Cohort Info
2024 Program Cohorts
UPCOMING: Grand Rapids Cohort 13 Details
Intro Night - Monday, February 19th, 2024, at 6 pm: Listen & ask questions; no commitment is required.
MVE-Lab Weekly CO.STARTERS sessions - Monday nights from 6-9 pm starting February 19, 2024, and the Final Pitch event and Showcase event will be May 13, 2024: Apply here
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sunday, February 18th, 2023 at 11:59 pm
Cohort 13 Final Pitch & Showcase - Monday, May 13, 2024
The showcase begins at 5 pm; Pitches begin at 6 pm. Cohort participants pitch for $20,000 in cash prizes.
The location will be the same for all meetings, including the final pitch event:
GVSU L. William Seidman Center
Charles W. Loosemore Forum (room # 1008)
50 Front Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
2023 Program Cohorts
Cohort: Battle Creek Cohort 12 Details
Intro Night - Monday, September 11th, 2023, at 6 pm: Listen & ask questions, no commitment is required.
MVE-Lab Weekly CO.STARTERS sessions - Mondays at 6 pm starting September 18th - December 4th, 2023: Apply here
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, September 4th, 2023 at 11:59pm
Cohort 12 Final Pitch & Showcase - Monday, December 4th, 2023
The showcase begins at 5 pm; Pitches begin at 6 pm. Cohort participants pitch for $20,000 in cash prizes.
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce
34 Jackson Street W, Suite 3A
Battle Creek, MI 49017
Muskegon Cohort 11 Details
Final Pitch & Showcase - Thursday, May 25th, 2023
The showcase begins at 5 pm; Pitches begin at 6 pm. Cohort participants pitch for $20,000 in cash prizes.
Don’t miss the opportunity to vote for your favorite veteran business idea/startup for the People’s Choice Award.
GVSU Muskegon Innovation Hub (free parking available)
200 Viridian Dr, Muskegon, MI 49440
About the HUB
The Muskegon Innovation Hub at GVSU (The Hub) is a business innovation nerve center that helps entrepreneurs and businesses achieve their true potential. We bring excellence to a diverse and everchanging entrepreneurial community.
Volunteer to mentor MVE-Lab new entrepreneurs
Join a fabulous cadre of business owners, attorneys, bankers, and marketers to provide one-on-one mentoring to MVE-Lab participants. We welcome veteran entrepreneurs and business leaders from a wide range of experiences. Commitment is limited to the night of the class, a two hour session, either via zoom or in person (with social distancing protocols in place). Each cohort provides two opportunities to participate. To be contacted about mentoring opportunities, email [email protected].
Mentors share wisdom on MVE-Lab Mentor Night (pre-pandemic)
Software Entrepreneur & GVSU alumni John Sorensen mentors GVSU alumni Lonnie Riley during Cohort 5. Go Lakers!
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What will you get?
New Skills
New business strategies that cover idea feasibility, product development, pricing, and how to get to market. Participants will learn best practices from GVSU faculty and staff, as well as successful veterans in the entrepreneurial space.
Support Network
In addition to your cohort of military-connected individuals, you'll have the opportunity to learn from successful veteran-entrepreneurs, develop mentoring relationships with people who want you to succeed, and develop your business pitch with a lot of coaching from others in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Grand Rapids.
Opportunities
We hope that in just 3 months, you'll have a rich learning experience to help you get your business off the ground. Participants will have access to support services like LendGR, SCORE, SBDC, and GROW, meet potential funders/investors, and receive customized support from GVSU and other mentors.