Other West Michigan Business Development Resources
Business Incubation
In addition to the BioBusiness Accelerator, there are several other quality business incubation/acceleration programs available to entrepreneurs in the West Michigan region. Each program listed below has some emphasis on particular areas of technology and provides facilities, equipment and resources appropriate to their development.
The Lakeshore Advantage Business Garden
The Business Garden is an incubator/accelerator program designed to facilitate the growth of early stage companies by providing access to affordable office space, community resources, expert advice, investment capital and more. Located in the historic Colonial Clock building in Zeeland, MI, the Business Garden offers a variety of workplace amenities and shared office resources.
The Business Garden accepts high growth potential, start-up and early-stage companies that preferably can demonstrate:
▪ A acceptable level of business and financial planning, organizational and management assets, and
product/service development.
▪ A interest in continued operations within the Lakeshore region, and products that have primary
markets outside of the region.
▪ A need for, and willingness to participate in, the incubation process
Anadvisory program that matches the experience of seasoned area professionals to the unique challenges of individual tenants is available. This program of assistance is also extended to entrepreneur’s not yet resident members of the Garden, but that participate through Lakeshore’s Virtual Tenant Program.
Various networking opportunities and informative programs that address critical business topics are regularly offered, as are ample opportunities for participants to collect, collide, connect and collaborate in relaxed forums organized by the Lakeshore Business Garden staff.
For additional information and details on how to apply for membership, please visit http://www.lakeshoreadvantage.com/garden.html
Lakeshore Advantage
201 West Washington
Suite 410
Zeeland, MI 49464
Phone: 616.772.5226
E-mail: info@lakeshoreadvantage.com
The West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative (WMSTI)
The West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative accommodates client needs by offering incubator/accelerator amenities through the New Venture Center which is located on the 5th floor of the Grand Valley State University Cook DeVos Center for Health Sciences and is specifically designed to foster the commercialization of life science and other technology innovations.
The New Venture Center offers access to laboratory facilities, machinery and equipment such as tissue culture laboratories, cold room, warm room, sterilization area, preparation room, radio-isotope room, microscopy suite, specialized instrumentation room, cell and molecular biology laboratory. State-of-the-art meeting facilities are also available for clients of WMSTI.
To find out more contact the Center at 616.331.5840.
West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative
301 Michigan Street NE
Suite 537
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
Telephone 616.331.5840
wmsti@gvsu.edu
The Southwest Michigan Innovation Center (SMIC)
Located in the Western Michigan University Business Technology and Research Park (BTR Park), the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center is a 58,000 square-foot incubator/accelerator designed to provide wet-lab space, access to venture funding, proximity to Western Michigan University resources and business services to emerging companies in life science industries. Tenants in this state-of-the-art facility share space, managerial and technical assistance, office amenities, and access to common areas and specialized equipment that includes autoclaves, ice machines, a water purification unit, centrifuges, a UV/VIS Spectrophotomer, a spectrofluorometer and a 2ABI 9700 thermal cycler.
Contact Robert DeWit, CEO for more information.
Southwest Michigan Innovation Center
4717 Campus Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
269.353.1823
info@kazoosmic.com
Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC)
With nearly 100 business consultants across the state, the MI-SBTDC assists entrepreneurs, small business owners, technology/life sciences based businesses and manufacturing businesses and others with counseling, training and market research to either launch a business or grow an existing business.
Nine industry-specific experts on the SBTDC Technology Team are dedicated to helping Michigan technology/life sciences entrepreneurs succeed in Michigan’s emerging “new” economy by providing assistance in areas such as roadmapping of business and technology strategies, Intellectual Property development, SBIR/STTR application assistance, helping clients become “investment ready” and other valuable services.
The Technology Team also work with Michigan's 15 SmartZones to promote resource collaborations between universities, industry, research organizations, government and other community institutions.
616.331.7480 616.331.7480 or visiting the Web site www.misbtdc.org.