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The region’s most open pitch competition

Attend this month's 5x5 Night! The top 5 contestants will be pitching their ideas to our judging panel for a shot at winning $5,000. Show up and support these entrepreneurs!

5×5 Night at Start Garden
October 29, 2024 5:00 pm
Location: Start Garden
Voting is Closed
5×5 Night at Start Garden
October 29, 2024 5:00 pm
Location: Start Garden
Voting is Closed

September 5×5 Night Winner!

Casita Sparkle

Congratulations to the winner of last night’s 5×5 in Spanish! Queen Arriola of Casita Sparkle took home the $5,000 check! It was great to connect with the lakeside community for this event!. We are extremely grateful for the partnership and support of Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP)!

Voting Closes: October 21, 2024 11:59 pm
Y.E.S Youth Entrepreneur Series
Welcome to the world of youth entrepreneurship! In this two week course series, I will empower and equip teenagers with the knowledge, skills and mindset required to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. My course are designed to provide youth with a comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurship, from ideation to execution. I will delve into various aspects such as identifying market opportunities. By the end of my two week course series, youth will leave with knowledge and skills necessary to thrive as teenage entrepreneurs. They will also have the confidence to turn their ideas into reality.
Elder Junction
A marketplace connecting elderly individuals with essential products, services, and information tailored to their needs.
Angels of Alanis LLC
ANGELS OF ALANIS LLC is a true home, not a facility, offering compassionate care for individuals with severe cognitive impairments. Our highly-trained CNAs provide personalized, round-the-clock support in a warm, family-like environment. We focus on comfort, creating spaces that feel like home, where residents are treated with dignity and respect. Families are welcomed to visit in privacy and comfort, fostering a sense of connection and peace. Our specialized care plans include daily living assistance, sensory therapies, and enriching activities that enhance residents’ quality of life. Angels of Alanis provides a haven where loved ones receive the care they need, while families can remain deeply involved in a supportive, private setting.
PT4 the Soul
PT4 the Soul is a Health and Wellness Coaching Service supporting individuals with Chronic Lyme disease, Long Covid, Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Stress, Anxiety, insomnia and more. Providing tools, education, support and resources for those in need of help dealing with chronic illness and pain. There are very few resources on the Lakeshore supporting these individuals. Long Covid, Anxiety and Lyme disease have become the new epidemic's in our culture and are significantly under supported with effective tools.
Auto-Grill
The Auto-Grill is an autonomous robotic grilling machine that cooks burgers or steaks to perfection. No cook required.
JHStudio Design and Printing
JHStudio offers graphic design, web design, digital marketing, and high-quality printing services, empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses in West Michigan.
Skin Ascension Day Spa
Has your skin impacted your confidence and held you back from feeling your best? Imagine a space where skincare meets science, and beauty is more than just skin-deep. Welcome to Skin Ascension Day Spa—where we’re not just offering facials; we’re transforming lives.
RITUIL
Rituil is a mindful living interior brand focused on helping others create balance through daily Rituil. All products are made in Portugal using Earth’s most sustainable materials: Cork, Ceramic, and Cotton.
VSJ Fitness ‘Wellness on Demand’
VSJ Fitness is an innovative wellness subscription service located in Grand Rapids, MI, devoted to fostering holistic health and well-being. We provide a diverse array of accessible offerings that include live fitness classes, personalized nutrition plans, mental health resources, and meditation sessions. Our aim is to create a supportive and engaging environment that encourages individuals to take charge of their health journey through a blend of physical, mental, and emotional wellness initiatives.
Body Party
Body Party is a revolutionary women's empowerment brand born from personal struggle and a vision for change. As the founder, my own battles with body image issues illuminated the widespread need for a brand that nurtures self-love and confidence in women. Our mission transcends the realm of mere product sales; we are fostering a movement that aims to redefine beauty perceptions and empower women to embrace their authentic selves. At its core, Body Party offers a comprehensive platform for women's self-improvement and well-being. Our product line includes luxurious scented soaps, seductive lingerie, and pleasure products, all designed to enhance self-love and body positivity. However, we recognize that true empowerment comes from within, which is why we also provide mental wellness tools such as self-care journals for reflection and personal growth. To further support our customers' journeys, we will offer educational workshops, rejuvenating retreats, and personalized coaching sessions.I’m
SheLeads GR
SheLeads GR is an afterschool program empowering high school girls through mentorship, leadership development, and community support.
Community Based Furniture Store
Locally crafted, transformational furniture designed to help you experience a "living large" lifestyle, even in the smallest of spaces.
Chris Bagley
Automated machine that loads/unloads free weights on a bench press, enhancing safety and efficiency
Justice 4 All
We create comfortable apparel that encourages and promotes anti-racism so you can spread awareness with style.
Crank & Create
Crank & Create brings mobile knitting pop-ups to local venues, offering fun workshops for all skill levels using circular knitting machines. No experience needed—attendees leave with handmade items, and a portion of profits supports community causes. We're also renovating a new studio for future events. Crank & Create fosters creativity, connections, and community, with plans to expand nationally like wine-and-canvas events, offering others a chance to combine creativity and impact.
Helping Inspire Students Creative Academy
An organization that helps inspire students to be creative, confident, and compassionate while building a supportive community through performing and visual arts.
Time & Heart Youth Center
A unique community-based program for youth and young adults, focused on training in culinary Arts in underserved communities. Connecting with youth that want to learn how to cook in a healthy and inexpensive way with great taste. Class offered on Saturdays, to both males and females ages 8-18.
Pawpaws Pickles
A pickle craze is sweeping the nation, making pickles in high demand. Some pickles can take 42 days to make, lack fresh taste, crunchiness, and contain artificial ingredients such as preservatives and colors for shelf-life. There are not enough healthy choices available.
The Nest: “The Community Nest: Where Families Grow Together”
A vibrant hub for families with play areas, educational workshops, a café, and local business showcases!
Holistic Mental Health Clinic
My idea is to transform my private practice into a holistic mental health clinic with a specialization in BIPOC communities as well as first, second, and third-generation immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. The growing demand for culturally sensitive behavioral and mental health services within these communities has inspired me to open a holistic mental health clinic. The $5,000 in funding will be utilized to cover the onboarding process and other administrative cost related to bringing on board a bilingual/bicultural therapist to begin with the process of becoming a mental health clinic.
Body Party
Body Party is a revolutionary women's empowerment brand born from personal struggle and a vision for change. As the founder, my own battles with body image issues illuminated the widespread need for a brand that nurtures self-love and confidence in women. Our mission transcends the realm of mere product sales; we are fostering a movement that aims to redefine beauty perceptions and empower women to embrace their authentic selves. At its core, Body Party offers a comprehensive platform for women's self-improvement and well-being. Our product line includes luxurious scented soaps, seductive lingerie, and pleasure products, all designed to enhance self-love and body positivity. However, we recognize that true empowerment comes from within, which is why we also provide mental wellness tools such as self-care journals for reflection and personal growth. To further support our customers' journeys, we will offer educational workshops, rejuvenating retreats, and personalized coaching sessions.I’m
Linda Carol’s Kitchen
Linda Carol's Kitchen is a custom dessert bakery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, creating unique handcrafted treats.
The Oval
An interactive art installation that fosters community, creativity, and connection in public spaces. Made by creatives for humankind, which are creative beings at heart.
Poca’s Beauty Lounge and suites
Have you ever wished GRAND RAPIDS, MI had a top tier full services luxury salon/suite environment to fulfill all beauty needs and a space for women to get away for relaxation all in one space? Well that’s what I want to bring here.. I have been in business at the location I am at right now at the moment going on 5Yrs this NOV.. My goal is to use the space I have now to start it off small and move to a bigger space to give the beauty industry out of town luxurious feeling to service the community something different & luxurious..
GastroScreen – Human Clinical Trials In A Dish
A miniature human gut in a dish for faster, safer drug testing and disease research.
Mental Health is your Wealth
Spreading the vital importance of youth mental health in all areas of Grand Rapids, Michigan. With an emphasis on the inner city youth. The stigmas of violence, drugs, and poverty, causes much attention that needs to be addressed. Being a minority, coming from the inner city drives me to want to passionately deliver more assets to my community.
The XKBE Experience
The XKBE Experience Provides a NEW way to experience & enjoy Self-Care & Self-Love in a soft girl setting. While allowing you to create, vibe and Just Be You!
Bobo Express Transportation
Bobo Express Transportation will offer efficient, reliable, and cost-effective transportation and delivery services using a fleet of Sprinter vans. The company will cater to local businesses, e-commerce platforms, and individual customers who need fast and secure delivery services, particularly focusing on last-mile delivery, courier services, and cargo transportation within the city and surrounding areas.
Fit With Size
Healthcare platform specializing for obesity care.
Community Inner City Fashion
Our high-end fashion brand focuses on providing, high-quality apparel to inner city youth consumers who value luxury, and competitively priced. The brand will emphasize its unique identity rooted in its five core values: God, Education, Fun, Respect, and Freedom. These values shape the business culture but also offer a unique selling point that differentiates us from other luxury fashion brands.
The tomorrow bar
The Tomorrow Bar is the world’s first hangover relief food. The bar is made up of real foods, vitamins, and supplements that have been clinically proven to reduce the negative effects of alcohol.
NANONIT
My goal is to pioneer clothing that combines fashion with cutting-edge technology, offering benefits such as healing and health tracking. I also seek to highlight the limitless possibilities of this technological synergy.
Jefferson & Sons Inc.
Jefferson & Sons Inc. provides comprehensive waste disposal, junk removal, clean-out, and demolition services for both commercial and residential clients. Our mission is to offer environmentally responsible, efficient, and reliable waste management solutions while ensuring customer satisfaction. By leveraging eco-friendly practices and cutting-edge technology, we aim to minimize waste and maximize recycling. Our services cater to homeowners, real estate agents, property managers, and construction companies, with a commitment to professionalism, affordability, and speed.
Goodies Baby Food
All-natural baby food, crafted with recipes from cultures around the world, cultivating the taste buds of the next generation of foodies.
The Correa VA Advantage
My virtual assistant business was born from a deep desire to help small businesses and non-profit organizations grow and succeed. The Correa VA Advantage is a VA business dedicated to empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs by managing tasks so that they can focus on their vision for their company. Inspired by personal experiences, my business aims to offer administrative support to overcome challenges and help others achieve growth. Thanks to my previous experiences and four years of college education in Marketing, Correa VA Advantage provides a variety of services, including administrative support, marketing, email management, travel planning, and more, all tailored to meet unique client needs. Utilizing advanced technology and efficient workflows, we ensure high-quality and consistent results for my clients. At the same time, we want to have a focus on including local assistant support, addressing the growing demand for personalized and secure assistance. Many owners have reached out, saying they feel more comfortable with a local virtual assistant, as it enhances the personal touch and security of the service. I want to be a part of their journey and help overcome the challenges that small businesses often face.
RideOut!
RideOut! is a driver-owned ride-sharing cooperative designed to provide better working conditions and profit-sharing opportunities for drivers while delivering a quality ride-sharing service to customers.
Prehtis
Practice a foreign language everywhere in a real-like scenario, with AI-powered avatars.
Not sure of any name right now.
I am just learn to do the knitting machine
Sereni-Tea, A wellness oasis for rural areas
Sereni-Tea is a wellness oasis for rural communities, specifically in Michigan - starting in Lake Odessa. The idea is to make products and services for natural wellness accessible and affordable to communities that do not have easy access to them, including services such as teas, tinctures, creams, self-care items, hard to find superfood powders and custom diagnostic testing - functional diagnostic nutrition. This is a proven method to naturally escape the sick-care cycle our current pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is modeled after.
Splendid Sprouts LLC
Accessible, nutrient-dense microgreens grown sustainably to support healthier living and a greener future.
C’Mon Betty Circular Economy Cannery
Turn ‘ugly’ or surplus produce into tasty, shelf-stable condiments to reduce waste and keep food within the community.
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Our Finalists

Divine’s Charcuterie
Mi negocio es de Charcuterie y frutas, donde ofrezco carnes, quesos, frutas, vegetales y semillas, una experiencia única para los clientes donde ellos escogen cómo armar su tablita de charcutería y fruta al gusto.
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Latin Sweet Bakes LLC
Elaboración de Tres leches Cakes con un proceso 100% artesanal. Son elaborados con diferentes sabores como: sabor original, dulce de leche y frutas frescas, para ser vendidos en envases cerrados directamente al consumidor para el deleite de toda nuestra Comunidad del Oeste de Michigan, también ofrecemos servicios de catering para eventos corporativos y familiares.
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Emisora Radio Alma Latina;Transmitiendo desde el corazón
La apertura de una Emisora de Radio en Español que supla las necesidades de una creciente comunidad hispanohablante en la ciudad de Holland,Michigan.La emisora de radio tiene como objetivo principal crear una programación que refleje los intereses y necesidades informativas, educativas,culturales,económicas , sociales,de salud física y mental de la comunidad.
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Casita Sparkle con un toque de Esperanza
El Negocio de limpieza Casita Sparkle resplandecerá dando esperanza a la familia a través de darle trabajo bien remunerado a madres solteras sin apoyo económico de nadie. De esta forma satisfacer las necesidades de sus hijos dandoles tiempo de calidad y tener clientes satisfechos con el mejor servicio pero también comprometidos con el objetivo de la empresa.
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JHStudio Design and Printing
La idea de mi negocio es un Estudio de Diseño digital e Impresión de marketing. Done ofrecemos costos accesibles para los emprendedores que están iniciando su negocio o tienen una idea de negocio por emprender.
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Our Supporters

What’s your big idea?

“Eek! What happens if I share my idea with the world?”
Best case scenario, it changes the world. Worst case scenario, nothing happens. So, see if something happens. Share and learn!

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