What’s happening: An innovative small business incubator developed for military veterans is coming to Traverse City, offering a 10-week entrepreneurship and acceleration program at no cost for those eligible. The program culminates with an entrepreneur pitch night where participants vie for $15,000 in prize money.
What it is: The
Michigan Veteran Entrepreneur-Lab is offered by Grand Valley State University and its DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Founded in 2018, the program comes to northwestern Michigan this spring when the GVSU Traverse City Regional Center will host this latest cohort of entrepreneurs.
Why it is: "The MVE-Lab brings a fresh perspective to the entrepreneurial ecosystem by focusing on the unique needs of veterans and their families," says Shannon Owen, director of the Northern Michigan region for GVSU. "The region embodies a culture that honors military service."
How it works: The program matches participants with local mentors as they learn, fine-tune, and/or launch their start-ups, meeting each Monday from March 17 through May 5. A final event will have the entrepreneurs pitch their startup ideas in a showcase that awards $15,000 in prize money.
The program is free for military veterans and those eligible, but a competitive application process is mentioned on the MVE-Lab
website. A complete breakdown of the program, including its application process,
is available online.
What they’re saying: "The community partners we’ve met in Traverse City are eager to collaborate and ensure a successful cohort," says Shorouq Almallah, director of the DeVos CEI. "The area offers a vibrant and supportive ecosystem and a culture of creativity. MVE-Lab aims to collaborate with these resources and partners to help veterans thrive during the program and continue building sustainable, impactful businesses long after it ends."
The GVSU Traverse City Regional Center is located at 2200 Dendrinos Dr. in Traverse City.
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