KALAMAZOO - Southwest Michigan First has revamped its popular Venture Tuesday programs, where start up life sciences companies pitch potential investors, to every other month and by invitation only - some of the changes that have taken place since new CEO Ronald Kitchens took over last summer. Kitchens said the format change came about after
LANSING - Gov. Jennifer Granholm demanded the Michigan Legislature close tax loopholes as part of any package to cut taxes for small businesses. Asked to respond to GOP criticism that it was ironic she was asking for federal assistance to manufacturers after just vetoing additional tax cuts, Ms. Granholm said: "I find an incredible amount
LANSING - The chief operating officer for the Michigan Broadband Development Authority said Wednesday that while the agency had made cutbacks to its staff in the recent months, the authority would like to follow through with awarding its remaining $17 million in grants, primarily to smaller rural projects. During the House Energy and Technology Committee
ANN ARBOR ? North American robotics companies posted record new orders in 2005, surpassing its previous high set in 1999, new statistics released by Robotic Industries Association show. Michigan?s auto industry is the primary user of robotic technology in the United States. A total of 18,228 robots valued at $1.16 billion were ordered by North
SAN DIEGO - Ardesta CEO Rick Snyder, who helped take Gateway Computer public 15 years ago, was named on Thursday as interim CEO of Gateway after former chief executive Wayne Inouye resigned. Inouye, who became CEO after Gateway's acquisition of eMachines in 2004, left "to pursue other interests," he said in a statement. Gateway declined
ANN ARBOR - The deadline to get an application to become one of 45 technology companies to pitch hundreds of potential investors attending the 2006 Michigan Growth Capital Symposium is Feb. 28, with a final submission deadline of March 14. Companies in the life sciences, information technology, and alternative energy industries are encouraged to apply.
PONTIAC - Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson says repeal of the state's Single Business Tax is a critical issue that voters, rather than Lansing lawmakers, must decide. The biggest concern is how would the lost $1.8 billion in revenue be replaced? In an interview with Gongwer News Service, Patterson said he is looking at several
DETROIT ? IABC/Detroit has issued a call for entries for its Renaissance Awards, part of its silver anniversary celebration. The competition is open to IABC members and non-members, who work in the communications, marketing, public relations, and graphic design arenas in southeast Michigan, northwest Ohio and southwest Ontario. This year?s program includes more than 30
TROY - OnStar gets turn-by-turn navigation this year as the GM division tries to boost profits and take on in-car navigation systems. The technology will be unveiled this week at the Chicago auto show. Right now, OnStar subscribers can ask OnStar operators to give them instructions over the network, and can record them in some
PLEASANT RIDGE - ePrize, a week after annoucing a $32 million angel investment round, said Monday it posted record sales of $28.6 million in 2005, a 54 percent gain from the year before. The interactive promotion agency also said it added 151 new clients in 2004. As a result, ePrize hired 84 new full-time employees,