Ann Arbor’s entrepreneurial spirit shined during Ann Arbor SPARK’s 2018 spring Entrepreneur Boot Camp. Canopy — a software tool to ease end-of-life conversations with loved ones — took top honors among the 12 contenders, securing $25,000 in funding. Taking second place and receiving $10,000 was Celant, a software company specializing in computer-assisted legal document drafting. The winners were selected by an esteemed panel of experts, based on the business’s investor pitch.
For the first time, the boot camp panel consisted of all women: Angela Kujava, Desai Accelerator; Sonali Vijayavargiya, Augment Ventures; and Lauren Bigelow, Growth Capital Network (pictured with winners).
Entrepreneur Boot Camp is a bi-annual event that pairs hopeful entrepreneurs with talented coaches and mentors. The eight-week session tasks early-stage businesses to refine business models for sustainability and resilience. Ann Arbor SPARK’s Boot Camp program is funded by the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone (LDFA).
Part of SPARK’s mission is to support long-term regional prosperity by accelerating the growth of startups and early-stage companies. Entrepreneur Boot Camp provides that support through a combination of capital investment, mentoring, and peer collaboration.
Read more about Canopy’s Boot Camp experience.
