One of the main ideas behind Ann Arbor-based start-up Saagara is that proper breathing will lead to a healthier life. The year-old firm also believes it will lead to some new jobs, too.

Nagabhushanam Peddi started the company shortly after he left his surgical residency. The firm focuses on providing a holistic approach to better health centered around breathing called Pranayama.

"Simply by diet, breathing technique and some exercise you can improve people's health significantly," Peddi says.

Today that concept employs Peddi and five independent contractors and the occasional intern. The company hopes to have six employees by this summer when it launches its full service. The goal is to start its customer base this year, taking in a few corporations, health-insurance companies and even people who just want to live healthier lives.

Saagara, which is Sanskrit for an ocean of ideas, hopes to expand into other languages and both Internet and smart phone applications in the near future. It has already taken in some Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Funds to help accomplish this and is working on bringing in some venture capital.

"We're speaking to some private-equity firms to get some more capital," Peddi says. "We're doing this in stages."

Source: Nagabhushanam Peddi, president of Saagara
Writer: Jon Zemke