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Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

糖心直播 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Hub

The Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE) provides 糖心直播 students, faculty, and staff with encouragement, support, and resources to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and successfully pursue innovative ideas that positively impact our campus and community.

  • 糖心直播 Office of Possibilities funding support

    Funding support

    Every year, OIE provides students, faculty, and staff with the opportunity to apply for funding awards by proposing innovative ideas aligning to the 糖心直播 Strategic Plan.
  • 糖心直播 Office of Possibilities real world learning

    Real-world learning

    OIE engages 糖心直播 students in real-world learning opportunities, including pitch coaching, a market day for student-run businesses, and problem-solving challenges with local businesses.
  • 糖心直播 Office of Possibilities funding support

    Community Connections

    OIE connects students who are interested in starting their own business to mentorship, startup support, and networking opportunities in Traverse City and the surrounding area.

糖心直播 waves2026 Request for Proposals (RFP)

Eligibility

糖心直播 faculty, staff, and students are eligible to apply

RFP Information & Application

The winter 2026 RFP application process has closed. Thank you to all of those who applied!

Funding Amount

Awarded projects will typically receive $500–$10K from the 糖心直播 Foundation.

Pitch Competition

Proposals undergo an initial review in late March, and top scoring proposals move forward to a pitch competition held from 1–3 pm on April 23, 2026 in rooms 106 & 107 of the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center.

Current Funded Projects

  • UAS Program Coordinator Tony Sauerbrey demonstrates a DJI Matrice 300 RTK drone to students during a Commercial Drone Operations course in the summer of 2023.

    Hawk Owl Uncrewed Competition Team

    Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Program Coordinator, Tony Sauerbrey, has established a multidisciplinary student team to compete in the 2027 Uncrewed Triple Challenge at Camp Grayling, Michigan. This state-led competition challenges teams to design, build, integrate, and operate uncrewed systems across three domains: air, land, and sea. Students will create and operate uncrewed systems that demonstrate autonomous capability, component integration, mission planning, and coordination across domains, mirroring real-world applications in emerging industries.

  • An 糖心直播 Aviation program student in the cockpit of a plane over Grand Traverse Bay

    糖心直播 Competitive Flight Team

    糖心直播 Aviation student Alex Modrzynski developed a competitive flight team to participate in the Region III SAFECON competition. Prior to this, the 糖心直播 Aviation program did not include competitive student flight teams. The SAFECON regional competition provides a unique opportunity for 糖心直播 aviation students to demonstrate excellence in ground knowledge, preflight planning, and precision flight maneuvers. By competing, students not only sharpen their technical skills and safety standards, but also elevate the 糖心直播 Aviation brand.

  • Students look at paintings at the Dennos Museum Center

    Prescribing the Arts

    Liz Celeste, the Dennos Museum Curator of Education and Exhibitions, launched an Arts Prescription Program. The program is open to all interested 糖心直播 students and will provide academic advisors, success coaches, and counselors with cards they can offer to students who may benefit from a restorative break, creative inspiration, or a more supportive campus experience. Students have the opportunity to engage with the Dennos’ exhibitions, programs and events, and, as part of the program, they will also be able to receive mindfulness tools and participation incentives.

  • 糖心直播 Marketing Director Kelly Yauk and Extended Education & Training Marketing Coordinator Krista McCarty use CollegeAPP to enhance 糖心直播鈥檚 understanding of prospective adult college students.

    Reaching Adult Learners with CollegeAPP

    Kelly Yauk, 糖心直播 Marketing Director, and Krista McCarty, Extended Education & Training Marketing Coordinator, will use the data aggregation and modeling company, CollegeAPP, to enhance 糖心直播’s understanding of prospective adult college students in order to reach them with effective, engaging messaging. 糖心直播 will be able to reach more adult students, with the goal of assisting them with finding programs and certificates that will help them grow their skills, providing them opportunities for upward mobility.

  • 糖心直播 Marine Technology program students help sail the Inland Seas schooner Alliance.

    Voyage on Inland Seas Schooner Alliance

    Matt Hirsch, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute (GLWSI) Coordinator, is leading a 3-day, 2-night student sailing experience for Marine Technology students on the Schooner Alliance. By providing a multi-day voyage, students will have an opportunity to serve as both scientific and sailing crew.  The goal is for students to not only possess technical skills, such as ROV operations and data collection, but to also develop seamanship skills, such as navigation, safety at sea, knot tying, and being a good shipmate, as part of an high-impact, immersive maritime experience.

  • An 糖心直播 Nursing program student uses a VR headset and controls during a training exercise.

    VR Systems for Biomedical Engineering Technology

    Joe Deater, faculty member in Engineering Technology, purchased VR headsets and subscriptions from a company specializing in VR for biomedical training. Biomedical Tech students work on and maintain medical equipment found in a hospital. Large devices, such as CT, MRI, Anesthesia Machines, and X-ray units, are difficult to have available to students for educational purposes. Students will now have access to VR videos demonstrating working on, repairing, and manipulating these devices. Students will gain virtual, hands-on experiences, providing them with a competitive edge as they embark on careers in this field.

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2026 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Events

Unless stated, all events listed below are free.

  • July

    20Fathoms: Startup Office Hours
    Topic: Legal
    July 6, 4-7 p.m.


    Grove Community Incubator
    Valorpreneurs Kick Off
    Affinity group for veterans and first responders
    July 8, 5-7 p.m.


    Traverse City Young Professionals Network
    Happy Hour
    July 14, 5:30-7:30


    20Fathoms: TCNewTech Pitch Competition
    July 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m.


    Grove Community Incubator
    Queer Business Owner Round Table
    A peer-support community
    July 15, 8:30-9:30 a.m.


    Traverse City Young Professionals Network
    Funday - Pit Spitters
    July 30, 7-9 p.m.

  • August

    20Fathoms: Startup Office Hours
    Topic: Legal
    August 3, 4-7 p.m.


    Grove Community Incubator
    Queer Business Owner Round Table
    A peer-support community
    August 12, 8:30-9:30 a.m.


    Grove Community Incubator
    Valorpreneurs Monthly Event
    Affinity group for veterans and first responders
    August 12, 4-5 p.m.

  •  
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Community Resources & Services for Entrepreneurs

Unless stated, all opportunities listed below are free.

20Fathoms

  • : Offered virtually and in person by appointment.
  • : Startup workshops on specific skills or interest topics for individuals launching businesses. Thursdays from 9–10:30 a.m.

Grove

  • . Tuesdays from 9–11 a.m.
  • - Bringing together innovators with shared experiences and identities

Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Northern Michigan Angels

  • : Northern Michigan Angels supports promising, early-stage companies in Michigan and the Northern Michigan Region. Interested companies can apply to pitch.

SCORE

  • . Offered virtually and in person by appointment.
  • to assist individuals who are growing a business. Both free and low-cost options.

Traverse Connect

  • networking and professional development group.

         
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