Public voting for Amarra Beauty Products/G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs, Harry Rich Clothier, Khana, or Roller Skate Detroit to win $100,000 in startup funding from Comerica Bank continues May 1-9
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DETROIT (April 22, 2024) – The votes are in! After a tight race, the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown is ready to announce the four businesses advancing to the final stage of the competition.
These four businesses will have the opportunity to compete at the Hatch Off on May 9, pitching their businesses for the chance to win $100,000 in startup funds from Comerica Bank, as well as technical assistance from TechTown Detroit and its partners, to kickstart and open a brick-and-mortar business in Detroit, Hamtramck or Highland Park.
“The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown has successfully incubated some of the city’s most well-loved small businesses thanks to Detroit’s astounding support of its entrepreneurs,” said Christianne Malone, assistant vice president for economic development at Wayne State University and chief program officer of TechTown Detroit. “These top four businesses have been hand-selected by the public, for the public. Every vote cast in this competition is a testament to the community’s support of local innovators that fuel this city’s revitalization.”
The four businesses vying to take home the crown and $100,000 in the 2024 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest are:
- Amarra Beauty Products/G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs: a certified woman- and minority-owned business based in Detroit, specializing in natural, organic body scrubs. They provide jobs, training and mentorship to underserved individuals, especially women who have been victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, as well as returning citizens.
- Harry Rich Clothier: creates custom garments for individuals, using fashion as a tool to inspire, liberate and educate people to think beyond the status quo.
- Khana: a Pakistani-inspired food pop-up based in Detroit. Their dishes are derived from the owner’s family’s traditional Pakistani recipes and influenced by both their American and South Asian upbringing in the city.
- Roller Skate Detroit: will provide the metro Detroit area with an entertainment facility focused on healthy fun. Their vision is to become a complete lifestyle brand that combines enjoyment, wellness, enrichment, sophistication, technology and community engagement.
These finalists now enter the final round of public voting which begins on Wednesday, May 1, at noon and will run through the completion of the Hatch Off on Thursday, May 9. The winner of the 2024 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest will be chosen through a combination of the public’s votes and judges’ deliberations. The community can cast their votes for their favorite business once every 24 hours at hatchdetroit.com/vote.
Over the years, the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest has helped launch some of Detroit’s most successful and well-known businesses, including 27th Letter Books (2019), Baobab Fare (2017), Meta Physica Massage (2016), Sister Pie (2014), and La Feria (2012).
With this year’s investment, Comerica Bank and the Comerica Charitable Foundation will have committed more than $1.1 million to Hatch Detroit in direct funding since Comerica’s partnership began, along with additional in-kind support that includes technical services. The program is one of Detroit’s most successful small business incubators since it first began in 2011 with Comerica partnering with Hatch beginning in 2012.
“On behalf of Comerica Bank, we extend our congratulations to the top four entrepreneurs for reaching this milestone. Just by placing as a finalist in the 2024 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown, these businesses already have the community’s support behind them and have accomplished an incredible entrepreneurial feat,” said Meghan Storey, senior vice president, Michigan director of small business at Comerica Bank. “Each finalist has demonstrated innovation, creativity, and resilience – skills that will take them far and leave a mark on the city of Detroit’s small business landscape.”
Tickets are now available to witness the top four business pitches and see the winner of the Hatch Off competition crowned. The Hatch Off takes place on Thursday, May 9, at 6 p.m., at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center at 461 Burroughs St. in Detroit.