DETROIT — The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition Tuesday named 54 semifinalists that will compete for more than $1 million in cash and prizes in one of North America’s largest business contests.
Designed to bring together later stage entrepreneurs with local, national and international investors, Accelerate Michigan companies have raised more than $123 million in funding and created more than 600 jobs in Michigan. This year’s fifth annual event will be held Nov. 4-6.
After an intense review process by the judge’s panel, 54 semifinalists have been selected to compete for the cash and in-kind services. Businesses from as far away as the United Kingdom and India applied for this year’s competition. Applications were submitted in eight economic sectors — advanced materials, advanced transportation, alternative energy, information technology, life sciences, medical devices, next-generation manufacturing, and other products and services.
Accelerate Michigan is made possible by grants from the New Economy Initiative and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. 21st Century Jobs Fund, and gets substantial corporate and community support.
In the event, semi-finalist investor pitches will begin on Nov. 4 in a two-day pitch competition at the Westin Book Cadillac in downtown Detroit.
The event ends Nov. 6 with finals at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, when a $500,000 grand prize and 10 additional awards totaling $500,000 in cash and in-kind prizes will be presented.
More about the semifinalists and the competition overall at More at www.acceleratemichigan.org.
The semifinalists were A2B Bikeshare, AIRS, Akervall Technologies Inc., AlertWatch, AlSentis, AMACS, Arbor Wind LLC, Beet Analytics Technology, Biophotonic Solutions Inc., Black Pine Engineering, Brio Device LLC, Cribspot, DataSpeaks Health Solutions, Detroit Materials, Elegus Technologies, Exo Dynamics, Flipsi Ltd., FreeStride Therapeutics, Genomenon, GPro System, GS Engineering, HautPay, IBUR BioSystems, Inventev, Levanto Financial, LogiCoul Solutions, Memloom Inc., Micro-LAM Technologies LLC, MitoStem, Mountain Labs, Movellus Circuits Inc., Neuvokas Corp., Nowza Inc., Optimal Process Technologies, Ornicept, Phasiq Inc., Piezonix, Promethient LLC, Saras LLC, Sentinl, Shock EngineWorks Inc., Sisu Global Health, SkySpecs, Snapsure, Solartonic LLC, Soletics, Stony Creek Laboratories, Supported Intelligence LLC, SurClean Inc., Tetra Discovery Partners, Mackinac Technology Co., TurtleCell, Upland Nanotech, and White Pine Systems LLC.