GLEQ will be announcing the Fall Business Plan Competition winners at ACE'12 at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor on January 31, 2012.

Information and registration for ACE'10 is available at www.ace-event.org.

GLEQ will launch the Spring Cycle of the 2012 Business Plan Competition on February 6. Entrepreneurs must register by Wednesday, March 28, to be matched with a business coach and to have the chance to win awards.

New Business Idea participants will prepare five-page Executive Summaries that must be submitted for judging by May 14.

Emerging Company participants will prepare 12-page Business Plans that must be submitted for judging by May 14.

Awards will be presented at the GLEQ Awards Banquet on Tuesday, June 12.

Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest (GLEQ) hosted its 11th Annual Statewide Business Plan Competition Award Ceremony on Thursday, June 9, 2011, with sponsor organizations Automation Alley, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Small Business Technology Development Centers (MI-SBTDC), and the Michigan SmartZones, at the James B. Henry Center on the Michigan State University campus.

The event culminated in the presentation of the $100,000 SmartZone Award, sponsored by the Michigan SmartZones and funded through the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, administered by Ann Arbor SPARK. The award was presented to Syzygy Biotech Solutions, LLC, by Skip Simms, senior vice president, Ann Arbor SPARK and managing director of the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund program. The award was received by Barry Nowak, founder and CEO, and MSU alumnus.

The Fall 2010 GLEQ Business Plan Award Winners were announced at ACE'11 on January 31:

Spirit of Entrepreneurship - Ponce Hunter, Premier Global Marketing, Detroit

Coach Recognition Award - Helen Ewing, The Ewing Group, Brighton

Emerging Company

First Place - Fusion Coolant Systems, Ypsilanti
Second Place - ArborWind, Ann Arbor
Third Place - MitoStem, Detroit

New Business Idea

First Place - STIgma Free, Ann Arbor
Second Place - Local Orbit, Ann Arbor
Third Place - Figure 8 Rescue, Linden

GLEQ hosted its Statewide Business Plan Competition Award Ceremony on Thursday, June 10, 2010 with partner organizations Automation Alley, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and the Michigan SmartZones, at the University Club on the Michigan State University campus.

The event culminated in the presentation of the $100,000 SmartZone Award, sponsored by the Michigan SmartZones and funded through the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, administered by Ann Arbor SPARK. The award was presented to Lansing-based InPore Technologies by Skip Simms, vice president, entrepreneurial business development at Ann Arbor SPARK and managing director of the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund program. The award was received by Gerald Roston, PhD, president.

Entrepreneurs across Michigan are invited to joint the GLEQ Business Plan Competition in the fall.

Registration Opens: Monday, August 22

Registration Closes: Friday, October 21

Executive Summaries Due: Friday, December 9

Awards Presented: ACE'12, January 31, 2012, Ann Arbor

GLEQ and the network of Michigan SmartZones presented the $100,000 SmartZone award for the second consecutive year in the GLEQ Business Plan Competition. The award was presented to Syzygy Biotech Solutions of Grand Rapids. The award was received by Syzygy CEO Barry Nowak on June 9 at Entrepreneur Connect 2011 on campus at Michigan State University.

The Summer 2011 GLEQ Business Plan Award Winners were announced at Entrepreneur Connect 2011 on June 9:

Spirit of Entrepreneurship - Kenneth Faris, president, Twinzy Toys, Battle Creek.

Coach of The Year Award - Greg George, GTI Advisors, Ann Arbor

SmartZone Award- Syzygy Biotech Solutions, WMSTI, Grand Rapids

Emerging Company
Grand Prize - Clean Energy Innovation, Bloomfield
Runner Up - MitoStem, TechTown, Detroit

New Business Idea
First Place - DeNovo Sciences, Ypsilanti
Runner Up - ONL Therapeutics, Ann Arbor

Automation Alley Innovation Award - Advanced Manufacturing - NextCAT, TechTown, Detroit

GLITR Award - Clean World Fuels, Macomb Township

At ACE'11, Michigan Growth Capital Symposium awarded a presenting company slot to the top emerging company winner, Fusion Coolant Systems, to be featured at MGCS on Tuesday, May 10.

May 10-11 the symposium will host 44 presenting companies seeking up to $20 million in funding – twelve of which will be angel/seed stage companies seeking $500 thousand to $2 million in funding.

GLEQ will be giving out the next $100,000 SmartZone Award in the Spring 2011 cycle of the GLEQ Business Plan Competition. The award will be presented in June 2011. There are extra steps and there are other qualifications to join the SmartZone Competition.

Please click here to find out more