MTEC SmartZone to continue supplying important startup services by way of more guidance from the condition | News, Athletics, Careers
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HOUGHTON — In February this year, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Board accredited a just one-yr extension of its $100,000 Gateway Consultant Company Incubator Grant for MTEC SmartZone. The grant, administered via the Michigan Economic Progress Company (MEDC), will permit ongoing support of superior-tech start-up firms dependent in the Houghton/Hancock area.
“The Gateway Grants have tested to be an critical funding source,” said MTEC’s Main Industrial Officer, Patrick Visser, “It has enabled MTEC SmartZone to convey additional price to our startup shoppers by outreach – these attempts involve attending a wide range of conferences, investor meetings, seminars and other critical networking functions to develop and expend relationships, and share data with investors, probable clients and strategic associates. These aid activities are specifically important for customarily under-represented corporations these types of as gals and minority owned startups. The grant also permits us to join customers with MEDC courses and methods, and expend the essential time to support these initiatives.”
The Gateway Representative Company Incubator software supports the 21 SmartZones throughout Michigan by assigning a committed consultant at each individual SmartZone to serve as a stage of contact for startup organizations. MTEC SmartZone has been given guidance as a result of the program due to the fact 2016, during which time it has served 255 businesses, served to variety 31 new companies and made 189 work.
SightLine, a predictive analytics company concentrated on enrollment, retention, economical support and budgeting for higher instruction, is a person of a lot of MTEC SmartZone customers that have benefited from the Gateway Representative Grant. Founder and CEO Ashley Kern reported “Patrick Visser, MTEC CCO, individually fully commited his time to introduce SightLine to buyers and many condition methods and funding. He was integral in assisting us prepare for and close our to start with spherical of funding. Patrick helped us navigate a lot of company hurdles even though preserving our greatest curiosity in thoughts.”
“Resources like the Gateway Consultant Organization Incubator software have been essential to establishing an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Michigan where superior-tech businesses of all sizes can not only increase but thrive,” reported Denise Graves, College Relations Director for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Initiative at MEDC. “We are pleased to provide this continued assist to our fantastic companions at the MTEC SmartZone in Houghton – and many others during the point out – to ensure Michigan continues to be an modern household for entrepreneurial opportunities.”
The Gateway Consultant Small business Incubator method supports MTEC’s mission in accelerating hightech business enterprise advancement by supporting entrepreneurial functions this kind of as creating critical connections, checking out financial commitment options, and discovering vital neighborhood and state resources. Through courses like
these, which are essential to the expansion and sustainability of substantial-tech entrepreneurial ecosystems, the state invests in the potential of Michigan-primarily based large-tech innovations like these coming from the pushed start off-up community existing in Houghton County.
Locate out how MTEC SmartZone can enable get your superior-tech business enterprise begun in the correct route (www.mtecsz.com).







