Pillar Technology, a business consultancy and software development company, is expanding its Ann Arbor workforce and moving into a new office on Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Pillar employs software developers working on applications for clients around the Great Lakes region, North America, and the world. Ann Arbor SPARK worked with the company to secure state and local incentives that support the expansion.
Pillar Technology’s expansion in Ann Arbor includes increasing recruitment and training in Michigan. With the expansion, the company plans to add 45 jobs and invest nearly $2 million over three years.
“Pillar Technology is the latest innovative company to recognize that Ann Arbor has an eager, energetic and talented workforce that can help take their business to the next level,” said Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO Paul Krutko. “Ann Arbor’s growing software sector is a reflection of our assets in this region, and a foundation on which our economy will continue to grow.”
Pillar provides expertise in all aspects of technology innovation, the software development life-cycle, and software engineering practices to large enterprise clients in a range of industries, including commercial software companies, publishing and information technology, automotive, financial, insurance, and health care. In addition to these services, Pillar also provides community workshops through online platforms and at its office locations, both dubbed “The Forge by Pillar.”
“Ann Arbor is a great place for us to expand our cadre of software engineers,” said Charles Fry, vice president, Great Lakes region, Pillar Technology. “Our engineers are world-class craftsman and recruiting new talent is essential in meeting our growing client demand. As we add consultants and experts in business innovation and software development, we know the Ann Arbor community will be supportive of our growth. We are pleased to be working with Ann Arbor SPARK, the University of Michigan, and others in the community to grow our business here.
To date, Ann Arbor SPARK has assisted Pillar Technology with securing a $350,000 grant award from the Michigan Business Development Program through the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Ann Arbor SPARK also helped Pillar Technology secure $25,000 Phase 4 Funding from the City of Ann Arbor’s Local Development Finance Authority fund to assist with build-out costs at its new facility.