Upcoming Events Innovation Starts Here Competition: "What Bugs You?" Over 40 entries were received! Stay tuned -- winners will be announced on March 30, 2012. This competition is funded by a grant from the Charles M. Bauervic Foundation. More Information Upcoming Entrepreneurial Chats, Webinars and Other Events: ACE '12 Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship  Tues., Jan. 31, 2012, Ann Arbor IMPACT 2012 Tues., Feb. 7, 2012, Auburn Hills Open Source Meeting: Introduction to PHP Sat., Feb. 11, 2012, Troy Campus Entrepreneurial Chat:  Funding Your Business Wed., Feb. 15, 2012, Troy Campus Webinar: What is Blackstone LaunchPad? Wed., Feb. 22, 2012 Entrepreneurial Chat:  Protecting Your IP Domain Thurs., Feb. 23, 2012, Novi Campus Entrepreneurial Chat:  Proper Use of Legal Agreements for Business Start-Ups Mon., Mar. 5, 2012, Troy Campus Entrepreneurial Chat:  Funding Your Business Wed. Mar. 7, 2012, Novi Campus February 8, 2012 Entrepreneur-YOU  has sold out!  It is a first-of-its-kind event designed to help any woman that has a passion for entrepreneurship.  More Information Please "Like" us on Facebook!

News Updates LaunchPad Members Make the News Nancy Martens and Nicole Sesko LaunchPad Member Reveals Website On Friday, December 9, one of  our Blackstone LaunchPad members officially launched a business website and several Walsh employees attended the reveal. www.momstwomoms.com -- is an alternative to the traditional garage sale. We received great feedback from all who attended. Blackstone LaunchPad "Pays Off" November was an exciting month for our Blackstone LaunchPad members who participated in several activities which took place during Global Entrepreneurship Week: Congrats to Nancy Martens who won the $5,000 first prize for her ElderCompass elevator pitch at the Blackstone LaunchPad sponsored "Get Launched" event held at Wayne State! Our other two participants, Anthony Majewski and Jason Beale, received Honorable Mentions for their business submissions. Great job by all!!! Six members won cash prizes of $500 or $250 to help move their businesses forward through our Venture Accelerator Program. Kudos to the following winners:    Eldercompass Nancy Martens/Donovan Shand, Growable Greetings Nicole Sesko, MomstwoMoms Anthony Majewski, Once Upon an Adventure Cheri Priester,  Krol Mfg Virginia Krolczyk, Meridian Exchange Marisa Scott

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Other Blackstone LaunchPad Notables:

Eleven of our more active and advanced Blackstone LaunchPad members from Walsh College and WSU were invited to join 70 entrepreneurs in the Detroit Venture Capital and Angel Investor FundingPost event hosted by Walsh on November 3^rd.  They were given the opportunity to participate in a workshop to help educate them on real-world Venture Capital and Investor experiences, as well as, receiving tips on how to pitch their businesses.  In the afternoon session, four VCs and Angel Investors shared their tips on early-stage investing, hot sectors, things that are most important to them when they are considering an investment, the best and worst things an entrepreneur can do to get their attention and, of course, the best ways to reach these and other investors.
                                                   
Discover, Network, Win | Walshpreneur Fair and Alumni Open House, November 14, 2011
President Stephanie Bergeron helped host our first ever Walshpreneur Fair and Alumni Open House which was a huge success. Nearly 100 local  entrepreneurs, Blackstone LaunchPad members and Walsh College staff attended. Fifteen of our "budding" Blackstone LaunchPad entrepreneurs featured their company products or services.


Other special guests included Carolyn Cassin, President and CEO of the Michigan Women's Foundation, and a surprise appearance by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson who talked about his respect for Walsh College as well as his commitment to building the entrepreneur spirit in the State of Michigan.

Paul Chambers (Core3 Solutions) and Brian Renner (Walsh Alum, who is now an Advisor for LaunchPad, and Founder of MovieInsider.com) gave the audience some quick tips on maximizing revenue through search engine marketing (SEM). Brian Pilarski (President of the Walsh Alumni Association) facilitated a panel discussion with three serial entrepreneurs, Dave Morin (Cielo MedSolutions), Allen Wolff (Crowdrise and PaySimple), and Bobby Smith (EnGarde! Detroit) who shared lessons learned and their secrets to success in building their businesses.