In the crowded world of business plan beauty contests, the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition sets itself apart by offering the largest crown — a cool $1 million. Here’s the deal:

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business plan competition designed to highlight Michigan as a robust and vibrant venue for innovation and business opportunity. The competition will fuel innovation-based business growth by uncovering the best and brightest new business concepts from local and global entrepreneurs, exposing those opportunities to potential investment capital and fostering their growth within Michigan. The competition targets mid-to-late seed-stage businesses with potential to generate an immediate impact on Michigan’s economy, as well as student concepts with longer-term business viability. With more than $1 million in cash winnings, plus in-kind awards of services and staffing, the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is the world’s largest business plan competition. The competition is led by the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan (composed of four of the region’s key business accelerators: Ann Arbor SPARK, Automation Alley, Macomb, and TechTown), the New Economy Initiative, Business Leaders for Michigan, and the University Research Corridor (Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University). Premier sponsors of the event are the Business Leaders for Michigan and the University Research Corridor. These groups have aligned their efforts to bolster and advance Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through a variety of collaborative initiatives, including the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. The mission is focused on job creation, increased capital and statewide economic and resource development.

The Com­pe­ti­tion is from Novem­ber 15th - 17th at Eagle Crest Con­fer­ence Cen­ter. Event Reg­is­tra­tion is open.

The Gala Awards & Din­ner is Novem­ber 17th at Henry Ford Museum. Event Reg­is­tra­tion is open.

For a list of the semi-finalists Click Here.

–Matt