Small businesses compete for $100K prize in TechTown Detroit's Hatch competition

Hatch Detroit competition to uplift small business owners soon to start final round

This competition has helped hundreds of local entrepreneurs incubate and elevate their businesses. Just last week, the top 10 semifinalists for 2024 were announced at TechTown.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Comerica Bank and TechTown’s 2024 Hatch Detroit competition is nearing its final round. The public has until Thursday to vote for the top four businesses who will compete in this year’s annual "Hatch Off."

Sarah Williams is the owner of Next Chapter Books, and was one of last year's finalists.

"We had been a temporary pop up in the community that we’re in for about five months so getting engaged with Hatch, kind of raised our profile to the rest of the city."

Williams' business is a community bookstore on Detroit’s east side. They were among the top four at last year’s "Hatch Off.

"It forces you to know who you are," said Jay Williams.

"We wanted to uplift authors of color, be an inclusive space - these were all really important to us and we were able to verbalize that, during out pitch," said Lisa.

Although their business didn’t win last year’s $100,000 cash prize. The competition transformed Jay and Sarah’s lives - and they still managed to get their brick and motor location.

"The experience was just so tremendous for us," Jay said.

This competition has helped hundreds of local entrepreneurs incubate and elevate their businesses. Just last week, the top 10 semifinalists for 2024 were announced at TechTown.

"We have everything from lots of wellness that seems to be a big trend," said Christianne Malone, Chief program officer of TechTown. "We have a vegan desert place, we have a barber shop, we have a roller-skate."

By design, this competition is meant to help revitalize the community...Its impact can be felt neighborhood to neighborhood…as new businesses continue to pop up.

"This is helping kind of the next generation of small business owners get their businesses up and running," said Steve Davis, Michigan Market president, Comerica Bank. "We’ve been doing it now for 12 years, and invested a little over $1 million already, and we’ve been doing a partnership with techtown for the last two years. It’s been really neat for us."

The public plays a big role in the compeition as well. Your votes and voices help narrow the top 10 down to the top four, who will compete at the annual "Hatch Off" on May 9th.

"Last year we had a great group of finalists, this year, I’m really proud of it. It’s a really diverse group, great ideas," Davis said.

You have until noon on Thursday to vote for up to four businesses, the link is below.

"Of course the $100,000 is awesome for the winner, but I do think doing that process really helped us decide we’re going to keep on going," Sarah said.

For more information:

→ Take part in the Hatch public vote here

→ Go to the Next Chapter Books store website here.