Ann Arbor SPARK looks for next entrepreneur boot camp class

A lot of communities are talking up the entrepreneurship game these days, holding networking events and seminars to help get these little businesses of the future going today. Ann Arbor SPARK takes it a step further with its Entrepreneur Boot Camp, and it’s a big step.Boot camp is where aspiring business people pack a few years worth of business learning into two days. Think of it as an entrepreneurship cramming session for people with ideas who lack the basic knowledge about starting a business. This unique two-day program is a rare opportunity in the Ann Arbor area and the whole state. Most other new economy business incubators offer similar services in a hodgepodge of programs over a longer period of time.This year organizers from Ann Arbor SPARK are working to get participants involved and better prepared for boot camp earlier. That includes giving them more information and working with them beforehand.”We feel that if we have companies more engaged they will be better prepared,” says Elizabeth Parkinson, managing director of marketing and public relations for Ann Arbor SPARK.Ann Arbor SPARK is currently taking applications for its next boot camp on April 23-24. So far a number of companies have signed up, including firms that specialize in fuel cells, recreational equipment and nanotechnology. Companies that participated the last go around included software developers, bio-tech firms and Internet start-ups.Concentrate followed a couple of these local entrepreneurs through the last boot camp. That story can be found here. For more information about the boot camp application process send an email to Lori@AnnArborUSA.org.Source: Elizabeth Parkinson, managing director of marketing and public relations for Ann Arbor SPARKWriter: Jon Zemke