It sounds like a reality TV concept, but is a real show-and-tell for entrepreneurs at the Madison Building. Crain's describes the setup and the Cinderella finale:
Steve Case is coming to Detroit. And he's bringing investment money. . . .
One lucky local startup will walk away with a $100,000 investment.
The founder of America Online "is doing a four-city tour celebrating entrepreneurship and the startup culture," the business weekly reports Sunday.
Case, who was chairman of the merged AOL and Time Warner Inc. until 2003, starts a four-day tour June 24 in Detroit, his road trip site says. The next stops are Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Nashville.
"Entrepreneurs and their companies can change the world," the event site says. "Our mission is to accelerate the 'Rise of the Rest' in American entrepreneurship."
Stop No. 1 includes a public discussion with Dan Gilbert at Grand Circus Detroit on Woodward downtown. Next comes the Madison Building pitch competition by finalists selected from applicants (submit pitch here by June 15) and a cocktail party. Case will pick one firm in each city for a $100,000 investment.
Detroit's new winner will be the second local startup getting a big boost from Case, Crain's notes:
Case is also a benefactor of Detroit-based iRule LLC, which took home a $100,000 commitment from Case in April as part of the Google for Entrepreneurs Demo Day competition.
-- Alan Stamm
Earlier at Deadline Detroit:
California-Bound: Detroit Startup Advances to Google Contest Finale, March 1, 2014
