Huron River Ventures isn't just a venture capital firm looking to build a portfolio of startups and investors. It’s working to build its own little entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kerrytown. The 4-year-old VC, which specializes in early stage investment, opened up its first office this spring in Kerrytown. It is sharing the space with a handful of other venture capital firms and a few startups, including Local Orbit and TurtleCell. The idea is to create a concentration of techies and investors in a cool space in one of Ann Arbor's most cosmopolitan neighborhoods. "We wanted to see if we could create a little space with some critical mass," says Ryan Waddington, partner of Huron River Ventures. "We wanted to create a space where people could bump into each other more frequently." Huron River Ventures renovated the old Ann Arbor Observer space on the 1st floor of the Market Place building at 303 Detroit St. Arboretum Ventures already occupies the third floor of the building. Huron River Ventures was also able to recruit the Ann Arbor offices of a number of VCs, including Draper Triangle, Cultivian Sandbox, Arsenal Venture Partners, and Detroit Innovate. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to build out a big office when you're a staff of one," Waddington says. Huron River Ventures, which has a core staff of two people, closed on a $11 million investment fund (its first) in 2011. It has made 11 investments, has 10 portfolio companies, and has recorded one exit. It currently has one term sheet out for another investment and is looking to make three more investments by the end of this year. Source: Ryan Waddington, partner of Huron River Ventures Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Arotech's staff in Ann Arbor has been on the upswing in recent years and is continuing to trend skyward. The Ann Arbor-based defense firm has grown its staff from 125 people at the end of 2012 to 136 employees a year later. Today it has a staff of 147 employees and a few interns, adding 11 jobs in engineering and technicians. It's also looking to hire another three engineers and two more technicians. Arotech has enjoyed 20 percent year-over-year revenue growth since 2010, and the company's sales continue to spike. "We did hit a new high-water mark for revenues," says Kurt Flosky, executive vice president of Arotech's Training & Simulation Division. Arotech provides simulation software to a number of defense and similar organizations, such as raining and use-of-force simulation for municipal law enforcement agencies. It has also completed 26 of the 28 sets of a suite of simulations for the U.S. Army that helps soldiers train to find and disarm improvised explosive devices. It also has started to deliver its first simulations products for a contract with the U.S. Air Force that trains soldiers how to operate mid-flight refueling booms. "That is the first of 17 boom arm simulators to be delivered," Flosky says. Source: Kurt Flosky, executive vice president of Arotech Training & Simulation Division Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

HeatSpring has grown its online educational business over the last year thanks to it forming some partnerships with other companies. The Ann Arbor-based company, which is located next to Michigan Stadium, has signed partnerships with the likes of SolarPro Magazine to create classes oriented on their specialities. For instance, the class for SolarPro Magazine is on megawatt design. "We went from having two to having 20," says Brian Hayden, president of HeatSpring. That growth has allowed Heat Spring to hire a new employee, a student advocate, over the last year. It currently has a staff of four employees and is looking to hire a marketing manager. Hayden wants to continue growing its online course offerings through similar partnerships. It is also aiming to raise an angel round of seed capital worth $1 million by October. "We have some verbal commitments," Hayden says. "If we do all of that we will be winning." Source: Brian Hayden, president of HeatSpring Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Zachary Hwang has been riding motorcycles for years. The temperature inside his helmet has, well, been less than comfortable. "Heat has always been a big problem in the summer," Hwang says. "There is no air conditioning." That inspired the University of Michigan student to launch his own startup, FrostGear. Hwang and two of his fellow Master of Entrepreneurship classmates have been working on a cooling technology for motorcycle helmets. The technology works because it cools the helmet, which in turn helps make the rest of the rider's body cool. "We can make a smaller device that attaches to the helmet," Hwang says. The TechArb-based startup is currently working on prototypes of its technology, leveraging resources from Ann Arbor SPARK and the University of Michigan’s Center for Entrepreneurship. It has applied for a provisional patent for its technology. "Ideally by December we will have a Beta product that we can take to trade shows," Hwang says. Source: Zachary Hwang, CEO of FrostGear Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

There isn't another film festival in the U.S. - heck, North America - that's like the Ann Arbor Film Festival. Though its experiemental programming may not make it a popular event destination for mainstream filmgoers there is little doubt that it features some of the most interesting, challenging and offbeat films screened anywhere. Not surprisingly, the 52nd fest's offerings get a critical review that is, unequivocally, positive. Excerpt: "But just what is experimental cinema? These days, based on the selections of Ann Arbor and other festivals of its kind (such as Images, Crossroads, Migrating Forms, and Views from the Avant-Garde), it’s a combination of work that resembles “classic” avant-garde film, as in hand-processed, abstract, or structuralist 8 or 16mm film; irony-toned video art; works of editing from archive; or non-narrative nonfiction. Sometimes these types overlap, but they also don’t necessarily hang together in a cohesive way, either. What they do more or less all share is a general lack of commodifiability—and the artistry and dedication that attends this status—which is precisely why it’s crucial that those festivals, microcinemas, and local scenes continue to intervene. " Read the rest here.

?In answer to the unfortunate and sordid story that made national news (seriously, there aren't more important issues for news outlets to draw our attention to?), Black Jake and The Carnies have decided to take lemons and make, er, lemonade/ Or, at least, music. Watch and listen here.  

Airport layovers are generally avoided at all costs, but during the decade Pangborn Design Collection spent as a retail tenant in McNamara Terminal, customers from all over the world chose layovers in Detroit Metro Airport over direct flights to shop Dominic Pangborn's inventory of unique art, accessories and jewelry.  "We had unbelievable return customers," Pangborn says. "We had people say, 'I fly though Detroit purposely to shop at your business." Those loyal customers will soon have a new destination to seek out when Pangborn Design Collection opens on Main Street this fall. The 2,000 square foot retail space will offer both Pangborn's own art, as well as a collection of unique items from other artists.  "Ann Arbor has always been a fabulous market," says Pangborn. "So many of our customer were flying out from Ann Arbor, so it was just a perfect fit. We always said if we can get into the right location in Ann Arbor, we've got to do it." Pangborn has worked as an artist in Detroit since 1979, and his paintings are now sold all over the world. A regular public speaker himself, he plans to bring speakers, artists and educational opportunities to his shop for monthly events.  Pangborn Design Collection will begin their Main Street lease in Sept., and Pangborn hopes to open quickly after a brief renovation period. He intends to employ between five and 10 staff members.  Source: Dominic Pangborn, Pangborn Design Collection Writer: Natalie Burg

ReImagine Washtenaw recently released its Corridor Improvement Study, which takes a comprehensive look the five miles of Washtenaw Ave. connecting the Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Pittsfield and Ypsilanti Twps. Funded by the Sustainable Communities Planning Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the research seeks to move the corridor closer to a “Complete Street” model, including bike lanes, a sidewalk network and boulevards. “For the first time, all four local units of government have a jointly-developed, comprehensive plan for making Washtenaw Avenue a more ‘complete street,’" says Nathan Voght, Washtenaw County's ReImagine Washtenaw project manager. "ReImagine Washtenaw now has a detailed blue-print for how to transform the roadway, over time, into a street that is safer for pedestrians and bikers, and still handles vehicular travel efficiently.”   The Corridor Improvement Study revealed that the current rate of increase in traffic will soon cause intersections to fail, which Voght says will further frustrate drivers and hurt the economic viability of the commercial district.  "The change we need to make has never been more urgent," says Voght, "and the ReImagine Washtenaw stakeholders will be continue to push ahead with necessary changes that will provide viable alternative forms of transportation, and the land use forms that will support them.”   Next up for the ReImagine Washtenaw project is to seek out funding to implement aspects of the Corridor Improvement Study that are currently achievable, as well as taking the necessary planning steps to facilitate and set the stage for those that could come to fruition in the future.    Voght adds that none of the recommendations in the study are intended to impede or reduce vehicular capacity, requiring people to walk, bike and bus along the corridor. Instead, the increase in options will allow some people to take alternate modes of transport, putting the corridor in a better position for change.  Source: Nathan Voght, Washtenaw County Writer: Natalie Burg

Mahindra GenZe opened a technical center in Ann Arbor a little more than a year ago, creating a couple dozen white collar jobs. Now the Indian-based scooter manufacturer is opening a manufacturing facility and looking to hire couple dozen blue collar workers. "We will begin hiring for those soon," says Terence Duncan, head of consumer engagement for Mahindra GenZe. The division of the multinational company Mahindra and Mahindra is designing and manufacturing a scooter, and is choosing to do so in the Ann Arbor area. It opened its engineering and design center in Ann Arbor and has hired 26 people for it over the last year. Mahindra GenZe plans to invest up to $2 million in its manufacturing facility, a move that is expected to create 34 new jobs over the next year. Duncan expects that work to begin this spring and go through the summer and early fall. "We should be up and running, shipping our product by late fall," Duncan says. Location turned out to be a big factor in Mahindra GenZe’s decision to locate in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor SPARK helped make the deal happen, highlighting the area's strengths and strategic location, among other qualities. "All of the suppliers we needed are in southeast Michigan and northwestern Ohio," Duncan says. "It's just a great location." Source: Terence Duncan, head of consumer engagement for Mahindra GenZe Writer: Jon Zemke