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Ninth Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship (ACE) Connects Great Lakes Region Entrepreneurs

Posted on: Wednesday, 17 December 2008, 09:25 CST

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- For the ninth straight year, entrepreneurs, investors, and support organizations from across the Great Lakes region will gather at a conference that showcases innovative business ventures and celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship. ACE '09 will take place on Thursday, January 22, 2009 at Washtenaw Community College's Morris Lawrence Building, from 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Returning as Emcee will be Chris Holman, Small Business Advocate at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, publisher, and TV & radio host. The ACE '09 program will feature a Showcase Presentation by Roger Newton, CEO of Esperion Therapeutics. In addition, six individuals will go head to head in ACE's elevator pitch competition before a panel of venture capitalists and angel investors for recognition as the ACE '09 Elevator Pitch Competition winner.

Attendees will have excellent opportunities to network, learn, and connect at ACE. Workshops include Innovation in the Great Lakes Region, moderated by Philip Power of the Center for Michigan; Globalization & Opportunity in the Region, moderated by Sonja Johnson of the Van Andel Global Trade Center; and Attracting C-Level Talent, moderated by Jim Adox of Venture Investors. The exhibit hall will feature displays by entrepreneurial companies and support organizations, including an early-stage poster presentation area.

New this year, ACE '09 will feature an intercollegiate pitch competition, in which competitors from University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and other schools will go head-to-head with three-minute elevator pitches.

ACE '09 will include the presentation of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest Phase I Awards for the GLEQ Business Plan Competition. The top new Emerging Company will receive $5000, and the top New Business Idea will receive $2000.

ACE '09 organizers include New Enterprise Forum, MIT Enterprise Forum of the Great Lakes, Ann Arbor SPARK, Automation Alley, Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest, Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, Regional Growth Partnership and Rocket Ventures of Toledo, the University of Michigan College of Engineering, and the University of Michigan Technology Transfer Office.

ACE's Lead Sponsor is Butzel Long Attorneys and Counselors. Our Professional Services Sponsor is Hylant Insurance Group, and our Co-Sponsor is the Entrepreneurial Initiative of Southeast Michigan. ACE's Lead Media Sponsor is the Michigan Business Review.

For event information and online pre-registration, visit www.ace-event.org. Admission is $9 for pre-registered attendees; registration at the event is $20. Additional information of interest is at the ACE blog: www.ace-event.org/blog.

SOURCE New Enterprise Forum

Source: PR Newswire

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