SPARK East to hold elevator pitch competition in downtown Ypsilanti

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 | Source: Concentrate
Delivering a short speech to win a big investment is not as easy as it looks in the entrepreneurial world, however, such behavior promises to be fun to watch when Ann Arbor SPARK hosts an Elevator Pitch competition in downtown Ypsilanti in early June. Think of it as a poetry slam for entrepreneurs. Minus the poetry.

An elevator pitch is a short, persuasive speech an entrepreneur gives about their company or product to an investor preferably in the average time (a few minutes) of an elevator ride. The idea is to convince potential investors or customers to take interest. An elevator pitch is seen as a key part of a start-up culture in the Silicon Valleys of the world.

"We really view the elevator pitch as the opportunity for the entrepreneur to explain their idea succinctly," says Elizabeth Parkinson, vice president of marketing and communications for Ann Arbor SPARK.

The pitch competition will showcase five innovation-based entrepreneurs giving their best argument for their start-ups. Ann Arbor SPARK is taking applications for the competition now through May 14. The five finalists will be chosen by May 21 so they can compete on the afternoon of June 4.

The winner will receive a free year at the Ann Arbor SPARK East Incubator in downtown Ypsilanti and up to $50,000 in business-accelerator services. That includes everything from mentoring to legal services to a membership in the Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce. The winner will also be chosen by a small panel of local funding and business experts.

Ann Arbor SPARK choose to hold the event in downtown Ypsilanti to highlight the entrepreneurial resources it offers not only at the SPARK East Incubator but at the Eastside Innovation Campus and the entire east side of Wahstenaw County. The competition is also meant to help keep the pipeline of start-ups and entrepreneurs full at the business acceleration agency.

"The pitch competition is just one more effort to keep the pipeline robust and full of entrepreneurs," Parkinson says.

Source: Elizabeth Parkinson, vice president of marketing and communications for Ann Arbor SPARK
Writer: Jon Zemke
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    201 S. Division, Suite 430
    Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 Website
    Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is the driving force in establishing the Ann Arbor region as a destination for business expansion, retention, and location by identifying and meeting the needs of business at every stage, from startups to ...
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