DETROIT ? Angelique Johnson, interim CEO and CTO of MEMStim LLC, won first place and $15,000 plus in-kind support in the Entrepreneur-YOU business plan and pitch competition.
Johnson?s company developed a fully automated manufacturing process for electrode lead production employing nanofabrication of thin films. MEMStim LLC intends to disrupt the neurostimulator market with a new automated nanofabrication manufacturing method to replace hand-assembly.
Second place went to Susan Land Sprentall of Wixom, who received $10,000 and in-kind support. Her company, SurClean, Inc. has developed disruptive technology to selectively remove paint and other surface coatings from multiple types of surfaces. SurClean’s proprietary system represents the next generation of surface coating removal. Sprentall is CEO and owner of American Laser Enterprises, providing manufacturing and technical engineering services to laser equipment OEMs, system integrators, distributors, and end users. She is a serial entrepreneur with 25 years of extensive technical sales and marketing experience as well as 13 years in the laser industry.
Winning third place in the Entrepreneur-YOU competition and receiving $5,000 plus in-kind support was Angela McCommons. Her company, Kids Kruiser LLC is a premium transportation service; serving youth ages 3 – 18 in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas of Southeastern Michigan. Kids Kruiser was established to provide a safe, reliable, child-friendly transportation service for young children and teens, and alleviate this growing stressor for parents and their children. McCommons, president and sole owner of Kids Kruiser, has professional experience at Chrysler Group LLC in problem solving, quality control and manufacturing resident engineering, as well as consulting her self-employed husband in growing his successful barber business.
The Entrepreneur-YOU business plan and pitch competition is a result of the collaboration between Walsh College, Michigan Women’s Foundation, Huntington Bank and Inforum to showcase ideas and uncover the best and brightest business concepts and companies of local women entrepreneurs.
Allowing women to pitch their business ideas in front of female community leaders, investors and other business leaders for possible launch or growth within Michigan through this competition is an unprecedented opportunity. Along with awarding cash prizes, the competition allows women to test their venture ideas and support the creation of viable businesses. In addition, coaching, mentoring, and in-kind support is provided to all finalists.
