www.gleq.net

Web Portal - One major initiative the team is focused on is providing a robust and centralized online location of resources to serve entrepreneurs.  As we’ve looked at other regions across the country and talked to entrepreneurs about their needs, we have learned that resources need to be easy to locate and hassle free.  We also know that while we have many resources available, they are not well known, or easy to navigate; further, there is no current portal developed or promoted as a ...

 The team has been working with two DeWitt High School teachers on their DeWitt Creativity Group project in which they offer an environment and resources to allow students to be creative and innovative. The team hopes to better establish this model and begin to distribute it to other districts as a way to help support creative students in their school system.  

 2009 was the inaugural year for Next Bright Idea, our idea competition that was created to foster and reward innovation and creativity and foster entrepreneurial thinking.  This year, we are repeating the collegiate edition and expanding to add a high school edition, in combination with the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour events. The competition will be run very similar to the college edition including an online idea submission process at NextBrightIdea.com.  Then on February 24, w...

  A month-long series of events and educational programs to ignite our creative culture, support aspiring entrepreneurs and catalyze new venture creation. Fundamentals of Starting a Business  Presented by Small Business Technology & Development Center (SBTDC) November 3, 2010 9:00am - 11:00am MI-SBTDC Region 8 Office, Lansing Community College  Washington Court Place, Lansing, MI 48912  Start-up Weekend Presented by MSU E-Network, SBTDC & Leap, Inc. Nove...

The team has worked closely with Junior Achievement in an effort to expand the reach of JA of Mid-Michigan. As part of the charge, the team has promised to help increase the reach JA has across the tri-counties by 20.11% in 2011. We have asked all the Talent Strategy Team members to become a volunteer and teach JA in the schools throughout the region.

For the second year, we have brought back the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour for college students. The program is designed to inspire students about the options they have after graduation, mainly becoming an entrepreneur. In addition to college students, the team has invited high school students from all three counties in the region for a shorter session of the tour throughout the day. There is potential to host 1,200 students throughout the day leading up to the full workshop. 

 Next Bright Idea 2011 will be launching this fall in similar fashion as 2010. On December 6, 2010, the submissions will begin rolling in and voting can begin. The Next Bright Idea event will likely take place in early 2011. The prize will continue to be $5,000 and business coaching to the top 10 ideas. Stay tuned for more updates.

 The Regional Entrepreneurial Collaborative grand put out by DeLeg is a grant given to enhance a regions entrepreneurial community. In Greater Lansing’s case, it would mean to align all the region’s assets to make becoming an entrepreneur extremely easy. The proposal was submitted June 25 and the grant award announcement is expected on August 9th.

Dan Redford and Charles Eveslage, our team at the Shanghai Expo will end their work there on July 31.  While there, their blogs (www.shanghai-exposed.com) have received a wide following, including US Consul General Beatrice Camp.  They have done several radio interviews on TalkLansing.net and WJR.  In addition, they have identified potential opportunities for Leap to follow-up on:  investment in our region, sales to China for our firms, and ways to connect MSU and its student...