Innovators Converge on East Lansing for Mid-Michigan Entrepreneur Day

Entrepreneurs from around the state took a trip to East Lansing last week to present their ideas to investors and other entrepreneurs during Mid-Michigan’s Entrepreneur Day. The eight presenters included Pardalis, Rapid Biosense and Cerious Technologies.

According to excerpts from the article:

"We're constantly looking for investment, but it's also for other kinds of contacts," said John Cunningham, chief executive officer of Lansing-based startup Rapid BioSense, which is working to produce a new type of test to quickly and inexpensively detect bacteria.

"We find these forums extremely valuable as a way to build our network of people."

Economic development officials say making those kinds of connections are integral to building a regional economy based on entrepreneurship and innovation.

That's why the Prima Civitas Foundation, with support from the Flint-based C.S. Mott Foundation, plans to spend $45,000 over the next few months to help bring inventors, entrepreneurs and investors together across a 13-county region, in communities such as Saginaw, Flint and Lansing.

"I'm quite energized at what I'm seeing around the region," said David Hollister, president and CEO of the Lansing-based nonprofit economic development organization.

Tuesday's event was the third Entrepreneur Day for Prima Civitas in the Lansing area. Hollister said the organization hopes to hold similar events about every other month in cooperation with other area economic development groups and educational institutions. He said the idea is to help create a better climate for small business startups by linking entrepreneurs with coaches, investors and each other.

Read the entire article here.