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Ninth Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship Helps Entrepreneurs in Great Lakes Region to Connect

Posted on: Monday, 19 January 2009, 06:59 CST

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the ninth year, entrepreneurs, investors, and support organizations from across the Great Lakes region will gather at a conference designed to showcase innovative technology business ventures where they can network, learn, and connect. ACE '09 will take place Thursday, January 22, at Washtenaw Community College's Morris Lawrence Building, at 4:00 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 program features a Showcase Presentation by Roger Newton, CEO of Esperion Therapeutics. In addition, six individuals - Edward Shaffer of Advanced Battery Concepts; Aaron Nelco of Audiallo; Alice Brown of In the Groove; Jake Sigal of Myine Electronics; Brian Tell of ShadePlex; and Peter Tchoryk of Windsight - will go head to head in ACE's elevator pitch competition before a panel of venture capitalists and angel investors.

Attendees will have excellent opportunities to network and learn at ACE. Workshops include Innovation, moderated by Paula Rhodes of Third Eye Innovation; Globalization Strategies for Entrepreneurs, 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.

New this year, ACE '09 will feature an intercollegiate pitch competition, in which competitors from university programs 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 Center for Entrepreneurship, 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-Sponsors are the Entrepreneurial Initiative of Southeast Michigan and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. 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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