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MEDC: PitchMI is Back, Shark Tank Stars in GR, AND MORE!

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The Make It in Michigan Newsletter – August 2026

Welcome to this month’s Make It in Michigan update, highlighting small business growth, recent entrepreneurship and innovation activity across the state, including startup wins, success stories, new funding opportunities, upcoming events and ecosystem achievements.

PitchMI-2026

PitchMI is back!

Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 PitchMI competitions!

Michigan-based startups will compete in four semifinal competitions across the state, with $250,000 in investment funding awarded to each winner, plus a chance to compete in the statewide PitchMI Championship for an additional $1 million.

This year’s semifinal competitions represent Michigan’s strengths in Defense & Aerospace (Grand Rapids); AI & Software (Kalamazoo); Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, & Outdoors (Marquette); and Healthcare & Life Sciences (Detroit). If you’re building a high-growth startup in Michigan, learn more and apply today!

Learn More and Apply

GR-Tech-Week-2026

Shark Tank stars are coming to Grand Rapids to kick-off Tech Week GR!

Secure your September 14th tickets before they’re gone. “We are thrilled to welcome Daymond John and Robert Herjavec to Grand Rapids for Tech Week,” said Andria Romkema, Senior Vice President of Business Development at The Right Place and lead organizer of Tech Week Grand Rapids. Now in its fifth year, Tech Week Grand Rapids is a multi-day celebration of the Greater Grand Rapids region’s growing tech ecosystem.

Register Now

SBSH 2.0

Organizations selected for Small Business Support Hubs 2.0 Program

The MSF Board approved the MEDC’s selection of 11 organizations to serve as Small Business Support Hubs (SBSH), building on the success of the federally supported SBSH 1.0 program first introduced in 2023. SBSH 1.0 was funded by a one-time appropriation using American Rescue Plan Act dollars to create and operate programs to support small businesses disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

 
 

Upcoming Events

  • August 25: Startup Happy Hour
    Join the local startup & tech community every other month in the coolest spots around Detroit. These events are a great time to build connections, whether you’re just looking to hang out, job searching, hiring, or looking for general support.
  • September 14–19: Tech Week Grand Rapids
    Welcome to an unparalleled unconference of tech and innovation showcased right here in Grand Rapids, MI. With new tech exploration, panels, and a world of networking opportunities — you choose your own experience.
  • September 17: MIX Summit/Michigan Moves Demo Day
    Mobility Week in Michigan kicks off on September 17, 2026 at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, hosted by the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) and Centrepolis Accelerator.
  • September 24–October 3: Ann Arbor SPARK’s a2Tech360
    This event is a series of events celebrating Ann Arbor’s spirit of innovation through experiences, conversations, and connections that strengthen and expand the region’s vibrant technology ecosystem. The events are tailored to a variety of audiences, including entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, businesses, academic institutions, non-profits, job seekers, and the general public.
  • October 1: UnDemo Day
    UnDemo Day® is an in-person event in Detroit that includes:
    • Curated in-person 1:1 meetings between participating startups and venture capitalists, matched based on alignment of sector and stage, and the requests of VCs
    • Open networking with hundreds of venture investors
    • Startup Lunch & Learn with subject matter experts
  • October 15: MVCA 19th Annual Awards Celebration
    Celebrate the accomplishments driving innovation at the state’s largest investor networking event.
  • November 8–13: Mexico Trade Mission
    MEDC International Trade is currently recruiting for a multi-industry trade mission to Mexico with partners Automation Alley.
 

In Partnership With

Foster Swift: Intellectual Property is the Core of Your Business. Is your business protected? Your brand, your trade secrets, your invoices...learn more at michiganitlaw.com

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