Adaptive Materials adds 13 staff, named top women-owned biz

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

Last year was a good year for Ann Arbor's Adaptive Materials. The University of Michigan spin-off recorded 64 percent revenue growth in 2008. That allowed it to add 13 people to its staff and another 16 interns.

"Almost every engineer had an intern last year," says Michelle Crumm, chief business officer for Adaptive Materials.

The company was also named as one of the Top Women Owned Businesses in the State of Michigan by DiversityBusiness.com, the nations' leading multicultural Internet site. It's the second year in a row the company received this honor.

It hopes to continue that success this year. The firm has several pending contracts this year, so it could be a grow-like-gangbusters or hold-the-line year. Crumm expects to keep hiring as her company takes on more work.

Adaptive Materials got its start in 2001 when University of Michigan grad Aaron Crumm came up with a way of turning fuels like propane into electricity instead of heat. That means its technology can convert a small propane tank used for camping into a generator that can keep a fridge going in a blackout. Think an emergency generator strong enough to power appliances but small enough to carry in your pocket.

The technology has taken off so fast that Adaptive Materials had to move to three newer/bigger locations to handle the growth. It employs 61 people today and calls a 60,000-square-foot space on Ann Arbor's south side home. Adaptive Materials has also received a $6.2 million cash infusion from the state's 21st Century Jobs Fund that helped make all of this possible.

Source: Michelle Crumm, chief business officer for Adaptive Materials
Writer: Jon Zemke