Ann Arbor Spark

A look back on this week’s economic development headlines, announcements, and other share-worthy news from the Ann Arbor region.

Regional Updates

• Ann Arbor SPARK Awarded $2.4 Million Grant for Broadband Expansion in Washtenaw County
  The funding will be used to build 20 miles of underground fiber optic cable, connecting downtown Ann Arbor and downtown Ypsilanti with critical broadband infrastructure. The Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Corridor Fiber Optic Backbone project, accompanied by $600,000 in local funding, aims to create public broadband infrastructure that tech companies, the cities and businesses can utilize along the corridor for innovative products, affordable and reliable broadband, and company location. Listen to an interview between Lucy Ann Lance and Paul Krutko, SPARK president and CEO.

• Venture capital deals in the U.S. will set a record in 2021
  • Renaissance Venture Capital Closes $77.5M Fourth Fund
  • Ann Arbor-based cancer testing company Strata Oncology sets state record for biotech capital raise with a $90 million Series C

• The Entrepreneurship Center at Washtenaw Community College finished its 15-company cohort through the Renew program, which SPARK supported as a sponsor/funder.
  • “Mom-preneurs”: Ypsi women balance small businesses with motherhood

• Ann Arbor again most educated city in America, ahead of San Jose and Washington, D.C.

• Howell City Council Extends Agreement for Motorsports Project

• Michigan Works! Southeast Reports Thousands of Job Openings

Mobility News

• ACM Campus Continues Growth as Perrone Robotics Solidifies Two-Year Residency Commitment
  • Getting on track: American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti makes strides toward sustainability
  • AEye LiDAR Sensor Reaches Milestones at American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti Township

• Ann Arbor company SkySpecs leans on automation to maximize lifespan of wind turbines

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

• Diversity and inclusion scholarship aims to foster a sense of belonging in the Ann Arbor tech industry

Quick Hits

• Fast 50: Southeast Michigan’s fastest-growing companies of 2021 (Crain’s) – featuring Domino’s, Oxford, First National Bank in Howell, University Bank, and Bank of Ann Arbor.
• Midwest Rising: Why the Workplace of the Future is Michigan (Forbes)
• Ann Arbor brewery draws national attention with hard seltzer smoothie (Concentrate Media)