TechTown, Detroit’s business incubator in partnership with Wayne State University is seeking a Managing Director of Entrepreneurial Programs.

This role is responsible for overseeing the execution of all TechTown entrepreneurial and talent programs, including acceleration for new entrepreneurs entering pre-seed and seed-development phase, mentors, and interns. This role is also responsible for oversight of capital funding for TechTown clients and relationships with key TechTown partners and donors in the community.

TechTown embodies a diverse, dynamic and entrepreneurial culture. Any applicant applying for this position must be comfortable with cultural diversity, organizational change and extraordinary professional demands with limited direction.

Principal responsibilities:

• Serves as member of TechTown leadership team in collaborative professional relationships with other team members.

• Manages relationships with direct reports via one-on-one meetings, team meetings, and ad hoc discussions all in an effort to ensure clarity on direction, understand successes and challenges, and building of a healthy team.

• Sets direction for all entrepreneurial programs via understanding TechTown’s goals and how the programs should align, participation in the marketplace to understand trends/developing needs, and implementation of long-term and short-term program goals to ensure timely and effective execution.

• Supervises talent champion and assists with development and implementation of a robust program to attract and deploy industry experts as mentors to TechTown clients in key industry verticals. Also assists in engagement of professional service providers to offer cost-effective services to TechTown businesses in areas such as legal and accounting, intellectual property, web development, sales and marketing and prototyping.

• Supervises capital champion in identifying funding opportunities for TechTown clients and building relationships with funding sources including loan funds, angel investors and venture capital.

• Supervises business development function to identify and build relationships with key TechTown partners for program delivery, expansion of TechTown’s presence in key verticals, and fundraising. Implements and maintains a corporate donor program.

• Participates in TechTown and industry events that warrant staff help in the form of speaking and representation.

• Provides data on entrepreneurial programs as requested by the Director, Metrics and Planning.

• Manages budget for Programs function.

• Performs other duties as assigned by the President and CEO.

Other requested skills:

• At least five years experience leading teams of professionals in the achievement of enterprise objectives.
• Has established relationships (or ability to quickly do so) with partner resources in the Southeast Michigan region.
• Knowledge of methods of delivery of entrepreneurial programs, including curriculum, resource identification, and coaching.
• Experience building teams of outside experts to provide advice and mentoring for startups and other small businesses.
• Knowledge of small business funding sources, including loan funds, angel investment and venture capital.
• Some prior experience with fundraising from foundations, government programs, community organizations and corporations.
• Willingness and ability to work closely with management of other enterprise functions in a spirit of camaraderie, collaboration, and mutual trust.
• Ability to develop and maintain a robust metrics program.
• Willingness to travel within Michigan with occasional travel outside the state.
• Comfortable speaking in front of large groups and to varying audiences ranging from students to C-level talent.
• Must be flexible and independent, comfortable working with little direction and in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Must be passionate about entrepreneurship and revitalization in the City of Detroit and beyond, and aware of the current entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Please send a resume including a cover letter to techtownjobs@gmail.com.   Resumes will be accepted through May 14, 2012.

TechTown will do its best to respond to each applicant individually, but please know that we appreciate your interest in the role and look forward to filling this position as soon as possible.

We are pleased to announce a Request for Bid for the following HUD-BEDI project at TechTown. If your firm offers services outlined in this bid, we hope you will consider bidding.

Project – TechOne Building, Redesign of 1st Floor and Part of 2nd Floor, 440 Burroughs, Detroit, Michigan, 48202

Bid Due Date – Friday, May 04, 2012 Bids must be hand delivered to Phoenix Contractors, Inc.

Walk Through – Friday, April 27, 2012, 10:00 a.m. at 440 Burroughs, Detroit, Michigan

Project Manager: Kirk Moll & Owner

Project Coordinator: Cristina O’Connor

Contact Detail: 2111 Golfside, Ypsilant, Michigan 48197; 734.487.9640

Document:

TechTown Floor Redesign RFP

TechTown, Detroit’s business incubator in partnership with Wayne State University, is seeking a Director of Marketing and Communications (DMC).

This role is responsible for the overall image and messaging of the TechTown brand, which is currently undergoing a fresh redesign. The DMC is responsible for all digital and traditional marketing, public relations, social media and event planning. Candidates should have at least five years of experience in a similar role.

Additional responsibilities:

• Designs newsletters and promotional materials for the website.
• Pitches stories and updates to local, regional and national media.
• Coordinates marketing messages for the TechTown brand.
• Works with outside partner organizations to cross-promote regional entrepreneurship efforts.
• Leads guided tours of the TechTown properties as requested, including monthly open houses.
• Attends outside promotional events as the TechTown representative.
• Assists with internal communications for TechTown tenant companies.

Requested skills: 

• Knowledge of Wordpress CMS, Constant Contact, Eventbrite, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr
• Masterful command of the English language, both spoken and written (writing samples will be requested)
• Experience in creating corporate content, copywriting, proofreading and familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite 
• Comfortable speaking in front of large groups and to varying audiences ranging from students to C-level talent
• Must be flexible and independent, comfortable working with little direction and in a fast-paced, dynamic environment 
• Must be passionate about entrepreneurship and revitalization in the City of Detroit and beyond, and, ideally, aware of the current entrepreneurial ecosystem

Please send a resume including a cover letter to techtownjobs@gmail.com. If selected, writing samples will be requested.  Resumes will be accepted through April 20, 2012.

TechTown will do its best to respond to each applicant individually, but please know that we appreciate your interest in the role and look forward to filling this position as soon as possible.

A Request for Bid for the following HUD-BEDI project is open at TechTown. 

Project – TechOne Building, 3rd Floor, NeoNatal BioBank Freezer and Ante-Room Installation, 440 Burroughs, Detroit, MI 48202.
Bid Due Date – March 26, 2012 before 3 p.m.  Bids must be hand delivered to Phoenix Contractors, Inc.
Project Manager:  Kirk Moll
Project Coordinator:  Cristina O’Connor
Contact Detail: 2111 Golfside, Ypsilant, Michigan 48197; 734.487.9640

Documents:

• AMEP Specification with Cover
• AMEP Combined Set 1-18-2012
• NeoNatalRFPFinalR1
• Supplemental Bidder’s Instructions

On March 20, 2012, four TechTown clients were recognized at Corp! Magazine’s 2012 DiSciTech awards ceremony in Troy, Michigan,  honoring the companies leading the way in science and technology through innovation, research and applied science. These companies were Genome Dynamics International, Mymentalspace.com, ArtJen Complexus USA, LLC and Asterand.

“We are very proud to see these companies being recognized for their innovative work in technology,” TechTown President and CEO Leslie Smith said. “These are the entrepreneurial leaders who are paving the way for a new economy in our state, and are helping make Detroit a hub of innovation once again. TechTown is honored to help these companies on their journey to success.”

Genome Dynamics International, Mymentalspace.com and ArtJen Complexus USA are all members of TechTown’s THRIVE accelerator program; Asterand was the first tenant to move into TechTown’s facility back in 2004.

Four TechTown clients also were recognized in the 2011 DiSciTech award ceremony: Apolife Inc., Angott Medical Products LLC, Clean Emission Fluids Inc. and MitoStem.

Genome Dynamics International (GDI) is a biomarker discovery company that discovers and develops new blood tests to help diagnose and monitor treatment for disease. In particular, GDI focuses on diseases that are difficult to diagnose and are of great public need, such as overactive bladder, which affects 15 to 40 percent of the population at a cost of $26 billion a year. GDI is revolutionary in its approach to understanding and diagnosing disease through inexpensive and minimally invasive diagnostic by simple routine blood testing.

Mymentalspace.com (MMS) seeks to change the way people use the internet. The MMS team combined fundamental principles of behavioral psychology with innovative software development techniques to create “The Mentalspace Manager,” a technology that allows people to manage their time online and block websites that have a negative impact on productivity and emotional well-being—helping to put an end to procrastination on the web. The entire MMS team is staffed by Michigan college graduates and intends to hire three more in 2012.

ArtJen Complexus USA, LLC was created to develop and market Mirafit fbcx, the dietary fiber that, unlike any other product or fiber available today, binds and eliminates nine times its own weight in dietary fat without unwanted side effects. Taken as directed; two Mirafit tablets per fat-containing meal will remove 3,500 dietary calories per week, or the equivalent of about 1- 1½ pounds of body weight. The company consists of its two Ph.D. cofounders and inventors of the Mirafit technology, which was developed at Wayne State University. All manufacturing, sales, distribution, public relations and marketing are contracted through third parties in Michigan. Mirafit is currently available on the web and in about 950 retail outlets internationally, including all 190 Meijer stores in the U.S.

Asterand plc is the leading global provider of high-quality, well-characterized human tissue and human tissue-based research solutions to drug discovery scientists. Its mission is to provide human-based solutions to accelerate the identification and validation of drug targets and enhance the selection of drug candidates with an increased likelihood of clinical success.

On March 1, Inc. magazine did a writeup on Detroit’s education scene fueling the startup renaissance.

Reporter Nicole Carter writes, “…people knee-deep in this new economy will tell you that the foundation of Detroit’s comeback is its growing entrepreneurial education system—a tapestry of universities, incubators, and competitions that foster growth and produce new talent in several industries.”

Commenting on the uniqueness of Detroit’s startup scene in the article, TechTown President and CEO Leslie Smith states, ”Something that gives Detroit an edge is our diversity. It’s not just young people coming through the doors, it’s anyone willing. And that diversity has made our entrepreneurial education more comprehensive, in a way. It’s unique to this city because of who is here.”

Read the entire article here.

A blog by TechTown President and CEO Leslie Smith

In his inaugural address in 1961, John F. Kennedy asked Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” Coming out of several weeks of meetings in Washington, D.C., I feel compelled to ask the same question of myself and the TechTown team.

How can we best serve our country? First, we must serve our city. By accelerating small business creation and innovation in Detroit, TechTown commits to assist Detroiters in the pursuit of economic independence, which will lead to economic vibrancy in our city. Since the 19^th century, Detroit has been the heart of innovation for our country; a strong Detroit means a strong pulse for the American economy.

And how does TechTown best serve its city? By focusing on its core themes of diversity, place-making, technology and international engagement.

Diversity means we serve all Detroiters by providing access to small business support that addresses their unique needs. The TechTown portfolio is a blend of women, veterans, African Americans, immigrants, baby boomers and Gen Y-ers. Some are serial entrepreneurs; others are taking this journey for the very first time. Our programs are designed to meet them where they are and get them where they’re going.

Through place-making, we help Detroiters create communities. By supporting small businesses that augment a sense of community and create residential density, TechTown helps create a sense of place that Detroiters are proud to call home.

TechTown’s intent is to shine a bright light on Detroit’s ingenuity. To ensure future economic security, we must continue to solve problems with the power of innovative thinking. And with a global economy, what happens in Detroit will be felt around the world. We understand the power and influence of the global economy and work regularly to engage with it.

Rather than look to government and ask, what have you done for me lately, why not ask yourself, what have you done for it?

November 3, 2011, DETROIT, MI – Civic Ventures–a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose–today announced that Detroit’s Randal Charlton is one of five winners of its 2011 Purpose Prize. This annual $100,000 award honors social entrepreneurs over 60 who use their experience and passion to effectively address societal challenges. Now in its sixth year, the $17 million program invests in social innovators who are making extraordinary contributions in their second half of life. It is the only program of its kind in the nation.

“Randal Charlton has improved the prospects for entrepreneurs throughout Detroit – and the city itself,” said Marc Freedman, CEO and founder of Civic Ventures and author of The Big Shift (PublicAffairs Books). “It’s really good news that Purpose Prize winners like Randal – and millions of others in encore careers – are turning personal passions and decades of experience into invaluable contributions across sectors, continents and generations, often through entrepreneurship.”

In his lifetime, Charlton was instrumental in starting 14 companies, worked as a journalist, tended dairy cows for a Saudi sheik, started a jazz club and consulted for a world bank. For four years, he served as executive director of TechTown, a business incubator and accelerator in Detroit. During his tenure, Charlton, 71, led TechTown’s dramatic growth as a business accelerator that transformed from a nearly empty industrial building into a thriving entrepreneurial hub that supports more than 250 companies. TechTown has trained more than 2,200 entrepreneurs and has helped clients raise $14 million.

On November 1, Charlton transitioned to a new role as executive in residence for BOOM! The New Economy, a TechTown-affiliated venture that offers training, one-on-one mentoring and internships to people over 50 exploring second acts.

“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to receive the Purpose Prize award, which I owe to the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Detroit and the team I have worked with at TechTown,” said Charlton. “Purpose is that underlying motivation that gives our lives meaning. With this prize, I hope to inspire baby boomers across America to embrace the encore career as an opportunity to redefine their purpose in life and, in the process, change the world.”

Charlton, the four other winners (see below) and 42 new Purpose Prize Fellows will be honored at the 2011 Purpose Prize awards ceremony on Dec. 1, 2011 in Sausalito, CA. The approximately 300 attendees of the invitation-only event will hear from Purpose Prize judges, including NBC’s Jane Pauley and Sherry Lansing, CEO of The Sherry Lansing Foundation and former chair of Paramount Motion Picture Group. The 28 judges – leaders in business, politics, journalism and the nonprofit sector – chose the five winners from a pool of more than 1,000 nominees.

Funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation, the Purpose Prize is a program of Civic Ventures’ Encore Careers campaign (www.encore.org), which aims to engage millions of boomers in encore careers combining personal meaning, continued income and social impact in the second half of life.

Short summaries for all of the winners are below. Profiles, videos and photographs are online at www.encore.org/prize.

The other four winners are (in alphabetical order):

Jenny Bowen, 66, Half the Sky Foundation, Berkeley, Calif.

Partnering with the Chinese government to transform the care of hundreds of thousands of orphans in China, the vast majority of whom are girls

Nancy Sanford Hughes, 68, StoveTeam International, Eugene, Ore.

Addressing a top killer of children worldwide by spurring the production and distribution of low-cost, safe and fuel-efficient stoves in developing nations

Wanjiru Kamau, 69, African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Easing the transitions of thousands of African immigrant and refugee families and children by addressing mental health, academic and social needs

Edward Mazria, 70, Architecture 2030, Santa Fe, N.M.

Challenging architects, the building sector and policymakers to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

About Civic Ventures (www.encore.org)

Civic Ventures is a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. The organization introduced the concept of encore careers, which combine meaning, continued income and social impact. The Purpose Prize, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation, is a program of Civic Ventures.

Dear TechTown community,

As you may have heard, Randal Charlton, long-time executive director at TechTown, has announced his retirement from the organization and his plans for the next chapter of his career, which promises to be as engaging as his last.

He is embarking on a journey to solve the entrepreneurial challenge for the Baby Boom generation through an initiative called BOOM! The New Economy, funded by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and implemented in partnership with TechTown, the Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation, AARP Michigan, the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and Operation ABLE of Michigan. Who better to lead such a journey than Randal Charlton, who started his entrepreneurial life over for the nth time at the ripe young age of 60?

TechTown has grown to global prominence and local relevance under Randal’s leadership as we have reignited Detroit’s storied entrepreneurial culture, one idea at a time. Restoring hope for a city that had lost it, TechTown supports 250 companies, has trained more than 2,200 entrepreneurs and has helped its client companies raise $14 million in funding.

We are a vibrant, diverse community of dreamers and doers connected to each other through a singular vision of economic independence. TechTown will continue to embrace the dynamism of its past commitments while expanding its important work in a variety of ways.

TechTown will continue the critical task of place-based economic development by expanding programs to support microenterprises and lifestyle businesses, which create a sense of community for Detroiters and independence for the entrepreneurs building them.

TechTown will expand its work into the neighborhoods through its deep and rich partnerships, creating an opportunity for Detroit’s citizens to receive entrepreneurial education in the places where they live.

TechTown will connect its client companies to the procurement demand of Detroit-based buyers, exposing them to opportunities to grow revenues successfully right here, where it matters most.

TechTown will add resources that take advantage of the robust pipelines of high-tech innovation coming out of Wayne State University, the Henry Ford Health System, NextEnergy and the Detroit Medical Center—innovation that is ripe for company creation, job growth and revenue generation.

TechTown will continue to elevate itself as a regional leader. By collaborating with the powerful partners that make up the Southeast Michigan entrepreneurial ecosystem, we will change the face of the Michigan economy and deliver best-in-class support systems to the region’s dreamers, innovators and entrepreneurs.

I am honored to follow a man whose leadership has impacted thousands, not the least of whom is me. I will work tirelessly to grow the body of work Randal started and hope each of you will join me on the next leg of this important journey.

Best regards,

Leslie Smith

President and CEO

TechTown