Start Garden

Entrepreneurship

Considering starting a business in West Michigan? Use these websites to give legs to your ideas.

Start GardenĀ – Working to increase Physical, Social, Financial, & Intellectual capital in the area

5×5 Night with Start Garden – Area monthly pitching contest with a $5,000 prize

Noche 5×5 en EspaƱol

Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Small Business Development Center Michigan

The Right Place – West Michigan’s Economic Developer

Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW)

Grand Rapids Area Black Businesses is an Economic Development social enterprise. GRABB works to foster an economy that creates prosperity and supports the revitalization of predominantly Black neighborhoods. GRABB expands opportunities for Black businesses in the Metro Grand Rapids area by assisting them with acquiring three forms of capital (Social, Intellectual, and Financial) and creating awareness for Black businesses.

ACRE AgTech – Helps entrepreneurs and innovators start their businesses. Focused on agriculture, but covers other sectors as well.

West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Startup Grind is the largest independent startup community actively educating, inspiring, and connecting more than 2,000,000 entrepreneurs in over 600 chapters. The Grand Rapids chapter is committed to supporting the startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem of West Michigan.

Pitch North is an idea pitching competition created to spark change and promote entrepreneurial progress in some of West Michigan’s more rural counties.

FranNet provides education and support to individuals who are interested in exploring self-employment as a career option through franchise business ownership.