Technology and Alternative Energy Companies Recognized at ACE’10 with Cash Prizes

Ann Arbor, Mich., January 21, 2010 – The Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest (GLEQ) presented awards to the mid-year winners in its tenth year of the statewide business plan competition on Thursday, January 21, at the ACE’10 event in Ann Arbor.

More than 175 Michigan-based entrepreneurial ventures were registered for the competition, which attracts a wide-range of innovation-base businesses in fields such as alternative energy, information technology and software, advanced manufacturing, homeland security, medical devices and life sciences. The competition’s twice-annual, two- track program accommodates both idea-stage ventures and companies with up to $3 million in cumulative sales.

Award winners in the Emerging Company category are:

First Place Award - $5,000. Current Motor Company, LLC. Represented by president, Peter Scott, and founders John Harding and Erik Kauppi, Ann Arbor-based Current Motor Company is designing and manufacturing electric motorcycles and scooters.

Second Place Award - $2,500. RealKidz, Inc. Represented by president, Merrill Guerra, Ypsilanti-based RealKidz addresses the issue of childhood obesity by offering plus-size clothing to young teens and a social network of support and information for parents.

Third Place Award - $1,500. White Pine Systems, LLC, doing business as SPINN. Represented by president and CEO, Douglas Dormer, Ann Arbor-based SPINN provides a internet-based personal health records system to securely store, manage and communicate personal health information.

Award winners in the New Business Ideas category are:

First Place Award - $2,000. Global Energy Innovations, Inc. Represented by president and Chief Technical Officer, K. Joel Barry, PhD, Flint-base GEI is a Kettering University spin-out that is commercializing technology to accelerate the transition to the hydrogen and fuel cell economy.

Second Place Award - $1,000. Nalu Solar Tools. Represented by president, Jennifer McLaughlin, Ypsilanti-based Nalu Solar Tools provides web-based software offering operational support to photovoltaic contractors.

Third Place Award - $500. Ix Innovations/Pocket Pico. Represented by COO, Greg Marek, and CEO, Ian Dailey, Ann Arbor-based iXInnovations produces a portable electronic instrument called the Pocket Pico for use in developing low power devices.

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award was presented to Loretta Cipkus Dubray, president and CEO of Kalamazoo-based Global Clinical Connections, for her tenacity in building her business and in recognition of her commitment to "have a plan and work the plan." The Coach Recognition Award was presented to Kenneth W. Kousky, Dow Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Saginaw Valley State University, for his work with three entrepreneurs in the competition and for engaging university students in Michigan’s entrepreneurial community.

Winning ventures were selected by 85 volunteer judges, including venture capitalists; angel investors; university-based tech transfer, engineering and business staff; and economic and business development professionals.

The awards were presented by Diane Durance, Executive Director, GLEQ; Jack Ahrens, Managing Partner, TGap Ventures, and Chairman of the GLEQ Board of Directors; and Michelle Crumm, Chief Financial Officer, Adaptive Materials, Inc. and Treasurer of the GLEQ Board of Directors. Adaptive Materials, Inc. was the Grand Prize winner in the 2003 GLEQ Business Plan Competition.

About Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest

GLEQ, now in its tenth year of continuous operations, is a Michigan-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit education program designed to accelerate the formation of high-growth companies.

GLEQ sponsors a statewide business plan competition twice each year. The competition accommodates ventures in various stages of development. Entrepreneurs with new business concepts compete in the New Business Idea category. Ventures in the early launch phases and those with grant income and customer revenue compete in the Emerging Company category. Ventures working with SmartZone advisors and seeking seed funding, can compete for the $100,000 SmartZone Award. Innovation Awards are available for ventures in Advanced Manufacturing and Alternative Energy.

GLEQ leverages a portfolio of 185 volunteer business and investment experts to provide training, coaching, mentoring and judging. GLEQ was a past recipient of a 21st Century Jobs Fund Grant and current operations are funded by a Strategic Service Provider grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. GLEQ award sponsors including Automation Alley, NextEnergy, Southwest Michigan First, University of Michigan Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, Quantum Ventures and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Skandalaris.