ANN ARBOR – Thirty alumni of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest competition are among the 53 semi-finalists selected in the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. This select group will pitch their business plans to investors in November for the chance to win more than $1 million in cash and in-kind awards.
Of the 53 semi-finalists, 30 have participated in the GLEQ Business Plan Competition and 13 have won awards in the GLEQ competition between 2007 and 2011. Advice from GLEQ volunteer coaches, feedback from investors, and education on business plan development readies GLEQ participants to launch innovative ventures that are prepared for growth and opportunities like the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.
?More than 300 companies registered for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition and it was a tough challenge to select semi-finalists,? said Skip Simms, senior vice president of Ann Arbor SPARK, on behalf of the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, a sponsor of the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.
Semi-finalists that have won awards in the GLEQ Business Plan Competition include:
Advanced Battery Concepts – 2009 Automation Alley Innovation Award for Advanced Manufacturing, 2009 NextEnergy Innovation Award for Alternative Energy; 2009 First Place – New Business Idea
Arbor Wind – Fall 2010 Second Place – Emerging Company
Blaze Medical Devices – 2007 First Place – New Business Idea
Current Motor Company – Fall 2009 First Place – Emerging Company
DeNovo Sciences – 2011 First Place – New Business Idea
Family Mint – 2010 First Place – New Business Idea
Fusion Coolant Systems – Fall 2010 First Place – Emerging Company
InPore Technologies, Inc. – 2010 SmartZone Award Winner
NextCAT – 2011 Automation Alley Innovation Award for Advanced Manufacturing
OcuSciences – 2008 Grand Prize – Emerging Company
ONL Therapeutics – Fall 2010 Second Place – New Business Idea
Syzygy Biotech – 2011 SmartZone Award Winner
TherapyCharts – 2010 Best of Biotech – New Business Idea
White Pines Systems – Fall 2009 Third Place – Emerging Company
“We’re here to help early stage entrepreneurs connect with the resources that will move their ventures forward,” said Diane Durance, executive director, Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest. “It’s clear that working with a GLEQ coach and going through the steps of the GLEQ Business Plan Competition gives motivated entrepreneurs a leg up in the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition and increases their opportunities to get in front of investors.”
The GLEQ Business Plan Competition is accepting registrations through October 21. All Michigan entrepreneurs are welcome to participate and will be matched with a business coach to assist them as they develop their business plan. No documents are due until December 9. Awards will be presented at ACE’12 on Tuesday, January 31, 2012.
The complete list of 53 Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition semi-finalists includes:
Advanced Materials
Blue Water Bioproducts
GreenSand
InfiChem Polymers, LLC
InPore Technologies, Inc.
The Mackinac Technology Company
Vinci Technology Corp
Advanced transportation
Current Motor
ECO-Fueling
EcoVElectric
ENRG Power Systems LLC
ParkingCarma
Alternative energy
Accio Energy
Advanced Battery Concepts
Arbor Wind
Climate Technologies Co.
Grid Logic
Metro Ag Services
NextCAT
Spider9
Defense and homeland security
Emitech, Inc.
H3D
nanoRETE
Visotek
Information technology
Are You Human
GPX Software
i3D Technologies Inc.
Practical EHR Solutions
TherapyCharts
White Pines Systems
Life science
ApoLife
BioPhotonic Solutions
DeNovo Sciences
NEXTGEN Metabolomics
ONL Therapeutics
Phrixus Pharmaceuticals
RetroSense Therapeutics
Syzygy Biotech
Medical devices
Advanced Cooling Therapy
Blaze Medical Devices
OcuSciences
Retia Medical
Shoulder Innovations
ULTrA
Next generation manufacturing
ePack
Fusion Coolant Systems
North Coast Industrial Imaging
SenSigma
Products and services
Algal Scientific Corporation
Applied Engineering Technologies
ArtJen Conplexus
FamilyMint
Llaamasoft
Nutriinfo
To qualify for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition prize monies, businesses must make a commitment to locate and grow in Michigan. These companies must also be past proof of concept and in the commercial stage of business development. The competition finals will be held November 15 – 17 at the Eagle Crest Conference Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The Gala Awards Celebration will be held the evening of November 17 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.
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