Guest Columns

MVCA Executive Attraction Program Helps Lure Tech Start-Up Vet Back From Coasts

ANN ARBOR - After years on the tech scenes in San Francisco and New York, and with serious start-up and customer acquisition successes to his credit, Shelby Twp. native Shane Bliemaster watched Southeast Michigan?s tech industry growth with more than just passing interest. And, in return, the burgeoning tech start-up scene wouldn?t stop trying to

By |2014-11-03T00:00:00-05:00November 3rd, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

Investment in Infrastructure Powers Economic Growth

NOVI - This is a critical time for Michigan?s economic recovery, a time when we all need to work together to keep the state?s growth momentum going. Since the end of the recession, unemployment has dropped in Michigan. Our state is one of the leading states in the Great Lakes region where housing prices are

By |2014-10-24T00:00:00-04:00October 24th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

Unplugged: 3D Printing Goes Solar

HOUGHTON - 3D printing guru Joshua Pearce wants nothing more than to provide the means of production to everyone, especially people in developing regions who must get by on very little. But there has been a drawback. 3D printers make all manner of fun and useful things, but they do require electricity. And the grid

By |2014-10-16T00:00:00-04:00October 16th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

SBAM Says Schauer Business Tax Proposal Will Hurt Entrepreneurs

LANSING - The Small Business Association of Michigan says that gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer?s proposal to broaden the base of Michigan's Corporate Income Tax takes Michigan in the wrong direction and would hurt the economic recovery of the state?s entrepreneurs. ?I am aghast that candidate Schauer suggests rolling back business tax reform and returning the

By |2014-10-16T00:00:00-04:00October 16th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

Sector Six – SECURE!!

DETROIT - There was a popular TV commercial back in the 1990s that featured two security guards on patrol in a scary cement tunnel. Cue the sound of running footsteps and the dramatic chase music as our guys desperately pursue an unknown intruder through the tunnel. Then they stop, a look of satisfaction spreads across

By |2014-10-07T00:00:00-04:00October 7th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

Ethical Filament: Can Fair Trade Plastic Save People And The Planet?

MARQUETTE - It?s old news that open-source 3D printing is cheaper than conventional manufacturing, not to mention greener and incredibly useful for making everything from lab equipment to chess pieces. Now it?s time to add another star to the 3D printing constellation. It may help lift some of the world?s most destitute people from poverty

By |2014-10-06T00:00:00-04:00October 6th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

The Persistent Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship

KANSAS CITY - Last week, the SBA Office of Advocacy released a study on the issue of women involved in entrepreneurial activity in science, technology, engineering and math fields. It found that across all STEM fields, female PhDs have lower rates of patenting and entrepreneurship than do male PhDs (5.4 percent versus 7 percent and

By |2014-10-06T00:00:00-04:00October 6th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

Hackathon Leads to Innovative Hacks to Improve City Life

DETROIT ? The College of Creative Studies hosted an all-night Hackathon this week, kicking off the Meeting of the Minds conference focused on urban sustainability and technology. The winning team earned $5,000. The event was sponsored by Qualcomm and encouraged developers to arrive Tuesday night and develop a product by Wednesday morning. The five teams

By |2014-10-02T00:00:00-04:00October 2nd, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

September ‘On the Road’ With Stephen Rapundalo

ANN ARBOR - The last month has been extremely busy as we put the final planning touches to the 2014 MichBio Expo & Conference and prepared the next issue of BioMatters? more on that later. In late August I visited Thermo Fisher Immunodiagnostics (i.e., Phadia U.S.) in Portage and met with the Medical Director, Rob

By |2014-09-25T00:00:00-04:00September 25th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|

One Step Closer To Creating Star Trek-Style Transporter, Warp Drive

SAN FRANCISCO - We're one step closer to creating the Ansible communicator in "Ender's Game," the warp drive envisioned by Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre and a "Star Trek"-style Transporter. Or we can at least keep thinking that while scientists do the hard, incremental physics required to keep us dreaming of those kinds of future advancements.

By |2014-09-25T00:00:00-04:00September 25th, 2014|Archive, Guest Columns|