Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition Announces 53 Semi-Finalists

DETROIT, Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Semi-finalists have been selected for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.  The 53 semi-finalist companies will deliver their business pitches to investors on November 16-17 at the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest for the chance and win cash and prizes.  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition will award more than $1 million in cash winnings, plus in-kind awards to top entrepreneurial businesses.  

"More than 300 companies registered for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition and it was a tough challenge to select semi-finalists," said Skip Simms, senior vice president of Ann Arbor SPARK, on behalf of the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, a sponsor of the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. "The majority of the companies are based in Michigan, but we also had applications from California, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington as well as international companies from Canada, the United Kingdom, India and the Ukraine."

"The competition in each of the nine sectors is going to be fierce," Simms added.  "Thirteen of the 2010 semi-finalists are returning to the competition.  Three of the companies competing this November won their sector prize at the 2010 competition: Accio Energy, The Mackinac Technology Company, and ENRG Power Systems."

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition focuses on nine sectors that highlight key areas of opportunity for entrepreneurial growth and success: advanced materials, advanced transportation, alternative energy, IT, life science, medical devices, next generation manufacturing and products and services.  The 2011 semi-finalist companies are located in a range of areas across the state such as Ada, Ann Arbor, Detroit, East China, East Lansing, Farmington Hills, Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe Woods, Lake Linden, Lapeer, Livonia, Midland, Northville, Plymouth, Port Huron, Royal Oak, Saline, Sterling Heights and Ypsilanti.  Three companies from out of state round out the contingent, traveling in from Chicago, Il; Fall River, MA and New Rochelle NY for the competition.

To qualify for the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition prize monies, businesses must make a commitment to locate and grow in Michigan.  These companies must also be past proof of concept and in the commercial stage of business development.

The competition will be held from November 15 – 17 at the Eagle Crest Conference Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  The Finals and Gala Awards Celebration will be held the evening of November 17 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

About Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business competition offering more than $1 million in cash awards, plus in-kind awards of services, staffing and software. In addition to the prizes from the competition, entrepreneurs will have access to Michigan's robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, which includes wet labs, incubators, and access to talent from the world's leading research universities.  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is a collaborative effort of the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, the New Economy Initiative of Southeast Michigan and Accelerate Michigan.  For more information, visit www.acceleratemichigan.org.

SOURCE Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition