TECH TALK:

By Ross Boissoneau

It’s for adults. It’s for students, whether elementary, high school or college. It’s for investors, entrepreneurs, business people and dreamers alike.

“It” is Northern Michigan Startup Week, and though it won’t be taking place until May, there’s no time to start preparing for Startup Week like – well, like now.

“The purpose is to showcase the innovation happening in our region,” said Bradley Matson. The longtime entrepreneur and tech enthusiast is heading up the program, celebrating its second year in 2023.

Startup Week – NMSW 2023 – will run May 5-12 at various locations in Traverse City. The celebration of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the growing startup community in northern Michigan is a collaborative initiative organized by 20Fathoms, TCNewTech, Northern Michigan Angels, Newton’s Road, StartupGrind TC and other local partners.

“Bradley and Keith Kelly of Northwestern Michigan College did a TechStars weekend in 2014,” said Jennifer Szunko. “Last year they brought it back along with others for a week-long event.”

Formerly the head of TCNewTech, Szunko is now behind StartupGrind TC and among the organizers of the event.

Matson said last year’s event was a great start and that organizers learned a lot. That led to year two, and the inclusion of more local partners, including Traverse Connect, Discovery Pier and CommonPlace.

He said collaboration is a key for the event and for startups in general.

Second annual Northern Michigan Startup Week coming in May

“We welcome both students and adults: those with an idea they want to explore and/or those who want to network and meet others in the community,” she said.

Chris Nesbit, the event, sales, and marketing director at TCNewTech, said that welcoming inclusiveness is one of focused on the space industry. This year, it’s the blue water economy. Szunko said it will involve NMC and Michigan Tech, noting college and career possibilities, and Discovery Pier, with activities for all ages.

“Whether entrepreneurs launch their company, find a co-founder, meet someone new, or learn a new skill far outside their usual 9-to-5, everyone is guaranteed to leave the event better prepared to navigate the chaotic but fun world of startups,” said Szunko.

Nesbit said the event will include both in-person and virtual participation, but said there’s nothing like face-to-face interaction and networking.

“We encourage people to come in person,” he said.

“We want to prevent silos and highlight the entire ecosystem,” said Matson. “We want to broaden beyond startups, (creating) a broad pipeline.” the most valuable parts of the week.

He said “startup” is kind of a catchall word, but emphasizes the role of innovators across the board. That includes focusing on STEM and innovation in education, hence the inclusion of organizations such as Newton’s Road and the Discovery Pier, increasing educational opportunities for students of all ages.

Szunko said everyone is welcome to attend any or all of the events, listed on the website at NMSW.co, and that there’s no need to be a startup to join.

“People can learn the startup process. Students can showcase what they’ve learned,” he said.

That includes the opportunity to work alongside others and eventually present their ideas to professionals.

“It’s an exciting thing to watch. It’s very entertaining and very educational,” Nesbit said of the presentations. “This will highlight the pitfalls and what’s well-received. Sometimes that’s not what we’d expect.”

While there is not a singular focus for NMSW, organizers do dedicate one day to a particular industry. Last year’s event

Szunko believes the region will continue to attract entrepreneurs who want to enjoy a work-life balance, whether they are from the area originally or have discovered it through vacations.

“I think a lot of our bright, talented local students who left boomeranged back during COVID,” she said. “This is a great place to launch a career or raise a family.”

Attracting this age group is key, said Matson, who works with Northern Michigan Angels and Spartan Innovations.

“The larger mission is to diversify the economy and attract younger professionals,” he said.

Matson believes the trend toward remote work, which kicked into high gear during the pandemic, demonstrated that areas such as northern Michigan could be successful hubs for innovation.

“The remote work (for) Googles and Apples is a trend, but we also want a wider net,” he said. “We don’t have the density of a Grand Rapids or Ann Arbor, but we could become the best in a niche.”

He said the ability to easily travel to other locales, whether downstate or across the county, also positions Traverse City and the region in general as a good place to work from. While companies may not see it as a place for locating large groups of workers, events such as this and the monthly TC NewTech meetings, as well as cooperative working spaces such as 20Fathoms and CommonPlace, point to the opportunities for collaboration and cross-pollination among workers from different companies.

The event kicks off with TechStars Startup Weekend, a non-profit, global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. Startup