Sølv, a Redesigned Bathmat and Brainchild of Ben Pikus Takes Home First Prize; Hezekiah Trevino’s Community Building Nonprofit Ourspace (517) Takes Second Place
LANSING, Mich. (Nov. 17, 2022) — In a night of creative collaboration, five local entrepreneurs pitched at The Hatching, Lansing Economic Area Partnership’s (LEAP) regular pitch competition. The event, open to entrepreneurs in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, and Shiawassee counties, took place November 10 at UrbanBeat Event Center in Lansing’s Old Town Neighborhood and marked LEAP’s last pitch competition of 2022. In addition to the night’s winners, November’s entrepreneurial lineup included a bakery with the goal of offering a late-night sober experience, an app to consolidate come-to-you services in one place, and a family outreach service for teen mothers and other underserved youth.
"We were so glad to bring back LEAP's in-person entrepreneurial programming this year with our Hatching event series. Congratulations to our November 10 winners, Ben Pikus and Hezekiah Trevino, and thank you to Lansing Poet Laureate Masaki Takahashi for expertly emceeing all three events of this year," said Katlyn Cardoso, LEAP's director of entrepreneurial ecosystem development. "Opportunities like The Hatching provide Lansing's early-stage entrepreneurs with critical access to startup capital, network relationships, and customer exposure to help their ventures grow."
Ben Pikus took home $2,000 for Sølv—a redesigned, antimicrobial bathmat that consists of a comfortable foam pad and highly absorbent, removable outer case, allowing it to be washed with ease.
“I want to thank everyone that made this amazing event possible,” said Pikus. “It was great meeting all the other contestants and hearing about their awesome ideas!”
The $1,000 second-place prize went to Hezekiah Trevino with Ourspace (517)— an initiative that hosts free to attend arts and culture events, including the REO Town Juneteenth Weekend, as well as educational programming and professional services to create a strong sense of place in the Lansing region.
"I was grateful to be a part of such an amazing event.” Trevino said. “It was inspiring to see all of the local entrepreneurs and community leaders come out to pitch their ideas. I’m thankful to LEAP for putting on such a high-end and reoccurring event that helps spark entrepreneurs to manifest their ideas."
Along with a great lineup of entrepreneurs, the event featured an expert judging panel, including Paul Jaques of the Michigan State University (MSU) Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship, Ashlee Barker of Cinnaire, Kris Klein of the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, Ami Iceman-Haueter of MSU Federal Credit Union, Justin Haun of Lake Trust Credit Union, and Brett Pacek of CASE Credit Union. The event brought back Lansing Poet Laureate Masaki Takahashi as emcee and featured a halftime performance by local hip hop and soul musician MikeyyAustin.
“The Hatching is a fantastic venue for local entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative business ideas in a supportive environment that encourages constructive feedback and networking opportunities,” said Klein. “Congratulations to all the November Hatching participants, it was a great privilege to serve as a judge and support budding local businesses.”
The Hatching was made possible by the generous support of Venture Sponsor Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Angel Sponsor Lake Trust Credit Union and Seed Sponsors AF Group, CASE Credit Union, Cinnaire, MSU Desk Drawer Fund, and MSU Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
“The MEDC is proud to continue our support of the Hatching Business Pitch Competition led by LEAP. This event demonstrates how we break down barriers for entrepreneurs by exposing them to critical resources like coaching and mentorship in preparation for capital opportunities,” said LeTasha Peebles, grant manager of entrepreneurship and innovation at MEDC. “The Hatching amplifies LEAP’s continued commitment to economic vitality and validates our support of this endeavor. We are excited to see the growth and momentum of this program and the return on investment it brings to the Lansing community and beyond.”
Details about 2023's Hatching events will be available early next year. Those interested in joining the MEDC and Lansing Regional SmartZone as 2023 sponsors can learn more at www.purelansing.com/thehatching. For entrepreneurs interested in further opportunities, applications for LEAP’s One and All Program Six open Wednesday November 23.
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About LEAP
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) is a coalition of area leaders partnering to build a stronger community for all--working every day to grow, retain and attract business to the Lansing region.
About The Hatching
The Hatching is a regularly occurring business pitch competition founded by LEAP, established as part of a community-wide effort to support local entrepreneurs. Participants submit business and product ideas through the Hatching’s online portal, where the public subsequently votes forward the ideas that will be pitched in front of a live audience and panel of judges.
