New Enterprise Forum invites anyone interested in entrepreneurship to join us at our monthly Forum to connect with entrepreneurs, investors, service providers and businesses.

The February 2020 meeting is our 34th anniversary to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in our community. Join in on the fun as we celebrate entrepreneurialism by awarding the 2019 NEF Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Be a part of this celebration and show your appreciation to emerging entrepreneurs.

Join us at this meeting to ask questions, keep pace with local entrepreneurs, and connect with people who support the local start-up community.

Past Presenter Update

This month we have a past showcase presenter who will provide an update on their team's journey since they last presented at NEF. Come and hear from Peter Falzon, CEO of Ripple Science.

Ripple Science

2019 Entrepreneur of the Year

Danny Ellis, CEO & Co-Founder, SKYSPECS

Danny is the CEO and Co-Founder of SkySpecs, an Ann Arbor based company that optimizes the operations and maintenance of wind farms through automated robotics, data analytics, and predictive maintenance software. He is a two-time graduate of the University of Michigan with a BSE and MSE in Aerospace Engineering. Danny is a Techstars alum, Forbes "30 under 30" honoree, and Endeavor entrepreneur. Outside of work, Danny enjoys golfing, live music, board games, and spending time with his wife Kelley and daughter Olivia.

2019 Rising Star of the Year

NEF’s "2019 Rising Star of the Year” as we present this award to celebrate entrepreneurs who are on their way to becoming household names. This year's winner is:

Fares Ksebati, CEO and Co-Founder, MySwimPro

2019 NEF Showcase Presenter Awards

Here are the contenders for the 2019 Showcase presenter awards. They worked hard. They all deserve congratulations on their presentations, but only three will be taking home an award for their outstanding efforts. Guess which 2019 NEF Showcase Presenters will take home pitch awards for Best Presentation, Best Technology and Best Business Model?

• EagleView Imaging, Francis Glorie, CEO
• eScapes Network, Robert Oklejas, Co-Founder & CEO
• Giggso, Ravi Venugopal, Founder & CEO
• InheRET, Dr. David Keren, CEO
• Life Magnetics, Kevin Hagedorn, Ph.D., Founder & President

The winners’ names remain secret until show time, even they do not know which award they have won.

See the event details and bios here.

Mark your calendar. The meeting opens at 5:00 pm with networking and appetizers. Around 5:45 pm, the program portion of the meeting begins with an introduction from our President including upcoming entrepreneurial events and past NEF Showcase Presenter news. The program continues with our featured Showcase Presenter(s) who are graduates of the NEF coaching process. Depending on the month or otherwise noted, the program includes the engaging NEF Pitch Pit or intriguing topic and panel. The program typically finishes at 7:15 pm with more networking afterwards. Please feel welcome to join us.

The event is FREE. Registration is not required but recommended for planning purposes.