The main office for the center, located at 325 E. Grand River Ave., housed several startup companies for three years. This fall, nine businesses will leave – or graduate – the TIC and move on to other endeavors.

The businesses graduating this month are Enliven Software, HTS Express, Synthesys, ISCI, Names for Life, Live Concepts, CEMA, Active Office and Nicholas Creative.

Four of the graduating TIC tenants opted to stay in East Lansing and plan on renting space in the upper level of The State News Inc. building, 435 E. Grand River Ave.

East Lansing’s project manager for new economy initiatives Jeff Smith said during the tenants’ tenure, they became integrated into city life.

“I don’t feel like those businesses are just businesses in the community — they’re community members altogether,” Smith said. “We’re fortunate to see many of them going and stabilizing in the community, and that’s what we want to see.”

Nicholas Chilenko, principal of website development company Nicholas Creative, began his tenure at the TIC when he was an MSU junior. Now graduated and living in an East Lansing home, Chilenko said his experience with the center has given him the skills to start a business.

“What I do this year might not be exactly the same as what I do next year, or (in) two years and three years, but it will always be based on the skills and the foundation I was able to develop at the TIC,” Chilenko said. “It’s been a fun journey.”

The center has found several new start-up businesses to replace the graduating tenants, many of which are more production-focused than the first crop of tenants, Smith said.

Facilities at the TIC and the center’s proximity to MSU were major draws in bringing Phenometrics, one of the new companies, to the area, Phenometrics CEO Mimi Hall said. A company focused on producing scientific instruments for the algae biofuel industry, Phenometrics will benefit from having the MSU community near, Hall said.

“It makes sense for us to be here,” she said.

New interest in the TIC demonstrates a positive evolution of the center and a continuing need for its existence, East Lansing Mayor Vic Loomis said.

“Not only are (the first tenants) graduating and moving, but we have new companies coming in,” Loomis said. “To me, that shows that there is a continuing need for this type of environment.”