Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

NMC Innovation & Entrepreneurship Hub

The Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE) provides NMC 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.

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 NMC Strategic Plan.
Real-world learning
OIE engages NMC students in real-world learning opportunities, including pitch coaching, a market day for student-run businesses, and problem-solving challenges with local businesses.
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.

2026 Request for Proposals (RFP)

Eligibility

NMC 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 NMC 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

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.
NMC Competitive Flight Team

NMC Aviation student Alex Modrzynski developed a competitive flight team to participate in the Region III SAFECON competition. Prior to this, the NMC Aviation program did not include competitive student flight teams. The SAFECON regional competition provides a unique opportunity for NMC 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 NMC Aviation brand.
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 NMC 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.

Reaching Adult Learners with CollegeAPP

Kelly Yauk, NMC Marketing Director, and Krista McCarty, Extended Education & Training Marketing Coordinator, will use the data aggregation and modeling company, CollegeAPP, to enhance NMC’s understanding of prospective adult college students in order to reach them with effective, engaging messaging. NMC 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.
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.
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.

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.
Schedule an appointment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Community Resources & Services for Entrepreneurs

Unless stated, all opportunities listed below are free.

20Fathoms

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

Grove

Weekly Office of Possibilities (OOPs) community networking sessions. Tuesdays from 9–11 a.m.
Grove Affinity Groups - Bringing together innovators with shared experiences and identities

Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Northern Michigan Angels

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

SCORE

Small business mentorship. Offered virtually and in person by appointment.
Virtual and in-person workshops, webinars and courses to assist individuals who are growing a business. Both free and low-cost options.