(Detroit) March 15, 2005--TechTown has increased the number of companies operating in TechOne, its first by business incubator facility, by 50 percent in a single month. In March, TechTown welcomes three new tenants: advanced engineering firm Bioko, information technology company IC Datacom and life science venture USA Skills.
With three new leases signed at once, TechOne\'s occupancy timetable is ahead of schedule. "This is an indication that we are seeing real traction in attracting tenants to our park," says TechTown Executive Director Howard Bell. "This surge of tenants has created a good problem in that we\'re now pressed to find other locations within our building to house our next candidates for space."
TechOne\'s new tenants represent the diversity of entrepreneurs TechTown set out to attract. Bioko is an engineering research company focused on the development of microelectromechanical systems or MIMS, miniaturized computer chips, for military and civilian use. Professor Greg Auner formed the business based on his innovative work at Wayne State University. IC Datacom, an IT network services provider, was founded by native Detroiters Dwayne Carson and Terence Willis.
USA Skills, an online recruitment company, created and operates an advanced career portal for the IT and health care industries. Its Canadian founder, Scott Murray, developed his groundbreaking recruitment technology in Toronto but decided that TechTown is the ideal home for his business.
In less than a year, TechTown has already developed a track record of propelling entrepreneurs to greater success. In January, TechTown client DaVinci Pharmaceuticals merged with a Swiss firm to form Neocutis, a biotech company specializing in cellular technology. Mark Lemko, founder of DaVinci and senior vice president of Neocutis, credits the mentoring and other services he received at TechTown with accelerating his company\'s development.
"[TechTown] helped me formalize my vision into a business plan. It provided an environment where I could network with other people who were of a similar mind," says Lemko, whose new company\'s commercial operations are based at TechTown, Detroit\'s only research and technology park. "It epitomizes everything that a business incubator is supposed to be."
ABOUT TECHTOWN: TechTown provides the support and access to capital needed to build technology businesses in Detroit. We are a community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, service providers and corporate partners. TechTown\'s mission is to contribute to the economic renaissance of downtown Detroit by creating an internationally recognized entrepreneurial village.