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MSU Extension highlights Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference held in Lapeer
Summary
Michigan State University Extension reported that the Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference drew 103 attendees from 37 counties, raised $17,000 in local sponsorships and hosted a youth entrepreneurship market in downtown Lapeer.
Michigan State University Extension updated the board on the Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities (CEC) conference hosted in the city of Lapeer, reporting 103 attendees from 46 cities across the state and sponsorships totaling $17,000.
Andy Norfolk, MSU Extension government and community vitality educator, told commissioners the two-day conference featured 25 breakout sessions, two keynote talks and a youth entrepreneurship market that allowed seven regional youth entrepreneurs to sell products. The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) partnered on a local micro-grant program that gave registered attendees $10 each to spend at participating local businesses, an effort the extension said the DDA hopes to track for local economic impact.
Why it matters: the CEC conference aims to elevate small-town entrepreneurship, provide peer learning for downtown businesses and generate local economic activity. Norfolk said Lapeer attracted attendees from roughly half the state's counties and that the conference model has been exported to other states.
Conference organizers and local partners will continue to assess economic impacts including merchant spending and overnight stays and share results with city and county leaders. Norfolk thanked the city and local partners for hosting and for exceeding required sponsorship goals.
