alley and George Jackson of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation 3. Brian McGinnity of HIROTEC AMERICA, Don Ishmael of General Dynamics Land Systems and Patrick Fetterman of Plex Systems Inc. on the rooftop the Detroit Opera House during Automation Alley’s Detroit office celebration 4. Guests enjoy lunch and remarks by regional leaders Mark Gjukich

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The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition took place at Detroit’s Westin Book Cadillac Hotel Nov. 12-14. This international business competition brings together later-stage entrepreneurial companies with local, national and international investors. Offering more than $1 million in cash prizes and in-kind awards, the competition is a collaborative effort of the New Economy Initiative, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Quicken Loans / Opportunity Detroit and the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan. This year’s grand prize winner, Varsity News Network, took home $500,000 for its Web and mobile platform that enables high school athletic directors to manage critical communication and create media coverage for athletic programs and athletes.

1. Guests enjoy a VIP reception at Detroit’s Guardian Building 2. Venture Investors from Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ontario: Ryan Waddington of Huron River Ventures, Whitney Rockley of McRock Capital, Jean-Luc Park of Ferrum Ventures and Tony Grover of RPM Ventures 3. Keynote Speaker Carla Harris of Morgan Stanley 4. Attendees give Carla Harris a standing ovation 5. Grand Valley State University students and “Student Grand Prize” winners: Michael Kurley, Lindsay Noonan and Vanessa Gore 6. Guests mingle at the opening Gala Reception at the Max Fisher Theater Music Box

courtesy Oakland County Medical Main Street

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INNO-VENTION 2013 was held Nov. 6-8 at the Detroit Marriott Troy Hotel. The annual event showcased the innovative healthcare-related products and technologies launching in Michigan and focused on the strong relationship between medical devices and information technology, driven in large part by mobile/wireless technologies. More than 600 professionals in healthcare, mHealth, medical device manufacturing and other life sciences industries attended the conference, which featured keynote speaker Rick Valencia, Qualcomm Life vice president and general manager; one-onone meetings with hospital group purchasing organizations; and tours of the region’s top hospitals and healthcare innovation centers.

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1. David Darbyshire of DASI Solutions and David Schreiber of Oakland County 2. Dano Bennett and Jennifer Tonio of Vectorform 3. Bassam Kadry, MD, of Stanford University, Jack Weiner of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland and Mohan Tanniru, PhD, of Oakland University 4. Jean Chamberlain of Oakland County and Glenn McIntosh of Oakland University 5. Matt Gibb of Oakland County 6. Glenn McIntosh of Oakland University and Carolyn Dulaney of General Motors 7. Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Students 8. L. Brooks Patterson of Oakland County and Christine Gibbons of HistoSonics 9. David Fuehrer of CureLauncher Brian Mitchell

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The Michigan Council of Women in Technology’s eighth annual Signature Gala was held Nov. 23 at Rochester’s Royal Park Hotel.

Leaders in Michigan’s information technology industry attended the gala, with proceeds benefitting the MCWT Foundation, an organization dedicated to inspiring and supporting women entering and staying in IT careers. The event, which included a cocktail reception, dinner, silent and live auctions, dessert and dancing, offered opportunities to network with professionals dedicated to seeing Michigan’s IT industry thrive. Chrysler Group LLC sponsored this year’s gala.

1. Scott and Luciana Sandschafer of Chrysler Group LLC 2. Paulette Ozga of Chrysler Group LLC, Maru Flores of Ford Motor Co. and MCWT, Chris Rydzewski of Compuware, Rajani Sinha of Chrysler Group LLC, Janette Phillips of MCWT and Trish Davi of General Motors 3. Chris Rydzewski of Compuware, Jane Sydlowsk of AMI Strategies and Tracy-Ann Palmer of Billhighway 4. Nick Bell of General Motors and wife Carolyn Blackmore 5. Rajani Sinha of Chrysler Group LLC, Janette Phillips of MCWT and Deb Swink of CSI Leasing 6. Marcy Klevorn of Ford Motor and Scott Klevorn of Ford Motor 7. Matt and Megan Clark of NetScout 8. Maria Jasinski of Michigan Millers Insurance Co. and Steve Binning of Cooper Standard 9. Linda Mitchell of Microsoft and Janette Phillips of MCWT 10. Scott Sandschafer of Chrysler Group LLC and Maru Flores of Ford Motor Co. and MCWT X-OLOGY • WINTER 2014 41

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The wonders of wireless tech

Over 1 billion people use smartphones worldwide

By Jane Gleeson

T

Continued 4G wireless network investments could mean $73-151 billion in GDP growth and provide 371,000 to 771,000 jobs by 2016.

Today’s consumers have more computing power in their palm than was available to put a man on the moon.

Mobile Technology Association of Michigan

Percentage of people who cannot go without their smartphones while:

at the movies:

IN CLASS:

55%

35%

32%

In the restroom:

in the bathtub:

At church:

75%

12%

Harris Interactive Online Survey

19%

BY THE NUMBERS

In the car:

he wireless revolution is changing our lives — both business and personal — in unimaginable ways. We set up work at a coffee shop, in the car or on the couch, and we conduct much of our personal lives with the convenience of our closeat-hand smartphone or tablet. We strive for more and more information, and we want it faster and faster.

Scott Wruble, vice president of information technology at Palace Sports and Entertainment and board chairman of the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan, understands the technical and business side of IT. This knowledge is what drives him and his team to continue pushing the envelope for wireless tech possibilities.

Wruble views the growth of the wireless tech industry as a never-ending pathway to more and more sophisticated mobile apps. “Today’s kids and young adults see the need for apps in just about everything they do. If an app doesn’t exist, they wonder why,” he says.

For this reason, he stays on the cutting edge of wireless technology innovations. “The question we ask ourselves is: ‘How well are we meeting the expectations of our patrons?’ When a patron comes through our venue, getting the right content to them in the right context is critical. Our goal is to engage our patrons so they’re happy to be here,” Wruble says.

For the entertainment industry, Wruble sees a future of possibilities. When families come to an event, for example, a future app will let them identify where their child happens to be within the venue. And a mobile app used by a patron to pay for parking will trigger information to food service, which will make certain the patron’s pre-ordered food is delivered to the suite within a specified time of his or her arrival. “Mobile technology will provide us with the ability to streamline and automate these kinds of things,” Wruble says.

Wruble believes mobile technology should be taught in every college curriculum because it can impact all worlds. He points to Google Glass as an example of a technology that could impact just about every person in every industry. “Revolutionary ideas will come to people who understand human nature and can leverage technology,” he says. “If they can think it, there’s an innovation that can be developed. This is where true innovation happens.”

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