New Enterprise Forum | NEF Awards

Showcase Presentation
Saliva Systems, founded by Rebecca Altounian, manufactures the SWIK™ Oral Suction System, a novel device to manage oral secretions in the mouth. SWIK is a single use, hands free, disposable suctioning device that fits comfortably in the mouth. A single SWIK device offers up to 12 hours of continuous management of saliva and other secretions without caregiver intervention.

Nominees for 2022 Best Showcase Presentations
From among the entrepreneurs who were coached by NEF and delivered a Showcase Presentation at a Forum in 2022, we will recognize the best performers in three categories:

• Best Business Model
• Best Technology
• Best Presentation

Join us to find out who wins!

Rising Stars

Our Rising Star Awards recognize startup founders who are in the early growth stage but have already demonstrated significant traction and are making a name for themselves in the Michigan entrepreneurial community. Winners this year are Katie Hall and Prashant Salla.

Katie Hall is the Founder and CEO of claira. The claira platform helps businesses optimize their human capital by unleashing the true potential of their workforce using advanced competency science and machine learning.

Prashant Salla is the Founder of Goodhood (previously known as FixMyCar), Goodhood provides consumers with one subscription for all things car related, starting with maintenance & repair.

Startup Community Champion

This new award recognizes an individual who has made a huge positive impact by devoting their time and energy to building a robust startup community in our region and who has directly and indirectly fostered the growth of numerous entrepreneurs. Our first winner of this new award is Patti Glaza.

Patti Glaza is Executive Vice President & Managing Director of ID Ventures, the most active early-stage investor in the state of Michigan. Patti joined ID Ventures in 2014 with over 30 years of experience in the tech sector. Her primary responsibilities include sourcing and facilitating the development of early-stage and high-growth companies by providing guidance and investment capital.

She engages in outreach activities supported by a diverse network of experienced entrepreneurs to support inclusion efforts to help ensure women and minority entrepreneurs are proactively mentored to build their high potential tech startups.

Previously, she managed the Michigan office for Arsenal Venture Partners, a national venture capital firm focused on IT, energy, and industrial technologies. Patti started her career at Accenture, where she managed national teams of consultants for F500 companies. She earned a BA from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Networking
At the conclusion of the Forum, stick around and network with your fellow attendees over ZOOM. We will break out into smaller groups so that you can rub virtual elbows with the movers and shakers of Ann Arbor’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.