It's your final chance to register for the Great Lakes International Innovation Summit. The 2019 GLIn2 Summit will be held in Kalamazoo, MI from September 17 through September 19. The event will take place at the Radisson Plaza Hotel, however the block of rooms at the Radisson are all reserved. While you are able to make a reservation at the Radisson on your own, the regular room rate may be too expensive for some attendees. If you prefer a less expensive lodging option in the Kalamazoo area, click HERE for some good alternative choices.

A special Kalamazoo beer tour will be offered on the evening of September 17. The tour will begin at the Radisson Plaza Hotel's Old Burdick's Bar & Grill at 5:30 with a trolley ride to Tibbs Brewing Company where we will enjoy a light dinner, 3 samples or a pint each, and a tour of the brewery. The trolley will then take us on a short tour around downtown Kalamazoo, narrated by a knowledgeable tour director and including complimentary snacks and bottled water. Next the trolley stops at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe where everyone will receive a full pour of beer, cider, or wine. The evening ends when the trolley delivers us all back at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at 8:30 p.m. The tour costs $60 per person and is limited to 25 people.

You can register for all activities at https://www.glin2.com/. The code to receive the State Association Member discount is 2019State. A separate discount code will be provided to anyone who is selected to be a speaker at the GLIn2 Summit.See you there!
 

The final MBIA Member Meeting of 2019 will take place on Thursday, December 12 from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM at Build Institute’s The Corner (at the former Tiger Stadium site in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood). The topic is "Next Steps for Startups: Programs to Help Companies Scale." Kevin Suboski, an Implementer for the Entrepreneurial Operating System, will present on what EOS is all about. We hope many MBIA members will come and share their ideas for how to serve second stage companies. MBIA will provide lunch for members who attend.

ACRE AgTech announced our first accelerator in April 2019. Of the 40 startups that applied, three were selected to participate based on our awareness of some of the key challenges Michigan’s $100 Billion agriculture industry faces. On August 26, 2019, these dynamic startup companies will begin a 12-week program designed to help them launch their innovations into the Michigan agricultural community.

ACRE selected these three companies because of their demonstrated ability to address real problems with tangible solutions. The founders of these companies displayed the resiliency, entrepreneurial spirit, and can-do attitudes required of a growing, innovative organization. Over the 12-week cohort, the founders will interact with leaders in agriculture and business from across the state. The coaching and mentoring they will receive, covering a wide range of business practices, will train them to lead their young companies into the agricultural industry.

The mission of the ACRE AgTech Accelerator program is to improve conditions for Michigan farmers and catalyze economic development by helping launch new businesses. For more information or to become involved with ACRE AgTech Accelerator, contact Doug Huesdash, Chief Operating Officer, at 616.450.5274 or doug@acreagtech.com

A GrowthWheel certification course will be offered at the WMed Innovation Center in Kalamazoo on September 16-17, prior to the Great Lakes International Summit. At the 2-day GrowthWheel Certification Course participants will learn to use the GrowthWheel Toolbox and GrowthWheel Online.

The price to become a certified and licensed GrowthWheel user is divided into a Course Fee for the Training & Certification and an annual License Fee per individual. For some licensees, GrowthWheel provides new sources of revenue, because fees are charged to the end user, or because sponsors are attracted to the tangible benefits GrowthWheel provides.

Not sure if GrowthWheel is for you? Joining one of the 45-minute introductory webinars is the fastest way to learn everything you need to know to make a decision about getting a GrowthWheel Certification and License.

If you are coming for the GLIn2 Summit, you might want to consider extending your stay and getting GrowthWheel certified. Information and registration is at https://www.growthwheel.com/courses/kalamazoo-sep2019. 

Please join Lawrence Technological University and the City of Southfield on October 4, 2019, to celebrate the grand opening of the Centrepolis Accelerator's new 6,300 sq. ft., state-of-the-art product innovation center on the campus of Lawrence Technological University. The center will provide product design technologies, prototyping equipment, mixed reality technologies, and collaborative workspace to small manufacturers and hardware entrepreneurs.

Centrepolis Accelerator at LTU
21415 Civic Center Dr, Ste. 100
Southfield, MI 48076
Building #18 on the LTU campus map