Caelynx has grown its revenue at least 20 percent each year since it opened in 2005. Back then the engineering firm operated out of the founder’s house. Now it has $3 million in sales and a staff of 23 employees and the occasional intern. It has hired one person over the last year (a sales and marketing professional) and is looking to hire two mechanical engineers to keep its revenue growth in the double-digits. "It's amazing that we have been able to keep that up," says Hans Steiner, director of business development for Caelynx. The Ann Arbor-based firm specializes in engineering software to provide consulting services. Although the consulting services still make up the core of the business, Caelynx has found a lot of room to grow in selling the software platforms it employs. Software sales accounted for zero revenue two years ago. Now it's 25 percent of the company's bottom line and could reach 50 percent over the next year. "That's really taking off," Steiner says. "It has become a bigger and bigger part of our revenue." Caelynx recently was named as one of Ann Arbor SPARK's FastTrack companies, which means it has had revenue of at least $100,000 in 2009, with a verified annual growth of 20 percent for the following three years. It received the five-year FastTrack award for its continued growth. Source: Hans Steiner, director of business development for Caelynx Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Source: Sarah Fertig, Pie it Forward Writer: Natalie Burg

Catrina Vlisides' Detroit Dog Co. won't open for another couple of weeks in Saline, but she already has plans to expand into Ann Arbor. She's not alone in her high expectation for the hot dog shop for foodies. Before tasting a single dog, she's received franchising inquiries from entrepreneurs wanting to get on board.   But one thing at a time, Vlisides says.   "I want to build a reputation and a staff and make sure everything is running well first," she says. "But I'm so happy it's so appealing and people have responded well already."   Vlisides comes from a family of restaurateurs, and was inspired to jump into the business herself after living in Chicago. The amount of high quality, modern fast casual cuisine available in the Windy City seemed ripe to replicate in the Ann Arbor area.   "Saline has had a lot of growth," she says. "There are a lot of people who are involved in Ann Arbor, and there are a lot of foodies here. I wanted to bring something modern and cool here for them."   Detroit Dog Co. will open in mid- to late November in a 500 square foot downtown Saline space. Vlisides has been hard at work renovating the small space with reclaimed wood from Detroit to make the décor match the locally-sourced hot dogs.   Vlisides says the menu will include a fun variety of Michigan foods, beginning with Dearborn sausages and including McClure's pickles and homemade chili. Options will include a Detroit Dog, with chili and pickles, a Boblo Island Barbeque Dog with deep friend onion rings and coleslaw, and a Rock City Dog wrapped in bacon and deep-fried.   Detroit Dog Co. will initially employ a staff of up to three, in addition to Vlisides. She hopes to expand with an Ann Arbor location in six months.  Source: Catrina Vlisides, Detroit Dog Co. Writer: Natalie Burg

The Clean Energy Coalition got its start eight years ago looking to help bring more sustainability to southeast Michigan. Today it's services are spreading across the Midwest as the Ann Arbor-based non-profit continues to grow. The organization got its start servicing Ann Arbor and Metro Detroit. It steadily grew to offer its broad range of sustainability-enhancement services across Michigan and now in other neighboring midwestern states. "The organization is continuing to provide its services in more and more places," says Sean Reed, executive director of Clean Energy Coalition. "We're also doing more and more things." The Clean Energy Coalition focuses on spreading green practices, such as improving fuel efficiency in local government automobile fleets and helping make homes more energy efficient. The non-profit has hired four people over the last year, including marketing professionals and project coordinators. It now has 25 employees and five interns. Some of the projects it is working on for the next year include helping launch Ann Arbor Bike Share next spring. It is also working with the Clinton Global Initiative on its Home Energy Affordability Loan program by helping employees at local businesses, like Zingerman's, make their homes more energy efficient. Source: Sean Reed, executive director of Clean Energy Coalition Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Underground Printing has consolidated some of its gains over the last year and made some more inroads as part of its expansion plan. The Ann Arbor-based business has watched its revenue jump by $2 million, or 17 percent, over the last year. It has added one new store in Oklahoma after opening four the year before that. "Those stores have really come into their own," says Rishi Narayan, owner of Underground Printing. "That's where a lot of growth has come from." Underground Printing specializes in making custom printed apparel, such as t-shirts and embroidered clothing. It has 19 stores across North America, including four in Ann Arbor. It also has one production facility in Ann Arbor. The 12-year-old business employs 101 people after hiring 55 people over the last year. About 30 of those 55 hires are newly created positions. Narayan expects that hiring pace to continue over the next year or two as his firm keeps growing. "We have plans to open between two and four stores within the next 12-18 months," Narayan says. "We expect our existing stores to dig in and grow, too." Source: Rishi Narayan, owner of Underground Printing Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.