Upcoming Events

June 19, 2025

From Representation to Empowerment: Cultivating Inclusive Cultures

More details to follow!

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Special Presentation: 2024 Michigan Business Challenge Innovation Track winner Milieu

Milieu is dedicated to revolutionizing skincare through cutting-edge science and personalized solutions. It believes that every person’s skin is unique, and their skincare should be too. By analyzing your skin’s microbiome, Milieu creates custom formulations that work with your body’s natural processes, not against them.

Expert Panel: From Representation to Empowerment: Cultivating Inclusive Cultures

Representation is just the beginning! Our panel discussion will explore how businesses can move from symbolic diversity to meaningful inclusion where diverse voices influence outcomes, drive strategy, and lead with impact. Understanding the real value of diversity isn’t just ethical - it’s profitable.

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July 24, 2025

July Forum

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Speakers TBA

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September 25, 2025

September Forum

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Speakers TBA

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October 16, 2025

October Forum

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Speakers TBA

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November 20, 2025

November Forum

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Speakers TBA

[read more]

Past Events

November 17, 2022, 5 PM

Matching Funders and Founders

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Panel: “Funders and Founders - Finding the Right Match”

A panel of experts will discuss how founders can find the right investors to help their company grow considering all aspects of the founder-funder relationship.

Moderator

[read more]
October 20, 2022, 5 PM to 7:30 PM

Pitch Pit and Showcase

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Pitch Pit

Selected entrepreneurs will each give a four-minute pitch of their business plan to a panel of investor judges in a “Shark Tank” format.  PowerPoint slides are not permitted. Think of it as the proverbial “elevator speech.”

After each pitch, the judges will give detailed feedback and score the business. At the end of the evening, the person with the highest score will receive a $250 cash prize.as well as the opportunity to receive a free Business Readiness Assessment from NEF.

Contestants

  • Dan Champoux of GEKOT, providing Comprehensive Alerting Technology for Scooters.
  • Austin Chrzanowski of Mind Sprout Box,  providing subscription boxes of creative activities that drive memorable playtime.
  • Ayishwariya Menon
[read more]
September 15, 2022

Panel: Controlling the Chaos

Panel: Strategies for Startups to Avoid Chaos and Burnout

 Many entrepreneurial CEOs/ Founders start with a great idea, full of passion and possibility, but as the company grows in people and revenue the chaos begins and what once was passion can become a burden. Our panel of experts will discuss strategies for helping early stage companies manage the chaos, focus on what’s important, and avoid burnout.

Moderator

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July 14, 2022, 5 PM

July Pitch Pit and Showcase

Showcase - Community Health Focus

Lynne Matallana is Founder/President of Community Health Focus, Inc. ™ & CEO of its interactive digital health program for guided self-care, PAIN TOOLS®. As the only personalized, guided bi-directional communication, digital health and human touch chronic pain platform for women, ages 40-75, PAIN TOOLS®, provides the assistance, resources & tools needed to ensure better health outcomes.

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June 16, 2022, 5 PM - 7 PM

June Panel and Showcase

Ann Arbor

Showcase - CatalystXL

Mark Russell is Co-Founder & CEO of CatalystXL, a Michigan company offering 
Cardware, an all-in-one platform that brings together communications, content, and data into a single, intuitive, custom-branded experience. Cardware addresses a fundamental problem that organizations are increasingly facing – the inefficiency of using multiple channels, platforms, tools, and applications, to communicate, interact, and share with colleagues, customers, partners, and suppliers. Cardware creates engaging and easy-to-use experiences, scalable to your company and your industry using a powerful flashcard format to deliver dynamic, re

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May 19, 2022, 5 PM - 7 PM

An Entrepreneur’s Journey

Ann Arbor

Our first in-person Forum in two years features an engaging speaker and great networking opportunities.

Guest Speaker [read more]
April 21, 2022, 5 PM

Pitch Pit and Showcase

Showcase - Betterfrost

Derrick Redding, CEO. Betterfrost’s solution defrosts and defogs Electric Vehicles’ windshields with 20 times less power than current technology and extends the range of an EV by 38 km in winter.  The system provides high-voltage, pulsed power to the conductive layer inside of windshields. and is based on decades of research at the Dartmouth Ice lab. Betterfrost’s patented system provides only the minimal amount of heat necessary to reach the correct penetration depth to melt the boundary layer of ice for easy removal.

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March 17, 2022, 5 PM

Showcase and Panel: “Soft Skills for Entrepreneurs - How important are they?”

Purified Handle Showcase Presentation [read more]
February 17, 2022, 5 PM - 6:30 PM ET

Annual Awards Celebration

AWARDS PRESENTATION

Join our members and celebrate the accomplishments of the startup entrepreneurs being recognized by New Enterprise Forum.

Entrepreneur of the Year [read more]
January 20, 2022, 5 PM

January Showcase and Pitch Pit

Mouvit Showcase Presentation [read more]
November 18, 2021, 5 PM - 6:30 PM

Panel: “Do You Even Need to Impress Investors in Today’s Fundraising World?”

Showcase Presentation - Quint Workspaces [read more]
man speaks to seated audience
October 21, 2021, 5 PM

October Pitch Pit

Pathware Update and Pitch Pit Pathware Update - Michael Moore, CEO [read more]
four hands clasped at wrists
Thursday, 16 September 2021, 4:00 pm

How to Impress Investors with your Startup’s Team

Showcase Presentation and Panel Discussion

Showcase Presentation [read more]
22 July 2021

Showcase and Pitch Pit

Showcase Presentation

An entrepreneur who has perfected a ten-minute investor pitch with the help of NEF coaches will present their company and take questions from the audience.

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17 June 2021

Online Panel Discussion - “How to Impress Investors with Your  Startup’s Traction.”

Showcase Presentation - Will Winn Games

An entrepreneur who has perfected a ten-minute investor pitch with the help of NEF coaches will present their company and take questions from the audience.

Will Winn Games Inc. is a new East Lansing-based game studio established in Q4 of 2020 and launched out of the Michigan State University Game Development Program, Spartan Innovations, and Red Cedar Ventures. WWG was founded by faculty and former faculty of Michigan State University’s number 1 ranked game development program1 and is staffed by MSU GameDev alumni and veterans of the game industry. The initial game that Will Winn Games is launching is a game called Plunder Panic, a swashbuckling multiplayer action arcade game that supports both local and online multiplayer up to 12 players a

[read more]
20 May 2021

Showcase and Pitch Pit

Showcase Presentation - Nicolas Théorêt is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Centri. [read more]
15 April 2021

Online Panel Discussion: How to Impress Investors with your Business Plan Financials

Alumni Presentation - Eran Bashan, PhD , CEO and Chairman of Hygieia Moderator: [read more]
18 March 2021

Showcase & Pitch Pit

Showcase Presentation - Jason Yaeger is Co-Founder and CEO of Tenacity Tenacity [read more]
February 18, 2021

NEF Annual Awards Event

Showcase Presenter Eebu Health [read more]
January 21, 2021

NEF Showcase Presentation and Pitch Pit

New Enterprise Forum invites anyone interested in entrepreneurship to join us for an ONLINE Forum Meeting.  Join us  to ask questions, keep pace with local entrepreneurs, and connect with people who support the local start-up community.

Showcase Presentation 

BACKBOARD

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November 19–20, 2020

NEF Showcase Presentation and Panel Discussion - Online Event

New Enterprise Forum invites anyone interested in entrepreneurship to join us for an ONLINE Forum Meeting.

We showcase an outstanding team of entrepreneurs who are looking to raise capital for their venture. They have gone through an extensive coaching from our experienced coaches and these founders are eager to present their venture to the entrepreneurial community at this event.

This event gives the start-up the opportunity to practice presenting to investors and others interested in the Detroit Area entrepreneurial community.  Each presentation will reflect NEF training on what is important to communicate and what not to do. They would greatly appreciate your feedback, insights and encouragement. You will also learn a few tips and techniques in sharpening your own pitch for your venture.

Join us at this ONLINE meeting to ask questions, kee

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October 15, 2020

NEF Showcase Presentation and Pitch Pit

New Enterprise Forum invites anyone interested in entrepreneurship to join us for an ONLINE Forum Meeting. 

During this unprecedented time, we want to continue to support our entrepreneurs and give them a chance to connect with the entrepreneurial community, even if it means going VIRTUAL in presenting their ideas and business plans.

We showcase an outstanding team of entrepreneurs who are looking to raise capital for their venture. They have gone through an extensive coaching from our experienced coaches and these founders are eager to present their venture to the entrepreneurial community at this event.

This event gives the start-up the opportunity to practice presenting to investors and others interested in the Detroit Area entrepreneurial community.  Each presentation will reflect NEF training on what is important to communicate and

[read more]
September 17, 2020

NEF Showcase Presentation and Panel Discussion - Online Event

Showcase Presentation MODUS [read more]
July 16, 2020

NEF Pitch Pit and Fireside Chat - Online Event

New Enterprise Forum invites anyone interested in entrepreneurship to join us for an ONLINE Forum Meeting. 

During this unprecedented time, we want to continue to support our entrepreneurs and give them a chance to connect with the entrepreneurial community, even if it means going VIRTUAL in presenting their ideas and business plans.

We showcase an outstanding team of entrepreneurs who are looking to raise capital for their venture. They have gone through an extensive coaching from our experienced coaches and these founders are eager to present their venture to the entrepreneurial community at this event.

Join us at this ONLINE meeting to ask questions, keep pace with local entrepreneurs, and connect with people who support the local start-up community.

NEF PITCH PIT

Four entrepreneurs will each give a four-mi

[read more]
June 18, 2020

NEF Showcase Presentation and Panel Discussion - Online Event

New Enterprise Forum invites anyone interested in entrepreneurship to join us for an ONLINE Forum Meeting.

During this unprecedented time, we want to continue to support our entrepreneurs and give them a chance to connect with the entrepreneurial community, even if it means being VIRTUAL in presenting their ideas and business plans.

We showcase an outstanding team of entrepreneurs who are looking to raise capital for their venture. They have gone through an extensive coaching from our experienced coaches and these founders are eager to present their venture to the entrepreneurial community at this event.

This event gives the start-up the opportunity to practice presenting to investors and others interested in the Detroit Area entrepreneurial community.  Each presentation will reflect NEF training on what is important to communicate and what n

[read more]