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Transformation Was The Theme For Round Three Of The Hatching

EAST LANSING (WWJ) -- Last Wednesday night marked the third installation of The Hatching pitch competition at Beggar's Banquet in East Lansing.

The winner this month was a chair-table hybrid known simply as Chaible. The product transforms from a chair to a table and back in the blink of an eye and is intended for small apartments and dorm rooms.

The Hatching, a partnership between the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, Spartan Innovations and the NEO Center, allows entrepreneurs to pitch new ideas to judges and an audience of innovators in a spirited atmosphere. The winner receives $1,000 for startup costs as well as legal services to create the new business entity provided by Loomis, Ewert, Parsley, Davis & Gotting P.C. This month's prize sponsorship came from Commonwealth Enterprises.

Additionally, each month the winner will advance to the next round of pitches that will take place at the Launched: Celebration of Entrepreneurship event in December for the chance to win $10,000.

LEAP is the Lansing area's economic development agency. Spartan Innovations is a Michigan limited-profit company that provides educational and financial support to turn MSU research technologies into successful Michigan businesses. The NEO Center is a business incubator on Lansing's north side.

All participants in The Hatching have access to the numerous business acceleration programs the mid-Michigan region offers in order to give all the ideas the opportunity to succeed as a new business.

"Lansing is becoming the premier region for startup activity in the State of Michigan," said Bob Trezise, President and CEO of LEAP. "Programs like the Hatching are drawing positive attention to our SmartZone and acceleration activities while drawing in some extremely innovative companies."

People interested in participating and pitching in the upcoming events are asked to submit their ideas to www.thehatching.org. Submissions are being accepted for the next Hatching event which will take place at Beggar's Banquet in East Lansing on Wednesday, Sept. 25 and will continue every last Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. For the next round, the submission period will close on Friday, Sept. 20.

More about LEAP at www.purelansing.com. More about Spartan Innovations at www.spartaninnovations.org. More about the NEO Center at www.neocenter.org.

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