LANSING, Mich. — Michigan residents with an interest in education or technology are encouraged to submit their ideas for improving teaching and learning in the second annual Michigan EdTech Innovation Pitch Contest & Bootcamp by May 14, 2023.
Through a partnership between Michigan Virtual, Spartan Innovations, a subsidiary of MSU Research Foundation, and Michigan State’s Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, $22,000 in business startup grants and additional startup assistance is available to three top contest winners.
“Today’s modern education system faces its own set of challenges. We know that those in the classroom setting are best at identifying problems and finding solutions to help overcome barriers,” said Frank Urban, director of Venture Creation – Life Sciences with Spartan Innovations. “We have seen the EdTech sector trending positively and have supported several startups in that space over the last few years. The Michigan EdTech Innovation Pitch Contest is designed to help us think big and provide support for the next ideas to make learning more effective and supportive for all.”
To enter the contest, Michigan educators and innovators must submit a written pitch between March 20 and May 14, 2023. Finalists will be notified by May 26 and advance to a final pitch presentation on June 29 where first, second, and third-place winners will be chosen. The top three winners will receive startup grants of $10,000 (first place), $6,000 (second place) and $4,000 (third place), plus marketing and legal startup services. The fourth and fifth finalists will each receive $1,000 in business startup grant funding.
Branding and legal support are being donated by Michigan Creative and Foster Swift. Event sponsors include Consumer’s Energy, Case Credit Union, Meemic, the Michigan Education Association, and LearningMate.
“Michigan students have an opportunity to benefit from anyone who has ever thought, ‘I wish there was an app for that’ in an educational setting,” said Jamey Fitzpatrick, president and CEO at Michigan Virtual. “Education is rapidly evolving and this annual event is an opportunity for us to inspire those in and around education to develop and pursue innovative ideas that will improve teaching and learning for years to come.”
The contest is open to any Michigan resident 18 and older who has ties to the state’s education ecosystem. This may include but isn’t limited to:
- PreK-12 teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, counselors, school personnel,
- Parents of PreK-12 school-aged children,
- Students of any major attending a college or university in Michigan,
- Faculty and staff from teacher prep programs at Michigan colleges and universities,
- Staff from organizations that serve or support Michigan’s PreK-12 system.
To learn more about the contest and submit an entry, visit michiganvirtual.org/edtech-pitch-contest
