Last year was Seat Side Service's first appearance at the plate with its mobile concession software. While it didn’t hit a home run on its first swing, it didn't whiff at the pitch either. The downtown Ann Arbor-based startup landed the Toledo Mud Hens (the Detroit Tigers AAA minor league affiliate) as a customer last year. Seat Side Services technology enabled the baseball club to increase its concession sales by double digits, specifically its per-capita-crowd-expenditures by 44 percent. "It's an astronomical number," says Steve Ventura, senior vice president of Seat Side Service. "They (Mud Hens management) was more than pleased." The 2-year-old startup created a mobile software platform that enabled spectators at athletic events to order food and beverages through their smartphone. They can pay online and the orders are delivered from a centralized kitchen, enabling vendors to only have to carry the food ordered. Seat Side Service’s first season with the Mud Hens allowed the company to show what it can do. "It allowed us to open a lot of doors in other sports, not just baseball," Ventura says. The company is now speaking to teams in Major League Baseball, NCAA, NHL, and the NFL. Ventura expects to have a dozen teams signed up for Seat Side Service’s platform by the end of the year. "I would think the number is going to be triple that by the end of 2016," Ventura says. That success has allowed Seat Side Service to do some hiring. It has added two employees (Venture and a technical lead) over the last year, expanding its staff to six employees and 4-6 interns. It is also looking to hire another five people in software development, sales, and marketing. Source: Barak Leibovitz, founder & CEO of Seat Side Service, and Steve Ventura, senior vice president of Seat Side Service Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Alternative personal transportation that cost pennies to fuel were on display at CES in Las Vegas and Ann Arbor was in the house, with the GenZ electric scooter. Excerpt: "Key specs of the GenZe include a seven-inch touch screen display and a removable, rechargeable battery that can be charged at any 110v outlet. The vehicle tops out at 30 mph and can travel 30 miles on a full charge. While license requirements may vary by state, most will not require a full motorcycle license for operation. Built domestically in Ann Arbor, MI, the product will launch in March 2015 in California and Oregon." Read the rest here.

Now entering its third year, Ann Arbor's getDowntown commuter challenge has registered more than 500 people to commit to winter weather non-automotive commutes in the month of January. According to getDowntown's Business Services Director Nancy Shore the current stats are: 413 people have logged at least 1 commute so far 2,885 commutes have been logged in total Most popular types of commutes logged: Walk, Walk & Bus. Check out the photo documentation of getDowntown's Facebook page. And check out the inspirational comics drawn by local artist Bruce Worden here. 

Clair Broderick has long been an artist of hair, but she’s also a mixed-media, painting and crafts artist too. That collection of talents will all be on display at her new saline boutique, Sprig Hair Studio 21, in Arbor Hills Crossing.  “I see my salon as a high-end, boutique salon,” says Broderick. ”Others that work with me in the space will have that skill and customer care for our clients as their absolute first priority.” Sprig Hair Studio 21 opened on Jan. 6, though Broderick is developing her vision for the space as she works in it. She anticipates having her full line of products, including her own art and jewelry, in place by the end of February.  “I have brought in local art by friends and myself to decorate along with a few vintage pieces,” Broderick says. “I am having custom work made by clients who were willing to help and trade for their fantastic abilities.” In addition to herself, Broderick will work with two other stylists at Sprig Hair Studio 21. She is also looking for one additional employee. Her future plans include becoming involved in community efforts such as volunteering in schools, community events and non-profits.  Source: Claire Broderick, Sprig Hair Studio 21 Writer: Natalie Burg

Portal Architects really started to hit its sweet spot in 2014. The Ann Arbor-based cloud IT firm has grown by triple digits over the last year, enabling it to hire more than a dozen people. "We have more than doubled in size," says Mark Brazeau, CEO of Portal Architects. The 2-year-old company’s software, SkySync, helps companies connect their IT to the cloud through a Windows app. That technology enables organizations to synchronize and move files across storage systems including most cloud storage services. Bottom line is it takes a lot of the pain out of moving files that has long plagued businesses looking for digital information mobility. "This problem has been around for 30 years," Brazeau says. "We're the first company to address that problem." Which has resulted in 380 percent revenue growth over the last year. That in turn led to15 new hires in IT, software, sales, and marketing positions. It is also looking to hire a couple of software developers right now. That growth has come thanks to some big strategic partnerships the firm has landed in the last year, including the likes of Google, IBM, Oracle, and Internet2. "They promote our product," Brazeau says. "It's a fantastic relationship. It’s a one-plus-one-equals-three relationship." Source: Mark Brazeau, CEO of Portal Architects Writer: Jon Zemke

Biovigil Hygiene Technologies is moving into a bigger home in Ann Arbor, which is allowing it to grow its business even more this year. "We have doubled the size of our office and operations," says Brent Nibarger, chief sales & marketing officer for Biovigil Hygiene Technologies. The 5-year-old company has hired six people in engineering and tech support over the last year. It now has a staff of 19 employees and the occasional intern. It is also looking to hire a couple people right now to keep up with its growth demands. Biovigil Hygiene Technologies principal product is a hand-sanitizing system for hospitals designed to detect and monitor hand washing. It utilizes a room sensor, a base station, and an identification badge to monitor and automatically communicate compliance information. The idea is to help improve compliance and cut down on infections. The company launched a joint marketing effort with Steris Corp last summer to get its technology in more facilities. It has added five hospitals in that time and is looking at add 50 more this year. "We secured a national contract with Premier, which is the biggest purchasing group in the country," Nibarger says.   Source: Brent Nibarger, chief sales & marketing officer for Biovigil Hygiene Technologies Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Apparently researchers at U-M will spare no expense in their quest for knowledge. Even if it means feeding mice $6 loaves of bread. Excerpt: "As it turns out, the Zingerman's diet appears to have fueled the growth of the mannans-consuming B. thetaiotaomicrons — more so than other bacteria that lacked that ability to process mannans." Read the rest here.