DETROIT ? You have until Sunday Oct. 21 to contribute to the Groupon Grassroots campaign organized by Wayne State University’s TechTown to raise funds for the winner of the incubator’s Startup Soup pitch competition for social entrepreneurs Nov. 9 at Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit.

Using Groupon Grassroots collective action model, Groupon subscribers can pledge support for the Startup Soup initiative in increments of $10, with a maximum of $500 going to the Nov. 9 Soup winner. TechTown, a Detroit-based nonprofit incubator and accelerator, will save all additional funds raised for future Startup Soup winners.

Startup Soup provides an entrepreneurial twist on the established, highly popular crowd-funding model. To host the quarterly event, TechTown has partnered with Detroit Soup, a micro-granting dinner that funds creative projects in Detroit.

Entrepreneurs with a business designed to improve the community, solve a social problem or provide a social benefit, apply to pitch at Startup Soup. A panel of expert judges then selects three to five finalists, who will each have five minutes to present at the event, followed by two minutes of open Q&A. Attendees then enjoy soup, discuss the businesses and vote for their favorite.

Once the tipping point is reached, the Startup Soup winner is set to receive the $500, the door kitty ($5 at the door per attendee) and five workshop vouchers from TechTown. Each finalist receives two workshop vouchers from TechTown.

?The broader community can now easily help us raise much-needed funds for promising startup social ventures, led by entrepreneurs who can truly benefit from community support,? said TechTown CEO Leslie Smith. ?We certainly appreciate all contributions, as every dollar raised is essential in our efforts to aid these startups through their early stages of growth.?

Smith said she hopes the Groupon element of the campaign adding another $300 or so to the pool, ?but we do hope it will engage the community more.?

The public is invited to attend Startup Soup; the cost is $5 at the door for soup, salad, bread and a vote. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

To register, click on StartupSoupNov.EventBrite.Com