The Michigan Tech - ImageSoft€¦ · in the Michigan tech community. Her research currently focuses on mobile devices, application development, data integrity, and database security.

100The

MichiganTech

100The

MichiganTech

The People, Companies, and

Resources You Need to Know

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2013

From the “Silicon Mitten” to “Detroit Mobile City,” Michigan’s growing tech industry has earned itself

an array of nicknames. Innovative, Web 2.0 start-up companies are proliferating in a state that has

traditionally been known for its automotive/manufacturing prowess. Top universities and SmartZones

can be found all across the state. In these pages, you’ll find some of the top tech leaders, companies, and

events to watch out for this year. We chose them not because they are the only ones but because they

have the potential to showcase our entrepreneurial spirit, drive economic development, and ultimately

build businesses that will catapult our region and nation to greater heights.

The Michigan Tech 100Growing Michigan’s

Technology Industry

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Table of Contents

Welcome to the

Michigan Tech 100!

p.4Leaders

p.7Products

p.10Companies

p.22Events

p.25Resources

p.28Meetups

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01 Leaders

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Strong leadership is the backbone of any

community. These Michigan technologists

have done everything from founding and

building successful companies to inspiring

personal change and social entrepreneurship.

The following 10 leaders stand as role models

for us all.

Rich Sheridan Founder and CEO, Menlo Innovations

Named AnnArbor.com’s 2012 Executive of the Year, Rich has mentored countless entrepreneurs and technologists in southeast Michigan. He founded and grew Menlo Innovations into

a nationally-known, software development boutique, without venture capital investment. The company is renowned for its unique development approach and culture, enlisting high-tech anthropologists to help define customer needs as part of the product development process.

10 Top Michigan Tech Leaders

Leaders5

Leslie Smith President and CEO, TechTown

An active member of Metro Detroit’s tech start-up world, Leslie Smith is an inspiring female tech leader. Formerly a real estate executive, Leslie leads TechTown, an incubator at Wayne State University that houses and

mentors tech start-ups. TechTown recently announced a partnership with Detroit’s Brightmoor Alliance, a neighborhood community development organization, to help struggling businesses in Metro Detroit succeed through technology and business consultation.

Richard Beedon Founder and Chief Advocate Officer, Amplifinity

Word of mouth marketing has been the focus of this Ann Arbor-based business since its founding in 2007 as uRefer. Led by Richard, a serial entrepreneur, the company has developed a technology platform to

entice, nurture and measure the impact of social selling. With clients across industries and sizes, and strong financial backers, Amplifinity is likely to continue to be heard from for many years to come.

Linda Daichendt Founder, Mobile Technology Association of Michigan (MTAM)

Linda is an award-winning blogger and accomplished marketer, whose passion for mobile led her to create MTAM in 2009. In four years, the organization has grown into a leading statewide association

with dozens of members ranging from small start-ups to established companies. Recent activities include supporting an iOS developer conference and launching a state-wide initiative to educate governmental and academic stakeholders about mobile’s importance to Michigan’s economic future.

Jeff Barrett Co-founder, Status Creative

While many people are stumbling to figure out how to use social media engagement to grow businesses, Jeff is leading the way. His creative ideas utilize crowdsourcing to build brand

value. In addition to his corporate work, Jeff has taken on projects for the state of Michigan, including the Pure Michigan sing-along video that went viral.

Erika Carlson Co-founder, Girls Develop It Detroit

How can we inspire girls to program? Erika Carlson, a developer at Pillar Technology, helps run Girl Develop It Detroit (GDID) to mentor women exploring the field of technology. GDID

currently offers several programming classes around metro Detroit.

Chris Baty Software Developer

Chris Baty doesn’t take typing for granted. Born with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects motor function, the nuclear engineer from Ypsilanti has devised Spazzkeys, a better

way to type for people with limited upper extremity dexterity. Who knows? Maybe Chris will find a better way to type for us all.

Josh Leider Founder and CEO, TempoRun, LLC

Josh was the winner of the $5,000 1st place prize at the 2012 Eli Broad Business Pitch Competition for his TempoRun app, which categorizes users’ playlists by tempo to help them

achieve fitness goals. A co-founder, Josh is planning a campus-wide event at MSU later this spring to showcase his unique application and how it can help runners improve their times while having fun. The company is building relationships with music and fitness companies to further personalize and enhance the service.

Yan Ness CEO, Online Tech

10 years ago, entrepreneur Yan Ness saw Big Data coming before the rest of us. Since then, he has grown Online Tech, a secure data center service provider, from 600 to more than 40,000

square feet. That’s roughly 7,000% growth! Dr. Rita Barrios Assistant Professor, Computer and Information Systems, UD Mercy

Dr. Rita Barrios is a seasoned and sought-after educator in the Michigan tech community. Her research currently focuses on mobile devices, application development, data integrity,

and database security. In her spare time, she is a consultant who also supports the Michigan Council for Women in Technology (MCWT), an organization dedicated to improving diversity in the STEM fields.

Leaders6

Section

02 Products

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Innovation has long been in Michigan’s DNA.

Whether in security, payments, healthcare, or

farming, these products deserve recognition

for improving business efficiency, saving time

or money, or helping consumers have fun.

BackstitchA Detroit-area start-up, Backstitch helps sift through Internet clutter with the vision of making your online world “beautiful.” This application aggregates content from your favorite websites and services into one place to provide a more consistent experience. No need to troll the web and navigate multiple user interfaces.

Duo Mobile Smartphone AppThe Duo Security mobile app helps protect your company and accounts from data theft by more effectively securing user logins than a single username/password combination. Its ease of setup makes the product attractive to IT Administrators. Authenticating users has never been easier.

UpToThis free app makes your calendar social. You can view your friends’ calendars and see which future events/happenings might interest you, as well as share yours with others. Think of it as your own personal meetup engine, which helps you stay organized socially and professionally.

Pay Anywhere Competing against a technology giant like eBay would make most companies squirm. Not North American Bancard. Its flagship Pay Anywhere product helped it process more than $12 billion in transactions annually in 2012, more than 100,000 customers. The product is available across mobile platforms and devices.

QuiklyThink of it as a social clearance sale all year round. Detroit-based Quikly takes advantage of a retailer’s slow traffic times to offer flash deals to bargain hunters. The more rapidly you respond to a deal, the lower the prices.

Visual FusionSee with a whole new perspective. Visual Fusion provides data visualization software for corporate and government clients, uniting data from virtually any source. By providing a multi-dimensional and ever expanding and contracting view of real-time information, Visual Fusion enables better decision making by businesses and first responders – and can help save money and lives in the process.

AbriizWhen a doctor prescribes a medicine to a patient, there is no guarantee that the prescription will be filled. Ideomed’s Abriiz tries to improve medical adherence by providing a digital health management platform for people with chronic conditions. In addition to its flagship asthma product, Abriiz can be used by patients with other medical conditions such as heart disease or women’s health issues.

Protean PaymentNo more overstuffed wallets. Protean Payment allows you to store all of your credit cards and loyalty cards on a free mobile app by swiping them into your phone. You can use an “echo” card to preload any of your saved cards on the app, allowing you to transfer the information on your phone to a changeable card. Now you can have just one card to keep track of.

10 Michigan Made Products

iRuleThrow away your remotes! The iRule app enables home users and professional entertainment system installers to control their electronic devices from their existing smartphone, tablet or computer. Its ease of install and use wins over technophiles and technophobes alike.

Farm LogsMichigan has a large agricultural industry, and this software helps farmers stay successful. This advanced software for managing farms allows farmers to quickly forecast and measure profits, track expenses, and stay informed and organized all in one place.

Products8

Products9

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03 Companies

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Michigan’s tech industry is led by the strong

companies that have been founded and grown

here. We’re proud to include businesses that are

making a mark in their respective industries. You

may recognize some of these names, but you will

also encounter some surprises.

TechSmith LansingFor 25 years, TechSmith has been providing software that helps users visually engage their audiences. Their best-known products, Camtasia and Snagit, help companies around the world create attention grabbing visuals. A staple in the Lansing technology community, the company also runs a popular blog for educators.

Atomic Object Grand Rapids and DetroitFounded in Grand Rapids, Atomic Object designs and builds software for established and emerging companies in a variety of industries. The company this year opened a Detroit office, which also provides incubator space for Detroit-area start-ups, and hosts a number of meetups. Atomic Object is also known for its open-book management style and test-driven development process.

Livio FerndaleHow do you safely and effectively access mobile applications via other hardware products? For five years, Livio has been facilitating this communication, first with cars and now with other app-connected hardware devices via its Livio Connect API product. The company, which to date has raised millions from angel and venture investors, was launched by entrepreneur Jake Sigal with a $10,000 loan from his parents.

Dialogue Marketing Troy Growing companies know that their future success is largely driven by how effectively they can generate and close qualified leads for their products and services. Dialogue Marketing offers sales and service support services to build customer relationships. The Inc. 5000 company specializes in the non-profit and insurance verticals.

Nutriinfo.comLivonia Offering employee wellness programs is not enough. Getting your workers to sign up, use and comply with them is critical to reducing healthcare costs. That is Nutriinfo’s goals – to provide communication solutions for healthcare care professionals as well as self-monitoring tools for users.

50 Michigan Companies

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Workforce Software LivoniaTaking old fashion clock management to a new level, Workforce Software provides a system that enables large employers to automate and manage employee attendance, scheduling, and other HR management tasks. The Inc. 5000 company focuses on companies and organizations with significant compliance demands and complex labor policies, such as manufacturers and those with large workforces or state and local governments.

Michigan First Credit Union Lathrup VillageAs one of the oldest yet most tech-savvy credit unions around, Michigan First Credit Union has sites dedicated to young professionals, small business owners and even teaching financial literacy to kids. For example, its “Young & Free Michigan” website targets the coveted 17-25 something demographic by highlighting its 22 year-old spokester, Austin Chapman. Chapman lives in metro Detroit and leads the institution’s community building activities with the Millennial population.

New World Systems TroyThe public sector deserves the same leading edge technology as the private sector. That’s the philosophy of New World Systems, which provides technology solutions for local government and public safety agencies. All software applications have been designed internally with these target markets specifically in mind.

Social2Step Ada Companies looking to expand their product’s brand awareness and generate incremental sales have often overlooked an important referral source – their employees. That’s where Social2Step comes in, providing a marketing platform that sits between the promotional advertising of the company and the employees’ social networks. The company also provides analytics to measure and improve campaign results.

BenzingaSouthfield A company that operates in the growing and evolving online financial news sector, Benzinga provides investment tools for the individual investor. The company recently launched Marketfy, to help customers more effectively find financial products, tools, and education that meet their needs.

Billhighway TroyFounded in 1999 on the campus of Eastern Michigan by Vince Thomas, Billhighway offers products and solutions for managing finances at membership- based organizations. Billhighway’s product portfolio includes accounting, payment processing, and online banking solutions.

cureLauncher Bloomfield HillsThere are many promising treatments under development for cancer and other chronic diseases, but many lack the funding to bring them to fruition. cureLauncher is an online community which connects those who need the research with the medical professionals who need the funding. The company’s initial focus is on breast cancer and heart related conditions.

Domino’s Pizza Ann ArborA Michigan retailing giant, Domino’s serves up more than $1 billion worth of pizza through online and mobile ordering. The company’s CIO, Kevin Vasconi, sees IT as a competitive differentiator in the pizza industry. In addition to its e-commerce activities, the company actively tracks new technologies such as Digital Wallets & Payments and Responsive Web Designs.

CareTech Solutions Troy Behind the doctors, nurses and staff at major hospitals are complex computer systems that manage procurement, logistics and compliance with federal and insurance company requirements. CareTech offers IT solutions that provide experienced support, day and night, for hospital systems. Its products and services include IT outsourcing, content management and document imaging and management.

Foresee ResultsAnn Arbor How can you best measure a customer’s experience with your website? Though the eyes of the customer, of course! Foresee Results uses qualitative and quantitative analytics to help companies and organizations worldwide analyze customer satisfaction. The company also produces studies of consumer preferences, webinars and white papers.

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50 Michigan Companies

Future Help Designs PontiacLong considered one of Michigan’s troubled and low tech cities, Pontiac has seen a resurgence of late, in no small part because of the work of Future Help Designs. Not only does the company design and develop mobile applications, but it also is active in the Pontiac Economic Development community, hosting meetings and even providing computer space for workforce development activities. Its “Cloud Fridays” policy allows developers to work from home and also gives them a day a month to focus on pet projects.

youtrendme TroyLooking to bring more pizzazz to your online buying experience, youtrendme connects stylists and shoppers, using the social web to create winning outfits for customers. Shoppers are invited to create a profile of personality and fashion interests in order to create better matches.

Nutshell Ann ArborEver thought you couldn’t afford customer relationship management software for your company? Think again. Nutshell offers competitive CRM offerings, at a fraction of the cost of competitors.

Skidmore StudioDetroit For more than 50 years, Skidmore Studio has been providing design solutions for Michigan companies. The company, which in 2011 relocated to the Madison building downtown, recently redesigned MetroTimes, one of Detroit’s leading publications.

GinkgotreeAnn Arbor What college student hasn’t complained about the high cost and only modest usefulness of the ubiquitous textbook? Ginkgotree aims to solve this problem by allowing professors and other instructors to cheaply and easily develop their own curriculum and materials. That will lead to a better student experience – and more pizza money!

ImageSoft SouthfieldImageSoft specializes in document management, enabling organizations to operate more efficiently and effectively. Focusing on information and compliance-heavy industries such as healthcare, government, insurance and education, the company offers both software products and professional services such as business process analysis and training. The company serves customers across the U.S., as well as in Canada and Mexico.

Pinoccio Ann ArborOpen Source Software is now commonly known, but what about Open Source Hardware? Ann Arbor-based Pinoccio is a wireless microcontroller that make physical products web-enabled. The company recently raised over $60k via a crowdsourcing campaign to apply for FCC certification and begin production.

Urban ScienceDetroit Urban Science provides advanced software consulting and solutions for the automotive industry. The company works with some of Detroit’s top automotive companies, including Ford and General Motors. Its offerings include the flagship automotive network planning product, which helps OEMs manage their dealer network and improve their performance.

Ardent Cause Troy A company with a social entrepreneurship mission, Ardent Cause provides Virtual CIO services to help non-profits effectively use technology to help fulfill their missions. The company was founded by four IT veterans who came together to work on a regional charitable non-profit foundation.

Automation Alley reports Southeastern Michigan as a national leader in IT jobs. This area is ranked fifth nationally in technology sector jobs and tech industry establishments.

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Loveland Technologies DetroitFocused on providing information to create more transparency in the Wayne County foreclosure market, Loveland Technologies hopes to positively change Detroit’s urban landscape. Its Why Don’t We Own This website provides information on property tax status, foreclosure auction updates and social channels to connect with other interested parties. The company has also proposed using crowdfunding as a way to purchase properties for a community-based use, not only for economic motives.

Liquid Web Lansing There are only a precious few .com companies still in business from the roaring 90s. Liquid Web is one of them, as the Lansing-based company has offered server hosting and Web hosting since 1997. An Inc fastest growing company, Liquid Web also supports tech start-ups by offering $25,000 in free hosting each year.

IronKeep Traverse CityFounded in 2000, IronKeep started as a two man consulting and network security firm, packed into one cramped office room with servers. Now IronKeep is one of Traverse City’s leading consulting, hosting, and web development firms. The company’s clients are mostly small and medium sized businesses in Northern Michigan.

Green LancerDetroit Many Michigan companies provide green energy solutions. Green Lancer differentiates itself by engineering clean energy in the Cloud. By signing up expert professionals from around the country who have green technology experience, Green Lancer helps developers get the skills they need to plan and execute their projects – helping to create a better world for us all.

Mango LanguagesFarmington Hills In an increasingly connected, global world, learning new languages is a vital skill. Mango Languages offers an interactive way for business people and consumers to learn 28 languages. The company targets its products to the personal, government, academic and library markets.

Are You A Human Detroit Say goodbye to the annoying CAPTCHAs at the end of registration pages. Detroit based Are You A Human believes that games are a better way to increase user conversions, eliminate spam robots – and have some fun in the process. Its PlayThru product can be installed in minutes, and supports computer libraries such as PHP, Perl, Python and .NET.

Patronicity Detroit Crowdfunding is opening the doors to funding for just about anyone. Patronicity is a Detroit start-up that is helping grow communities through its local crowdfunding site. It’s a great way to be a part of local change.

Check out Partonicity’s free guide to executing a successful crowdfunding campaign.

WantifyDetroit This Detroit start-up will change the way you shop online. Instead of being bombarded with daily deals, the user posts what he or she is looking for, and businesses respond. This process helps improve both the businesses selling, and the consumer shopping experience.

Web Ascender Lansing Web Ascender specializes in providing web marketing services for businesses, including strategy, design and development. The company also provides web training services to in-house online marketing teams.

The Detroit Bus Company Ferndale Entrepreneur Andi Didorosi founded The Detroit Bus Company as a way to take action in a city that’s been slow to improve public transportation. The low profit company offers and is planning to offer regional transit alternatives from downtown Detroit to locations in Metro Detroit, as well as to cities such as Plymouth, on the west side, and Hamtramck. Technology junkies and environmentalists alike will be interested in the new propulsion methods and energy storage technologies being tested.

Check out Andi’s TEDx 2012 speech on the company.

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50 Michigan Companies

PIXO Entertainment SouthfieldA key player in Metro Detroit’s digital revolution is PIXO Entertainment, a company that creates apps and digital games for leading consumer brands such as Ford, National Geographic and the U.S. Navy. The company received the state’s first tax credit for video game production, through the reworking of Michigan’s movie tax credits by the Snyder Administration.

Artemis Solutions East Lansing A web development and custom software company, Artemis Solutions has diverse experience in IT consulting, database design, and content management systems. Aiming to capitalize on the rise of Big Data, the company is now providing information analysis services to businesses.

Door to Door Organics LivoniaDoor to Door Organics is a start-up that delivers organic produce, meats and other grocery items from farms to your doorstep. With farms across the Midwest and West Coast, the company guarantees that all products are USDA certified.

EnlivenEast Lansing Everyone wants to get paid, but who likes to create, print and mail invoices? Providing the world with paperless invoicing and payment products, Enliven works alongside accounting systems to provide solutions and connect buyers and suppliers. Originally launched in 2000, Enliven has expanded into other financial processes including accounts payable and accounts receivable.

Core Merchant Detroit A Bizdom spin-out, Core Merchant offers mobile solutions to help vendors accept credit and debit cards in the safest, simplest, and most affordable ways possible, with three price points. Now that it counts several Detroit-based retailers and restaurants among its clients, CEO Alex Linebrink is pivoting the company towards providing comprehensive small business solutions, including marketing and design.  As an added bonus, the company is giving back 10 percent of its income on Detroit accounts to Detroit-based non-profits and projects.

Netvantage Marketing East Lansing This award-winning search engine optimization company offers paid search, search optimization, and social media consulting to diverse companies and organizations. The company’s blog provides thoughtful commentary on the SEO world, such as the new Facebook Graph Search and Google +. Netvantage Marketing opened a second office in Grand Rapids in 2012.

Blue Medora SoftwareGrand Rapids A 2008 spin-off of Atomic Object, Blue Medora received $1.2 million from investors in January 2013. The company specializes in the enterprise system management market, the products and services that helps organizations control and monitor their critical applications.

Visalus Troy A subsidiary of Blyth, Inc., Visalus markets weight-loss management solutions and offers an online weight loss system that boasts millions of customers. The company uses both a promoter portal for its direct sales representatives and a customer portal for users, as well as mobile applications for iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

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Cybernet Corporation Ann ArborStarted by a husband and wife team in Ann Arbor, Cybernet uses advanced technology to solve difficult problems. In addition to government and military clients, Cybernet also offers counterterrorism and operational solutions for corporate clients. CEO Heidi Jacobus is consistently ranked as one of the most influential women in computing in Michigan.

Text Ripple Royal Oak Looking for a better way to reach your customers on their smartphones? Text Ripple offers a complete mobile marketing and text messaging service to grow your business. You can schedule a “ripple” to easily reach and reward customers.

Chalkfly DetroitTheirs is the quintessential story of brothers who left the roost to spread their wings, only to return to do good in the city of their youth. After stints at Google and IBM, Andrew and Ryan Landau have returned to Detroit to create Chalkfly, a robust e-commerce school supply purchasing site with a social mission: five percent of your purchase goes to the teacher you identity upon checkout. If you don’t have a teacher in mind, the brothers will choose a teacher in your zip code. But the brothers have no plans to rest on their laurels: they want to leverage their success to lure other young Detroiters back to the D, and be part of the city’s revival.

S2 GamesKalamazoo How do you turn your favorite hobby into a career? Ask Marc DeForest, CEO of S2 Games, who has been playing video games since he was three years old. The company has been developing strategy and shooter games since 2001. 2012 saw a doubling of the company’s staff to 90 people.

Parallax Technologies Corporation Clarkston Managing a call center can be frustrating, especially if the technology doesn’t work properly. This Clarkston company provides specialized solutions for the contact center industry, including applications, business process automation and communications products.

Red Cedar Solutions Group Lansing Red Cedar Solutions Group employs collaborative teams to develop software products for education and government. Services range from project management to technical support, with an emphasis on customer interaction and feedback. CEO Andrew Henry often consults with Michigan legislators and policymakers on improving the delivery of  education to Michigan’s 1.7 million public school students.

Gamers SaloonWixom Gamers Saloon is an online community for video gamers to compete in head 2 head tournaments, multiplayer, and clan matches for real cash prizes. Legal in most states, and for users over age 18, the technology supports several consoles and makes adding and withdrawing money from one’s account easy. The company was founded by Noah Krugel, a principal in web and graphic design firm, EPK Design.

Unitask Software Bloomfield Hills Virtually anyone who has been a part of an enterprise software implementation can attest to how expensive and time consuming the activity usually is. Unitask Software has developed software to improve the customer experience with one of the larger and better known programs - the Oracle E-Business Suite (“Oracle EBS”). Unitask automates many of the tasks associated with running and maintaining this application.

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Michigan’s biggest tech events help celebrate

innovators in our tech field, and share up-to-

date information for all programmers, marketers,

companies, and designers. The following are the

biggest and best tech events in 2013.

10 Big Events for 2013

Events23

TEDx Across Michigan http://www.ted.com/ Each year Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Traverse City, and other cities across the state host a TEDx event, which largely consist of talks by leading digital technologists, social entrepreneurs and community activities. Events typically sell out quickly, so stay tuned and make sure to apply early.

Accelerate Michigan http://www.acceleratemichigan.org/ For technology-based start-ups, the yearly Accelerate Michigan competition is key. The contest seeks to connect late-stage entrepreneurial companies with local, national, and international investors.

Michigan Growth Capital Symposiumhttp://www.michigancs.com/ Technology startups looking for funding need to put this event on the calendar. Self-titled as “the Midwest’s premier venture capital conference,” The Michigan Growth Capital Symposium attracts top venture capital firms and angel funders looking to invest in startups.

1DevDay Detroit http://1devdaydetroit.com/Last year, this developer conference attracted programmers and designers from across the state to Detroit. It’s definitely a must attend event for any programmer or user designer, and is expected to return again in 2013.

Mhacks hack-a-thon http://www.mhacks.org/Mhacks is a student organization at the University of Michigan working to create large hack-a-thon events. Their latest was held Feb 1-3, with sponsors including Facebook and Groupon.

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2013 Section

05 Resources

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In our tech community it’s important to stay

up-to-date. Whether you want to continue to

develop your skills or watch out for the next big

tech investment, the following are educational

and informational resources to stay connected

with this year.

Ignite Detroit http://igniteshow.com/This event ignites change and inspiration through short five minute presentations that challenge the way we think about community, work, life, and happiness. Many people from the creative and technology industries participate, and you’ll always hear an inspirational speech. Find out if your city will host one this year.

Start-Up Weekend http://startupweekend.org/ Hosted in Lansing, Grand Rapids, and other Michigan cities, you’ll find entrepreneurs gathering for start-up weekend. This event pairs entrepreneurs to work on a venture for the weekend. Many are coming up in February, so keep an eye out.

Maker Faire Detroit http://www.makerfairedetroit.com/Makers, builders, techies, crafters – welcome to your weekend! Each year at the Henry Ford Museum, you can join other makers for the Maker Faire. There’s always fun stuff for your family, including playing with robots.

IT in the Dhttp://www.detroitnet.org/ A conference for IT pros will be held in 2013. It’s a can’t miss event for a grass roots organization committed to Detroit’s IT community. Come say hi to Michigan Tech 100’s creator Adam Kaplan, who is scheduled to speak at the event.

Automation Alley Awards Galahttp://www.automationalley.com/ This annual event honors Michigan’s technology organizations and leaders. The 2013 gala will be held in September.

Meet Founder and CEO Adam Kaplan at

IT in the D.

10 TechResources

Resources26 27

Resources

UIX Detroit http://www.uixdetroit.com/A publication focused on innovation and change, you’ll find tech start-up news on this site.

Xconomy Detroit www.xconomy.com/detroit/ Xconomy covers everything tech and business, highlighting start-ups, funding, events, and more. It is a great resource for anyone interested in technology companies.

Great Lakes IT Report http://detroit.cbslocal.com/tag/ great-lakes-it-report/CBS Detroit reporter Matt Roush has been following the Michigan tech scene for years. His daily Great Lakes IT Report features the people and companies making IT news in our state.

Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Questhttp://gleq.org/ A great resource for any technology start-up, GLEQ assists with education, coaching, and hosts a statewide business plan competition each year.

Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Centerhttp://misbtdc.org/ This organization has four teams of consultants dedicated to helping technology start-ups grow. From ongoing strategy development, to financial analysis, and access to capital, this is a great resource for Michigan small businesses and start-ups.

Develop Detroit http://devdet.com/ Want to learn new programming skills? Develop Detroit offers iOS programming and user design classes for anyone with a basic programming background. You’ll find classes available in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing.

Bizdom http://bizdom.com/ This non-profit program is dedicated to helping Detroit start-ups. A business accelerator, Bizdom offers seed funding, office space, and mentoring for start-ups. Similar programs across the state include Ann Arbor Spark and Start Garden in Grand Rapids.

Metromodehttp://www.metromodemedia.com/ Published by Detroit-based Issue Media Group, LLC, the webzine posts features growing companies, including many tech ones, making news in Southeast Michigan, from Detroit to Ann Arbor.

Huffington Post Detroit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/detroit/ The Detroit channel for Huffington Post frequently covers tech companies and start-ups. It’s another great resource for staying up-to-date with Detroit tech start-ups.

Inside Tech Talk Blog http://insidetechtalk.com/ Compuware’s newly launched company blog offers some nice insights into computing and IT industries.

Metromode is one of nine cool Michigan publications from

Issue Media Group.

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06 Meetups

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Keep abreast of the always changing IT field!

With mobile and cloud growth and dozens

of programming languages, the following

are some of the best ways to meetup with

your tech peers and stay informed.

10 Michigan Networks for Tech Professionals

Networks29

Great Lakes Area .Net User GroupThe Great Lakes Area .Net User Group is an active and useful meetup focusing specifically on the development of software implementing the Microsoft.Net framework and associated environment. Their motto: “For Developers, By Developers.”

Grow DetroitInspired to turn Detroit into a vibrant tech community like Boston, Boulder and NYC, Grow Detroit hosts events and promotes news with the goal of helping tech start-ups in Southeast Detroit. Started by a group of tech enthusiasts, the group also publishes “Grown in the D,” a directory of Detroit Start-Ups, Michigan Incubators, Groups & Meetups, and Michigan Venture Firms.

Hackers and HustlersFull of tech programmers, designers, leaders, and start-up founders, Hackers & Hustlers is always sharing the latest news and resources. They have an active Facebook group as well as a website.

Detroit Creative CorridorSupporting designers and tech enthusiasts, the Detroit Creative Corridor hosts monthly breakfast meetings in the Motor City. A partnership between Business Leaders for Michigan and the College for Creative Studies, the DCC’s mission is to grow Detroit’s creative economy.

D-New Tech D-New Tech is an equal opportunity organization that provides networking for students, entrepreneurs, bloggers and other professionals interested in local high-tech start-ups. Events include Q&A’s with presenters who’ve lived the entrepreneur dream and want to give back.

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Adam Kaplan is the founder of Big Tent Jobs, LLC, a Michigan-based recruiting company that places top IT and other technical talent, including those with hidden and visible disabilities, in positions at leading companies and organizations. Big Tent Jobs matches the most talented candidates with hiring managers who are committed to meeting and exceeding their business objectives.

People Are Talking About Big Tent JobsLucendia Halliday, IT Project Manager “Adam is not the usual recruiter who calls me. He is caring and high integrity. It took me a while to believe he was the real deal. He was with me for a year before he placed me and was always just a phone call away no matter what my question or concern was. He stands out miles above the rest. I am honored to know him and work with him. I wish the other recruiters would take note and learn from Adam. He is in it for the long haul not just a quick buck. Thank you Adam!”

Michael Richards, Technical Inside Sales Manager “Many thanks for your recent career search, and coming through with an exceptionally well qualified company, with very little lead time and a limited description of the potential opportunity...In only a couple of days, you not only found a company with the appropriate culture, but a company who I would consider to be the ‘best-of-the-best’ in their industry...I cannot thank you enough for your rare talent in successfully recruiting superior firms, for superior candidates. Similar to the company you recommended for me, you are also the ‘best-of- the-best!’”

Richard Simtob, President, Zoup! “Adam took the time to really understand the role and our company so he could tailor his search for the ‘Right’ candidate to fill a role at Zoup! The final selection was an ideal candidate who has exceeded our expectations and we are very happy with the service Adam provided. We plan to use Adam again for future talent searches.”

About the Author

Mobile MondayInterested in Michigan’s Mobile sector? You’ll find Mobile Monday across Michigan in cities such as Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor. Learn what major companies are doing to stay on top of the mobile industry at the next monthly meetup.

Ann Arbor New Tech Meetup/A2GeeksThe Michigan Law School buzzes with techies and start up ideas each Tuesday during the A2geeks meeting. Each month, five presenters take the stage for 10 minutes each, followed by five minutes of Q&A. Then the networking begins.

Mid-Michigan Agile GroupA group of agile enthusiasts in the Lansing area discuss ways to apply the agile process to work, home, and other aspects of life.

Michigan Council for Women in Technology A group dedicated to inspiring and supporting women in tech, this group helps the state of Michigan groom the next generation of female technology leaders.

GrWebDevCalling all web developers in the Grand Rapids area, this group is for you! A great network for those concerned with web design, user experience, usability, and accessibility.

Photo Credit: Marla Michele

Network with your tech peers across Michigan.

bigtentjobs.com/ebook • #MItech100

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