HiveLend Wins Ann Arbor SPARK's Best of Boot Camp

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- HiveLend was awarded Best of Boot Camp at the conclusion of Ann Arbor SPARK's 26^th Entrepreneur Boot Camp. HiveLend was chosen as winner by a panel of investors and industry experts who rated Boot Camp participants' pitches. Ann Arbor SPARK's Boot Camp program is funded by the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone (LDFA).

HiveLend is a web-platform enabling communication between farmers and beekeepers through a proprietary, matching algorithm.

"Ann Arbor SPARK's Entrepreneur Boot Camp Bootcamp was instrumental in HiveLend's evolution this winter," said Nicholas Zajciw, HiveLend founder. "The feedback we received throughout Boot Camp was invaluable and helped us to refine HiveLend as a whole. I am especially thankful for the work my drill instructor, Mark Ritz, put into ensuring our success."

Ann Arbor SPARK's Boot Camp process quickly and effectively validates and focuses an entrepreneur's business idea. Compared to other entrepreneur education programs that focus on teaching how to write a business plan, Boot Camp gives business founders the tools to decide if their idea is worth executing.

A video highlighting Ann Arbor SPARK's impact on entrepreneurism in the Ann Arbor region and past winners is available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XCt0wsQFw4&feature=youtu.be

"Entrepreneur Boot Camp is a great example of Ann Arbor SPARK's work to develop our region's economy today, and strengthen it for the future," said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO. "Today's startup companies are the companies that will attract investment and create jobs tomorrow. HiveLend shows how innovation can be born out of any number of market needs, and that Ann Arbor's entrepreneur ecosystem can nurture a range of tech companies."

More than 100 entrepreneurs, drill instructors, and mentors participated in Ann Arbor SPARK's 26^th Entrepreneur Boot Camp. A bi-annual program, Boot Camp has assisted more than 500 companies since 2002.

Ann Arbor SPARK will host its next Entrepreneur Boot Camp in the fall of 2015.

Ann Arbor SPARK's entrepreneurial services, including Boot Camp, are funded by the by the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone (LDFA). The LDFA provides the capital needed to facilitate the development of private, high-tech enterprises and commercialization of research products being developed at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University and within the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone.

More information on SPARK's entrepreneurial services, funded by LDFA, is available by video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qayeQ-3MQrM.

About Ann Arbor SPARK
Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is advancing the region by encouraging and supporting business acceleration, attraction and retention. The organization identifies and meets the needs of business at every stage, from start-ups to large organizations. Ann Arbor SPARK collaborates with business, academic, government, and community investor partners including the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County, Livingston County, Ann Arbor Ypsilanti SmartZone (LDFA), Washtenaw County Michigan Works!, the City of Ann Arbor, Bank of Ann Arbor and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. For more information, please call (734) 761-9317 or visit www.AnnArborUSA.org. 

SOURCE Ann Arbor SPARK

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