Event Pairs Entrepreneurs, Resources at TechTown Next Month

2694

BizGrid Live, a high-energy, interactive gathering that pairs entrepreneurs with local resources to support them in funding, legal advice, and other assistance, returns to Detroit next month for its third year.

“It’s a chance for people to interact in person with all of the resources and find the ones that are best suited for them based on their stage of business and their immediate needs,” says Bonnie Fahoome, a portfolio manager at TechTown, one of the groups hosting the event. “But we didn’t want it to be another resource fair where (participants) just walk around and gather literature from the table and never think about it again. It’s intentionally set up to be kind of like a speed dating situation.”

Fahoome says the event connects entrepreneurs and business owners with resources that are useful for businesses at different stages of their company growth. Attendees and resource organizations will be matched by colors.

“It’s like a networking opportunity on both sides so the organizations can source whether a business idea or a problem (a business owner is) working on is a fit for them and vice versa,” Fahoome says. “It’s really intended to be very casual and very interactive.”

She says the event is based off BizGrid, an online resource for entrepreneurs created by TechTown, the New Economy Initiative, and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., among others, that also connects them with local resources for help with issues such as legal assistance, product development, business planning, and funding. Resources groups include the Eastern Market Corp., the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Southwest Detroit Business Association, and Automation Alley, among others.

BizGrid Live will also include breakout sessions focused on using personal credit to finance a business and running some aspects of a business from a smartphone. There will be two workshops: a storytelling generator and a start-up canvas.

Fahoome says she expects 400 entrepreneurs and 40 resource organizations to attend. Food for BizGrid Live will be sourced from local small businesses.

The free event will be held Oct. 20 at TechTown’s offices in Detroit’s Midtown district. â€‹