Lakeshore Advantage is launching the inaugural Surge Summit.
The half-day event will highlight product and technology startups in West Michigan’s Lakeshore region and aims to ignite conversations about pathways to innovation for businesses at all stages and sizes. Enterprise innovation leaders, research and development professionals, and aspiring and current product and technology founders are invited.
“The Surge Summit represents a crucial milestone for our community and beyond,” says Jennifer Owens, president of
Lakeshore Advantage. “This summit will showcase best practices in innovation and collaboration. By bringing together visionary entrepreneurs and major corporations, we will highlight successful partnerships and hopefully create new relationships. I urge all stakeholders to participate and be part of this transformative gathering."
The summit will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at downtown Holland’s Warehouse 6, 136 E. 6
th St., starting at 1 p.m. The Holland event is part of the larger
Tech Week GR event series.
The event will feature a keynote presentation, two panel discussions, and up to eight product displays from local startups. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with industry leaders and gather insights for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Mophie co-founder to speak
Shawn Dougherty, co-creator of the first juice pack battery case for the iPhone, will open the summit with the keynote address. Dougherty will tell attendees how product innovation gets started and gains momentum, and how enterprises can make smart assessments for innovation and investments.
“I am thrilled to be back in my home state of Michigan, where my journey began, and to share the lessons I've learned along the way,” she says. “The entrepreneurial spirit and innovative energy here are truly inspiring.”
Dougherty's most notable achievement was co-founding mophie, the company behind the revolutionary juice pack battery case for iPhones. This innovation not only solved a common problem for smartphone users but also created a new product category in the mobile accessories market.
Dougherty's entrepreneurial journey extends beyond mophie. She has successfully launched and scaled multiple technology-driven companies. Her expertise spans product development, marketing, and strategic business growth.
"We are thrilled to have Shawn Dougherty as our keynote speaker for the SURGE Summit," says Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. "Her experiences and insights will be invaluable to our West Michigan entrepreneurs and corporate innovators as they seek to solve unique challenges and drive growth."
Startups will be showcased
Mike Morin, partner at Seamless Ventures and investment partner at Wakestream Ventures, will moderate the first panel discussion. Panelists include Rob Hamelink, of G3 Acoustics; Tyler Blair, of Bit-Farms; and Tim Murphy, of Audio Radar.
The second panel discussion will include leaders from Gentex, Haworth and more.
Startups that will have displays showcasing their work include Audio Radar, Lilypad Labs, Virtual Sandtable, Bit-Farms, and Knit It.
"We are shining a light on the incredible innovation and product development that takes place in West Michigan’s Lakeshore region," says Peter Beukema, board chair of the Local Development Finance Authority. "This event will be instrumental in fostering continued success and growth in our region."
The Surge Summit is open to the public, but registration is required. Those who want to participate can register through the event’s website at
WestMIBusinessAdvantage.com/surge_summit.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.