Entrepreneur Center

Entrepreneurship starts at square one with an original idea and can blossom into a billion-dollar business. That’s the premise of Lenawee Now’s business idea pitch contest: Square One. Lenawee Now designed Square One to encourage budding entrepreneurs to share their ideas. Several finalists are chosen to pitch their ideas at a public event. Judges choose the winner and runner up, who receive a cash prize and further mentoring to see if their idea can be turned into a reality.

Launch Lenawee is part of the LaunchMyCity family of programs, built by Rotarians and their community partners to develop programs so entrepreneurs can access capital and community support.  The six-month program has four pillars:  mentoring, education, networking, and microloans.  Students in the program will meet with their mentor each month, attend classes, and meet business community members through networking events.

Launch Lenawee has the support of many entrepreneurial resources within Lenawee County, including Lenawee Now.  Lenawee Now participates as an advisory board member, furnishes class instructors and support services for program participants.

Graduates of the Launch Lenawee program are then referred to Lenawee Now’s Business Acceleration Team.

A team of Adrian College and Siena Heights University interns, led and mentored by our team, work each semester with new and existing Lenawee Now clients with customer discovery, startup planning, marketing, business plans, and financial pro formas. The common goal among projects is strategizing resources to give the client the best opportunity to receive financing. This rigorous program provides interns with practical application of what they have been learning in the classroom and exposes them to real-life business situations preparing them for professional careers.

There are many steps to launching a new company, including securing capital to cover crucial startup expenses. Often, traditional funding isn’t a feasible option at the early stage of development, which can hinder or stall a new business. To increase entrepreneurial activities in Lenawee County, a group of investors and Lenawee Now created the Lenawee Investment Opportunity Network Fund (LION Fund). Designed to provide entrepreneurs and startups access to the necessary funding to start or expand a small business, each of the local investors have contributed to the economic success of Lenawee, including ProMedica who has kick-started the fund with a generous donation of $250,000.

The Adrian/Tecumseh SmartZone is a state-authorized and financially supported tax increment financial district where local units of government can provide incentives and programs that support expanding and developing high-tech businesses.

This Adrian College program was developed as part of the effort to bring the Smartzone resources to Lenawee County. The AIC assists entrepreneurs through all stages of developing a business from conceptualizing a business idea to providing actual office space. The AIC offers two incubation packages, physical incubation or virtual incubation. Each package includes but is not limited to the access of amenities such as desktop computers, printers, copiers, and wifi.