Nearly half of the companies selected for innovative new MEDC economic gardening pilot program are SBAM members

Twenty two of the 54 small and midsize companies selected to receive business development support through the new Pure Michigan Business Connect Economic Gardening Pilot Program being offered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) are members of the Small Business Association of Michigan.

“The fact that nearly half of the companies in this inaugural Economic Gardening Pilot Program are members of SBAM vividly demonstrates that second stage companies value the many ways that our organization contributes to their entrepreneurial success,” says SBAM’s Vice President Membership and Development Dan Mahoney. 

1. Argonics, Gwinn – Manufactures a variety of products out of polyurethane.
2. Creative Composites, Rapid River – Design, develop, engineer, prototype and manufacture advanced composite structures and lightweight composite armor systems. www.creativecompositsinc.com
3. Frontier Computer Corporation, Traverse City – Provides global solutions and IT service.
4. Savin Lake Service Inc., Hale – A fully integrated lakes management company that uses mechanical harvesters, herbicides, biological solutions, and dredging to manage the weeds found in Michigan’s lakes and ponds. www.lakeandpond.com
5. Silversmith, Inc., Gaylord – Measures gas/oil wells through a web based metering system with 9,000 installed across North America. www.silversmithinc.com
6. Atomic Object, Grand Rapids – Offers custom software development services to a wide variety of companies. www.atomicobject.com
7. Aircraft Precision Products, Ithaca – Provides precision machining of gas turbine engine components.
8. Forensic Fluids Laboratories, Inc., Kalamazoo – Provides new way to drug test, using oral fluid/saliva. FFL tests oral fluid for drugs of abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring and compliance. www.forensicfluids.com
9. Harvest Music and Sound (Harvest Creative Services), Lansing – Works on brand development by providing creative content that is executed through strategy, writing, video, music, design and digital. Existing client base includes marketing directors, brand managers, and advertising agencies.
10. KI Technologies, East Lansing – Provides IT services for small businesses in mid-Michigan. Typical clients have 10 – 100 employees and do not have their own IT staff. Function as their IT department, helping them implement appropriate technologies to run their businesses.
11. Space Inc, Flint – Provides interior design for workspaces and sell office furniture Specialize in providing workspaces that work. www.spaceinc.net
12. Pixel Velocity or Epsilon Imaging, Ann Arbor – Develops and markets advanced, system-level video surveillance and threat detection solutions to the homeland security market.
13. Sun Engineering, Saline – Provides engineering services and manufactured product for missile handling equipment, ground-based radar systems, tactical trucks and specialized trailers for customers, primarily in the defense industry.
14. Avalon Breads International Food Manufacturing, Detroit – Offers artisan baked goods with sales to both retail and wholesale customers. www.avalonbreads.net
15. Achatz Pie Company, Chesterfield – Manufactures and distributes fruit pies, cream pies and savory pies.
16. Alfie, Traverse City – Works with companies to build brand awareness and incentive programs through embroidery, screen printing and promotional products. www.goalfie.com
17. Conestoga-Rovers & Associates (CRA), Kalamazoo – Provides construction services across the U.S primarily in two categories: Environmental clean-up for non-government managed sites; and maintenance for the petroleum pipeline and chemical industries. www.CRAworld.com
18. ONLINE TECH (Yan Ness, CEO), Ann Arbor – Houses and manages clients IT servers in our data centers. www.onlinetech.com
19. Ingenuity IEQ, Midland – Makes buildings more energy efficient, healthier, cleaner and greener by applying indoor environmental quality solutions and technology in the areas of air flow, air quality, energy control, antimicrobial surface treatments and IAQ measurement.
20. KTM Industries, Inc., Lansing – Manufactures starch-based foam material for the packaging and toy markets.
21. Alliant Enterprises LLC, Richland – A service-disable veteran owned small business established in 2002 to provide quality, cost-effective medical device products and services.
22. Dynamic Computer Corporation, Farmington Hills – Provides information technology and RFID solutions.

The Pure Michigan Business Connect Economic Gardening Pilot Program will be administered through the Cassopolis-based Edward Lowe Foundation and will include four areas of support: strategy and management; market research/competitive intelligence; Internet and social media strategy; and geographical information systems to help identify potential customers in other states.

The 54 companies were selected by an independent review board from a pool of 108 nominees that were submitted by local economic development representatives from throughout Michigan. The companies were chosen based on the type and size of the markets they serve, their growth potential, and their likelihood of benefitting from the service.

Each company’s CEO will be paired with a Strategic Research Team for a total of 35 hours spread across all four members of the team. The team works with the CEO to determine the specific areas of need and then supplies the CEO with relevant and actionable information about their competitors, markets and customers. Each company engagement is expected to take a total of two to three weeks to complete.

The pilot program is the latest addition to Pure Michigan Business Connect, the $3 billion public-private initiative that provides Michigan’s businesses new ways to buy and sell, raise capital, and connect with each other through an alliance of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, state agencies and major Michigan companies and organizations.