A new statewide entrepreneurial contest aims to arm students with the resources and skills necessary to launch a successful tech startup in Michigan. In addition to more than $100,000 in award money, the Michigan Collegiate Innovation Prize (MCIP) will offer participants intensive startup training based on the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps program (I-Corps).
The MCIP, which runs from October-February, marks the first time this curriculum is available to undergraduates seeking to launch their own enterprises. Event coordinators say the statewide venture challenge will help both the state and its students by keeping Michigan relevant in the knowledge economy and creating different career paths for college graduates.
“It’s a way to keep Michigan talent in the state,” says Amy Klinke contest director and U-M Center for Entrepreneurship assistant director. “We’re connecting students to local mentors and venture capitalists and engaging them in the Michigan entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
