Accelerate Otsego to let new, prospective businesses compete for funds
GAYLORD — If you have a fledgling organization or an idea for a new enterprise in Otsego County, programs are now getting approved for a software intended to really encourage entrepreneurship.
Speed up Otsego is the name of the hard work from the Otsego County Economic Alliance (OCEA) and sponsoring members.
“Any small business that has been functioning significantly less than three yrs or is a brand name new company notion are suitable for this system,” said Lisa McComb, government director of OCEA.
Applications are now out there at the OCEA places of work in the Otsego County constructing on Most important Road in Gaylord. Apps will be recognized as a result of June 18 and have to have a $75 non-refundable price to aid with program fees.
Equivalent to “Shark Tank,” the Emmy Award-successful entrepreneurial-themed actuality exhibit on the ABC television community, enterprise house owners will pitch their ideas on Sept. 15 when competitors will vie for above $22,000 in funding.
“They will pitch their business enterprise approach or notion to judges from our sponsoring businesses,” McComb explained.
Those include Consumers Strength, DTE, Huntington Lender, Northeast Michigan Council of Governments and Otsego County, extra McComb.
The program will start off Aug. 4 when mentors from the Small Enterprise Enhancement Center and the Gaylord Department of Rating, the nation’s major community of volunteer company mentors, will supply two-hour assistance, a person evening a week for four weeks at the Otsego County Library to help competing entrepreneurs with their business designs and pitch proposals.
Just after the August periods, business people will current their strategies to a panel of judges from the sponsoring corporations and a stay audience. The initial position winner will acquire $9,500 in funding, the next put small business will get $7,000 although the third area company will obtain $4,000. A fourth area award of $2,000 will go to a small business chosen in part by the viewers that night time.
Applicant needs are that the company will have to be a for-income procedure dependent in Otsego County. Thanks to sponsorship restrictions, cannabis organizations are not qualified for the program.
“Accelerate Otsego allows OCEA and our associates to provide unique business progress instruments and methods to our area business people together with seed funding that permits them to give special or desired enterprises to our communities,” claimed McComb.