Ann Arbor SPARK scores $250K grant for biz accelerator model

Ann Arbor SPARK has received a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration to expand its coverage area into eastern Washtenaw and western Wayne counties. The feds hope its business accelerator model can serve as the blueprint for similar business accelerators across the U.S.

"We want to see if it will work as well in areas where the aren't as many entrepreneurs," says Skip Simms, senior vice president of Ann Arbor SPARK.

Ann Arbor SPARK has traditionally serviced primarily the city of Ann Arbor, but has branched out into downtown Ypsilanti and the Michigan Life Sciences & Innovation Center in Plymouth. Now it will cover all of these areas, providing business development services primarily for tech start-ups. Local business-building experts will also be enlisted to help assist and mentor those start-ups.

The focus will be on helping established but emerging companies. Services will include marketing and business development strategies, collaborative partnerships, business development and investor plans, and IP and commercialization strategies.

Source: Skip Simms, senior vice president of Ann Arbor SPARK
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.