MTAM Launches ‘Made in Michigan’ Mobile App Site

June 15, 2011 - PRLog -- DETROIT, MI - Don't think of 'mobile apps' and Michigan as being related? You might be surprised!

The State of Michigan is home to many firms involved in the development of mobile applications of all types.  In fact, Michigan firms have quietly taken a leadership position in the industry, and now the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan (MTAM) is providing a unique opportunity for Michigan’s mobile developers to showcase their work. In Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids and elsewhere throughout the state, Michigan mobile developers are doing their part to put the state at the forefront of this high-growth global industry. In fact, Michigan developers have achieved a number of impressive milestones, including:

•  A Southfield-based MTAM member, jacAPPS, who has achieved over 330 mobile apps developed and over 5 million downloads of those apps with clients such as:  National Public Radio, Vh1, Sylvan Learning Centers, CBS Radio, and others
•  A Bloomfield-based MTAM member, Cluebucket, who recently won the Oakland County / AT&T sponsored ‘OakGov Challenge’, a contest to motivate the state’s technology industry to develop innovative and creative web-based or mobile applications that enhance government services for citizens
•  A Grand Rapids-based mobile firm, Apptopus, Inc., who recently received Official Honoree status at the international Webby awards from among 10,000 entries received from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide
•  Ann Arbor-based Mobiata who was recently acquired by Expedia
•  MTAM member, Atomic Object, a Grand Rapids-based firm, recently recognized as one of the ‘Top 50 Companies to Watch’ in the state, as well as being named to the Inc 5000 list with 3-year sales growth of 74%
•  Pontiac-based MTAM member, Future Help Designs who is opening a new shared workspace facility on June 17th to enable mobile developers to collaborate and learn from each other

as well as other Michigan-based firms leading the way and achieving awards and recognition for the quality of their work!

To showcase the outstanding work being done by Michigan mobile developers, MTAM is now promoting a ‘Made in Michigan’ mobile apps section of the trade association’s website as part of its’ effort to gain state-wide and national attention for the mobile work being developed in the state. The site can be found at http://GoMobileMichigan.org/MadeInMichiganApps.  The ‘Made in Michigan’ program will be continuously updated as the organization is made aware of developers from around the state doing work in the industry.  Developers interested in being featured should contact MTAM at info@GoMobileMichigan.org or follow the instructions on the website.

As the advocate of Michigan’s mobile industry, the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan is strongly focused on promoting the mobile services provided by Michigan-based companies, and believes that the state has a huge number of ‘hidden gems’ doing great mobile development work in Michigan.  The group’s Executive Director, Linda Daichendt states, “Most of Michigan’s mobile app developers are small businesses doing very exciting work, but without a lot of resources to help them promote the amazing apps they’re putting out there.  This leaves them almost exclusively dependent on the app stores, where they end up being lost in the crowd of thousands of other apps.  MTAM feels that it’s extremely important to provide unique opportunities to Michigan’s app developers to help them grow their businesses, thereby creating more mobile jobs and helping to improve Michigan’s economy. We felt that this exciting promotion would not only help showcase the great mobile app development being done here, but also serve as a way to educate people in Michigan and elsewhere about that work so we can increase the demand for Michigan-based services which will ultimately lead to the creation of more jobs in the state.”

A recent study by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, conducted on behalf of MTAM, indicates that for every mobile technology industry job created in Michigan, 3.9 non-mobile-industry jobs are also created in the state, and with over 47,000 state residents already working in the mobile technology industry, Michigan is well on its way to creating a high-tech, high-growth industry that can employ many more throughout the state.

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The Mobile Technology Association of Michigan (MTAM) is a Michigan-based non-profit trade association for the mobile industry. Our mission is to grow the industry within the state, thereby generating increased entrepreneurial and enterprise-level opportunities and creating sustainable jobs. Our primary function is to facilitate in-state growth of the industry.

MTAM sponsors Michigan-based growth of the Mobile Monday organization which to-date boasts 700+ members in chapters located in Ann Arbor, Detroit, and in July, Grand Rapids; performs research for members and other interested parties; facilitates idea sharing, entrepreneurial programs, training programs and jobs creation; acts as a liaison with the mobile technology community inside/outside of Michigan; and serves as a resource for all things related to the Mobile / Wireless industry. The group's website can be found at http://GoMobileMichigan.org.