Konnech, Inc.

Lansing-based software company leverages resources from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to grow their talent pool in Michigan

Election processes have evolved dramatically in recent years, particularly with the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in technology. Konnech, Inc., a Lansing-based election software company, has worked to help their clients in the United States, Canada and Australia keep up with changing times.

These shifting practices called for an update to software product offerings, according to Eric Staats, Product Director for Konnech, Inc.

“Over the last few years, we’ve been working with our clients to try and cater our solutions to meet their needs,” said Staats. “We work to provide logistic management software to expand vote-by-mail application resources, enhance poll worker training options to be more online and help our clients deliver secure election results.”

With this workload, Konnech, Inc. has been able to experience significant growth, more than quadrupling its size in the last four years. This growth spurred a need to hire top-tier talent to service their global client base.

Konnech considered opening up a base of operations in California, mostly because of the proximity to some of their clients and availability for technical staff who could be employed in that region.

Just before making the leap to the West Coast, COVID-19 hit, shifting work remotely for many of Konnech’s clients. That’s when Konnech connected with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to explore other ways to engage the talent they needed to succeed.

Through their relationship with MEDC, Konnech gained the resources they needed to keep the company local and hire staff in Michigan who could virtually service their clients.

Fast forward to today and they’re full speed ahead on redeveloping their system in order to meet client needs. At the beginning of 2022, they rolled out the new system for the first time to one of their new clients, and are beginning the process of bringing all new clients into their new system. Konnech also plans to replatform longtime clients to the new product.

Staats says the new staff they’ve been able to bring on have been essential to assisting in this transition.

Konnech, Inc. was recently recognized with a 2022 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch award from Michigan Celebrates Small Business, which Staats says the company is both flattered and motivated by.

“The recognition by Michigan Celebrates Small Business further bolsters our desire to stay in Michigan,” Staats said. “This is the first time we’ve won an award like this and it means a lot to us when we are rapidly growing and making a lot of key improvements to the company.”

Employers find that Michigan has one of the most talented, diverse and abundant workforces in the country and has the programs, resources and state-wide support that continues to build talent with in-demand skills that help businesses thrive.

Learn more about talent resources from MEDC at https://www.michiganbusiness.org/why-michigan/workforce/