Can a $1.25M pitch competition impact Michigan’s startup trajectory?

Even with inflation, a single million dollar prize deserves attention. For a startup ecosystem, it may even alter future behaviors.

On Monday, the MSU Research Foundation announced the 20 finalists for this year’s PitchMI competition, a startup contest with $1.25 million in prizes. Spread across four regional pitch nights in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Traverse City, and Grand Rapids, the event may well be the largest state-based pitch competition in the country.

The money matters, of course. But the bigger story might just be what this competition could mean for Michigan’s role in accelerating the Midwest innovation economy. Could it help position Michigan as a testbed for potential public/private funding strategies? And more importantly, will other states follow?

More Than Prize Money

The PitchMI format is simple: startups had until September 14th to submit their applications, and the 20 finalists were chosen from a reported 375 submissions in 108 cities. Each regional pitch sends winners to the state final in April 2026, to be held during 517 Entrepreneurship & Innovation Week in East Lansing. One startup will walk away with a $1 million prize, with each regional winner receiving a $250,000 investment structured to fit their fundraising situation. Pending diligence, “If a company is already raising a SAFE, Convertible Note, or Priced Round, we will try to come in on those terms if we can” Pete Martin, MSU Research Foundation’s Director of Portfolio Management told this site.

But the competition is intended to be about more than just writing checks. 

Winners join the MSU Research Foundation portfolio, gaining access to PR support, a job board, and a network of Midwest investors and partners. The goal is speed and support: get capital in founders’ hands quickly, and connect them with the resources to help them potentially scale.

Lindsay A. Joseph of BedConnect, a finalist in Grand Rapids said “winning the $250K regional prize would be transformative… but the $1 million? That’s a legacy-level accelerator… one gets us momentum. The other gives us muscle.”

The Judging Lens

Each finalist now faces live pitches judged against criteria including market opportunity, product differentiation, traction, financial model, team capability, and go-to-market strategy.

It isn’t the flashiest demo that will win, it’s about proving that a company can grow into a national and global player, while remaining rooted in Michigan. The list of finalists cover a rand of industries, from women’s health and AI platforms to biotech, consumer software, and mobility.

For Lanna Last of AIMA Inc, a finalist in Grand Rapids, the prize money could be put directly into underfunded research. “Research in pain management for chronic pelvic pain is under researched and under funded. Winning the regional prize… gives our company the opportunity to make new discoveries for conditions that have long been ignored.”

A Statewide Bet with Regional Ripples

The lineup of companies in each city (full list at the end of the article) reflect industries that reflect Michigan’s identity and potentially its future.

Each region has its own focus topic, with Traverse City joining the established hubs to host the CleanTech & Outdoor Innovation pitches. Known for its climate focus, outdoor industries, and strong founder networks, the city is not often the first place outsiders may imagine when they think of ‘startups’. This pitch night offers a chance to see how innovation can occur outside the traditional university or urban centers.

For those looking to experience the pitches firsthand, registration to attend is still available at some venues via this link.

The larger stakes go beyond which startup wins. Michigan may be able to demonstrate a new model: using large-scale, state-backed prizes to accelerate private innovation.

Which leads to the broader question: if PitchMI can make a lasting impact in Michigan, would other Midwest states follow suit? Could Illinois, Ohio, or Minnesota roll out similar competitions, and would that help change the Midwest’s reputation in the eyes of coastal founders and investors?

Isabel Sheinman of Maka Media, a finalist in Ann Arbor, captured the essence of the local flavor in saying “this state has a history of shaping industries that touch every family… To us, PitchMI represents that same pioneering spirit: investing early in technologies that put people first.”

And Lindsay Joseph of BedConnect added “as a native Michigander, this prize is about more than funding, it’s about proving that Michigan doesn’t just build cars, we build companies that endure… It shows what’s possible when we invest in our own backyard.”

Why It Matters

Can these prizes create enough momentum to retain more talent, attract additional capital, and shift narratives about the Midwest? Will a million-dollar check, with added visibility and support, push these companies over the hump where so many others stall?

What’s certain is that founders and investors will be paying attention. And in a few weeks, 20 of those founders will step onto Michigan stages to make their case - not just for themselves, but for what the Midwest startup ecosystem may be able to become in the future.

The full list of finalists, topic clusters, dates, times and locations are:

Grand Rapids – Healthcare & Life Sciences
Monday, Sept. 29 | 3:00–5:00 p.m. | Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

AIMA, Inc. – THC-free plant compounds to relieve menstrual and pelvic pain.

BedConnect – Online system that shows hospitals which nursing-home beds are open.

Decimal Code – Software that uses AI to create billing codes for hospital procedures.

Elite Care Technologies, Inc. – Software that creates care-management plans from healthcare data.

Patensee, Inc. – A scanner that checks blood-flow access for dialysis patients.

Traverse City – CleanTech & Outdoor Innovation
Tuesday, Sept. 30 | 3:00–5:00 p.m. | Timber Ridge

Electric Outdoors, Inc. – Portable canopy system for remote camping sites.

Fab5 – Robotic equipment to speed up production in modern timber construction.

JustAir Solutions, Inc. – Air-quality sensors to track pollution levels and trends.

Lectric Boil – Portable, battery-powered induction stove and generator for camping or power outages.

Motmot – Small underwater robot to inspect city water pipes while they remain in service.

Detroit – Mobility, Defense & Advanced Manufacturing
Wednesday, Oct. 1 | 5:00–7:00 p.m. | Ford Field

AG3 Labs – Drones that can fly together in swarms for military training and defense testing.

CleanBotix – A robot that washes food-processing plants automatically to improve sanitation.

General Orbit – Navigation hardware and software to make satellites easier to build and control.

Ketchel Axle Systems  – Produces a lightweight electric axle to improve efficiency of large trucks.

Livaq – Electric all-terrain vehicle designed for off-road and government use.

Ann Arbor – AI & Software
Friday, Oct. 3 | 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Google Ann Arbor

Adrenaline Interactive – Place in-game ads inside gaming titles such as Fortnite and Roblox.

Clicki Referrals – A service that automates customer-referral rewards for small businesses.

Lutely – Tools that help musicians edit, organize, and sell their music without commissions.

Maka Media – Curates age-appropriate YouTube videos for children using AI.

Nunchi – Software to helps clubs, schools, and professional groups manage memberships.

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