Have 100 seconds?
You could win

$20,000

to launch your business!

(It’s as easy as recording a 100-second video!)

Submissions are Closed

Submissions Closed

Submissions are Closed

Submissions Closed

how it works

Anyone from anywhere in any language can submit an idea—and it only takes 100 seconds! You can submit more than one idea.

Ideas can be submitted from May 3, 2024 to July 8, 2024
On July 15, 2024, the 100 finalists are announced
$1,000 is awarded to each of the 100 to prepare for Demo Day
Demo Day takes place on September 18 at Calder Plaza
$20,000 is awarded to the winners of Demo Day

Start Garden and Northern Initiatives have partnered to increase the startup funds for the annual 100 competition!

An option for the 10 finalists to receive loans from Northern Initiatives brings the total in startup awards for the Start Garden 100 to $500,000. Northern Initiatives, a community development financial institution, has been providing capital and support to small businesses across Michigan for 30 years.

Each of the 10 winners will be offered up to $20,000 as a loan from Northern Initiatives in addition to the $20,000 no-strings-attached grant that Start Garden awards. It will be up to each individual entrepreneur to decide if they want to accept the $20,000 loan according to where their business is at the time. This is potentially up to $40,000 to put into your business!