Featured Stories
Patrick Dunn / Concentrate
Friday, May 03, 2013
While most kids are wasting their time mastering Xbox, high schoolers Albert Foo and Sharath Anand are developing a new fire-fighting technology, one that extinguishes interior flames from outside the building. So far ExtinBreachR has landed them top science fair awards and a couple of small grants. But they've got bigger plans.
Natalie Burg / Concentrate
Friday, May 03, 2013
Some might call it an accidental career, but when a passionate hobby becomes a successful business it seems more like an inevitability. Anuja Rajendra's zeal for fitness and Bollywood-style dance inspired BollyFit, both a lifestyle and growing brand.
Matthew Naimi / Model D
Friday, May 03, 2013
Recycle Here! is packed every Saturday and there is curbside recycling in Rosedale Park, East English Village and Palmer Woods/University District, servicing nearly 50,000 households. Matthew Naimi says that's only the beginning of the Bee Green movement.
Natalie Burg / Metromode
Friday, May 03, 2013
If there's a canary in the coalmine for downtown vibrancy, it's a thriving grocery store. Lafayette Market and Cafe in downtown Pontiac opened its doors at the end of 2012 and is reaching beyond the loft-dwellers that live above to connect with the surrounding community.
Kim North Shine / Metromode
Friday, May 03, 2013
What started as a noble experiment in support of local artists, creatives and vendors has turned into a vibrant success. Not only has Ferndale's Rust Belt Market been both a home and launching pad for new businesses, it's in the process of becoming an event destination.
Jason Lorimer / Model D
Friday, May 03, 2013
In the 14 months that the author has lived in Detroit after moving here from Philadelphia, he has assembled a spirited team of innovators, specialists and changemakers. Jason Lorimer sent us this opinion piece. We're happy to run it.
Matthew Lewis / Model D
Friday, March 29, 2013
An impressive group of creatives, business owners, real estate and logistics innovators, and festival promoters made up our speaker series panel last Wednesday. Matthew Lewis took notes, Oren Goldenberg captured the event on video.
Ajooni Sethi / Model D
Friday, March 29, 2013
It is becoming widely known that immigrants in Michigan contribute enormously to the state's economy. Ajooni Sethi walks us through a preview of what could be a landmark initiative to help attract and retain Detroit talent.
Jon Zemke / Model D
Friday, March 29, 2013
There is a new generation of manufacturers emerging in Detroit. Watches, bicycles, pickles and other environmentally friendly processes and products are being created. Jon Zemke takes a closer look at Shinola, McClure's and Fusion Coolant Systems in this Model D special edition.
Jon Zemke / Model D
Friday, March 29, 2013
Growing up in the metro area, Joe McClure spent much of his childhood making pickles using a family recipe, passed on for generations. He tells Jon Zemke why education and the Detroit brand are critical to the success of his business in this special edition Q&A.
Jon Zemke / Model D
Friday, March 29, 2013
In the last few years, there has been a visible influx of creatively based, high growth businesses opening in, moving to or setting up an office in the greater downtown Detroit area. Jon Zemke tracks the exciting progress in this special report.
Jon Zemke / Model D
Friday, March 29, 2013
He knows as much about fast companies and creative talent as anyone in town, so Jon Zemke gave Matt Clayson a call for a quick Q&A about "Gazelles" jumping into the local entrepreneurial landscape. Take it away, guys.
Jon Zemke / Concentrate
Friday, March 29, 2013
The risks to startup culture are a two-way street. Not only must you convince investors to make a calculated leap of faith, you also need talent that's willing to commit sweat equity to an uncertain future. The Adams Entrepreneur Fellowship Program is looking to make the second half of that equation a little easier while applying a slow-food strategy toward fostering local entrepreneurship.
Dennis Archambault / Metromode
Friday, March 29, 2013
Most employment analysis involves looking at trends and forecasts that are nearly 2 years old. But what if real time data could be provided to educators and economic development programs? The Workforce Intelligence Network has developed such a system, helping provide a clearer picture of the current job landscape. Their first report reveals some of the reasons for Michigan's "skills gap."
Jon Zemke / Metromode
Friday, March 29, 2013
Paul Jacobs, CEO of Southfield-based mobile apps firm jacApps, thinks that talent rather than experience is critical to building success in today's ever-evolving mobile technology industry. Jon Zemke chats with Jacobs about the challenges of and strategies for attracting the best and brightest to his growing company.