Though November may mean shorter days and chillier nights, the entrepreneurial-events calendar is heating up. Take advantage of the action before things quiet down for the holidays by attending one of these events, which are open to the public.
On November 14, head to the Cobo Center in Detroit for Michigan Emerging, a Global Entrepreneurship Week networking conference for “movers, shakers, entrepreneurs, and those that love Michigan and want to help shape its future.” Keynote speeches will be delivered by Governor Rick Snyder; Tim Bryan, CEO of the IT company GalaxE. Solutions; and David Segura, CEO of VisionIT. The event also includes panel discussions about topics ranging from brand management, leveraging technology, the pros and cons of VC and foundation investment, and the next evolution of startup help. Click here to register.
Wayne State University’s Blackstone LaunchPad hosts the student business-plan competition Get Launched! on November 15. During the event, the students from the Blackstone LaunchPad programs of Wayne State University in Detroit and Walsh College in Troy, MI, with the most innovative business models will have the opportunity to pitch them before a panel of Detroit business leaders in the BLP Tank (modeled after the “Shark Tank” the television show). The panel will include Rishi Jaitly of the Knight Foundation, Hatch Detroit founders Ted Balowski and Nick Gorga, Slow’s Bar-B-Q owner Phil Cooley, and Dan Izzo of BizdomU. Josh Linkner, CEO and founder of Detroit Venture Partners, will deliver the keynote address. Admission is free, click here to register.
The Accelerate Michigan business-plan competition culminates November 15 to 17 . Semi-finalists will make their presentations on November 16 at the Eagle Conference Center in Ypsilanti, MI. The winners will be announced November 17 at a gala at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, MI. Throughout the event, there are many opportunities to network and attend round-table discussions. To check out the full agenda, click here.
After celebrating the best and the brightest among Michigan’s entrepreneurial community, you may have some ideas about your own company. If that includes technological innovation, submit your startup idea to the National Science Foundation to receive a jump-start grant. (Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply.) Phase I awards provide up to $150,000. To submit your proposal, click here.
High-growth startups of all kinds in need of venture capital are encouraged to submit their business plans to the InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum. About 40 companies will be selected to present their business ideas at a St. Louis, MO event in April 2012. Click here for details; early registration ends November 18.
