World Trade Week also takes place next week to celebrate international trade and business growth for Michigan. In honor of World Trade Week, Josh Billington, Assistant State Director of Strategic Innovation Operations with the Michigan Small Business Development Center will join MEDC’s Director of International Trade, Alyssa Tracey, on May 2 at 1 p.m. EST for a live webcast to discuss growth opportunities available for Michigan small businesses through expanding into international markets.

The Northeast Michigan Food and Beverage Processing Support Pitch Competition is seeking food and beverage businesses looking for support to start or scale operations. If selected to pitch, you will pitch to a panel of judges in-person at AuSable Artisan Village Art Center on May 23. Businesses should submit their applications by May 2. The competition is being hosted by the MEDC, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, MSU Product Center, Taste the Local Difference, North East Michigan Council of Governments, and Small Business Development Center.

The MI Tri-Share Child Care Pilot Program (Tri-Share) is an innovative approach to increasing access to high quality, affordable childcare for working families, while also helping to retain talent and removing one major barrier to employment. Through Tri-Share, the cost of childcare is shared equally by an eligible employee, their employer, and the State of Michigan, with coordination being provided regionally by a facilitator hub. Tri-Share is a pilot project administered by the Michigan Women’s Commission, funded by the State of Michigan with additional support provided by public and private foundations.

A recent episode of The Michigan Opportunity podcast Brandee Cooke-Brown, Executive Director, 100K Ideas. Cooke-Brown joins host Ed Clemente as they discuss how to assist innovation and entrepreneurship in Flint. 100K Ideas is a community of hobbyists, thinkers, and inventors with the mission of helping passionate innovators create products, services and startups of their own through mentorship. Learn about how they assist in benchmarks, trademark, patent and domain searches, market trends/analytics, and purchaser and end user Information. You can also read the transcript from the conversation.

Michigan Economic Development Corporation helps to connect businesses to new resources, meet new partners and access the additional capital they need from the start. If your business needs support to reach its new potential, the MEDC is available to help. Visit michiganbusiness.org/pure-partnership to find customized business assistance.

MEDC continues to support businesses and communities across the state. Learn more about our economic and recovery resources currently available or read more about the impact our programs are having and our COVID-19 response.