It's Global Entrepreneur Week Across Michigan
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Great Lakes IT Report
State officials announced a variety of activities for Global Entrepreneur Week to inspire young Michiganders to go into business for themselves.
Included is an Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour of four university campuses.
More than 90 organizations, schools and businesses – more than in any other state – plan activities promoting entrepreneurship.
“Every company in Michigan today, from partnership to corporation, started with an idea or inspiration that somebody turned into a business,” Gov. Jennifer Granholm said. “In that spirit of entrepreneurship, we are encouraging Michigan citizens to explore the educational and technical resources available to help them change the direction of their career and the direction of our state’s economy.”
Global Entrepreneurship Week was started in 2008 with four goals: to awaken young people around the world to their own potential for success in starting and growing a business; to network young people across boundaries, cultures and disciplines in an exchange of ideas; to enlist entrepreneurs around the world to coach and mentor the next generation of enterprise talent; and to demonstrate the importance of entrepreneurship to a nation’s economic health. Last year more than three million people in 78 countries took part. This year 87 countries are participating.
Campuses on the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour will be open to the public as follows: Michigan Technological University, Houghton; (Nov. 16), Lake Superior State University, Sault Ste. Marie; (Nov. 17), LEAP (Lansing Economic Area Partnership)/Michigan State University, Lansing (Nov. 18) and Northwood University, Midland (Nov. 19).
“Over the long term, Michigan needs to build a culture of entrepreneurship because the days are over when one big industry with a few giant companies could be relied upon to drive economic growth,” Michigan Economic Development Corp. CEO Greg Main said.
Other entrepreneurial events statewide include:
* Flint: Field trip to the Michigan Business Center;
* Ann Arbor: Tour of the Menlo Software Factory, Starting Your Own Business presentation by Spark economic development agency;
* Sterling Heights: Regional Chamber of Commerce, Breakfast & Business;
* Boyne: Area Chamber of Commerce, Business After Hours;
* Holland: Lakeshore Advantage economic development agency, The Lakeshore’s Next Top Entrepreneur Competition.
Go to http://migew.com/ for a statewide Global Entrepreneurship Week calendar of events.
Ann Arbor Spark's Boot Camp Celebration and Starting Your Own Business reflect GEW’s celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity.
“Ann Arbor Spark actively promotes year-round the spirit of entrepreneurship that GEW will celebrate the week of November 16-22,” said Ann Arbor Spark CEO Michael A. Finney. “Inspiring new business start-ups and supporting those start-ups as they grow is key to fostering a robust, diverse economy. We support and celebrate efforts to inspire entrepreneurs around the world through the Ann Arbor region’s participation in GEW.”
Ann Arbor Spark's Boot Camp Celebration concludes its fall Boot Camp program. Designed to help entrepreneurs refine their business plans and marketing outreach through in-depth mentoring with experienced business leaders, Boot Camp offers the chance to pitch investors at its annual Celebration. Ann Arbor Spark’s Boot Camp Celebration, a free event, will be held Wednesday, Nov. 18, 5 to 8 p.m., at Spark Central.
"Starting Your Own Business" is a forum offered in conjunction with Washtenaw County’s Department of Employment Training and Community Services and Washtenaw Community College that offers entrepreneurs an insider’s look at launching a successful venture. Topics covered by Starting Your Own Business include marketing, legal, accounting, franchises, business plans and financing options; participants will also have the opportunity to get advice from a variety of business experts and organizations.
"Starting Your Own Business" costs $25 to attend and will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Washtenaw Community College’s Morris Lawrence Building.
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