ACE'12 Event will Host Scott Case to Launch Startup Michigan Initiative
ANN ARBOR -- Scott Case, CEO of the Startup America Partnership and a founder of Priceline.com, will visit Ann Arbor's Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship Jan. 31 and launch of Startup Michigan, part of the Startup America Partnership national effort to help startups grow and jump-start job creation.
To date, the initiative has launched eight regional affiliates and is offering startups $1.2 billion in resources. Michigan will join 10 more regions in launching on Jan. 31.
Case a technologist, entrepreneur and inventor who was founding CTO of Priceline, the "Name Your Own Price" company that was one of only a handful of startups in U.S. history to reach a billion dollars in annual sales in less than 24 months. Scott is now CEO and board member of the Startup America Partnership, where he is investing his energy to drive American entrepreneurship to create jobs and sustain our nation's global leadership.
Startup Michigan is bringing together Michigan entrepreneurs and organizations to provide access to resources and networks to accelerate the growth of the state's business startups. Startup Michigan has already started assembling commitments from a wide range of Michigan-based companies and organizations to provide assistance to the state's startups.
Case will launch Startup Michigan at ACE'12 in Ann Arbor. ACE is a yearly event that celebrates entrepreneurism in the state with education and networking with peers, funding sources and support resources. Attendance at ACE is expected to exceed 1,000 participants from the entrepreneurial community.
"ACE'12 is the perfect setting to announce Michigan's participation in an important national initiative," said Diane Durance, executive director of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest, which is the coordinating organization for Startup Michigan. "We are delighted to have Scott, an icon for entrepreneurism in the U.S., help us launch Startup Michigan at this event, where we gather each year to celebrate the success of our innovators and entrepreneurs."
"This launch is a call to action for leaders across the state to direct entrepreneurs to the resources of the Startup America Partnership," she said. "The Startup Michigan initiative offers a clear path for innovative companies of all stages and industries in Michigan to connect with potential customers, partners and resources across the nation."
"I'm excited to be in Ann Arbor for the big launch of Startup Michigan," said Case. "It's fantastic to see Michigan's entrepreneurial leadership focus on helping startups across the state grow."
The Startup Michigan launch is being sponsored by Butzel Long and Comcast Business Class. The initiative arose from a collaboration of many of Michigan's entrepreneurial support organizations, including Automation Alley, Bizdom U, Central Michigan University College of Business Administration, MIT Enterprise Forum of the Great Lakes, Grand Valley State University, InvestDetroit, Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest, Michigan Venture Capital Association, Momentum, OUInc, and the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center.
For more information on Startup Michigan, visit www.startupmi.org. Follow Startup Michigan www.twitter.com/startupmichigan.
The Startup America Partnership was launched at the White House in response to President Obama's call to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation. The Partnership is bringing together an alliance of major corporations, funders, service providers, mentors and advisors working to dramatically increase the prevalence and success of high-growth enterprises in the U.S. For more information on the Partnership, visit www.startupamericapartnership.org and follow at www.twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/startupamerica.
