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November 20, 2025
Stevensville, MI – Southwest Michigan’s brightest entrepreneurial talent gathered at the Watermark Solarium last night for the second annual HYPE – Highlighting Young Professional Excellence. Hosted by the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber in partnership with the Emerge Innovation Hub, this dynamic event provided a unique platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to present their ideas and compete for meaningful cash prizes and in-kind support to grow their businesses.
The evening began with an engaging panel discussion featuring successful young entrepreneurs, including Danielle Grandholm (Rising Kites Coffee), Michael Rowland (Michigan Gateway Community Foundation), Dustin Jankoviak (2nd & Main), and Vanessa Frias (Willowbrook Farms). These panelists shared their entrepreneurial journeys, offered valuable insights, and later served as judges for the pitch competition.
The competition itself featured seven contestants, with awards going to the top three, plus a special Crowd Favorite Award chosen by live audience voting. The winners were:
- 1st Place ($15,000): Bare Naked Salts & Soaps, Alexandra Ranft, Niles;
- 2nd Place ($10,000): Hello Beautiful Boutique, Kenyona Speight, Benton Harbor;
- 3rd Place ($5,000): Bake Effect, Emily Onken, St. Joseph; and
- Crowd Favorite ($2,500): Base Bowls & Company, Stephanie Ott-Williams, St. Joseph.
Additional contestants included Final Brush, LLC of Buchanan, OH Art, LLC of Benton Harbor, and Rite Innovations of Benton Harbor.
"Supporting young entrepreneurs is central to our mission of driving economic growth and innovation in Southwest Michigan," said Arthur Havlicek, President & CEO of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber. "This makes HYPE more than a competition—it’s an investment in the visionaries who will lead our region into the future, and we’re proud to provide them with the resources and opportunities they need to succeed."
Great companies often begin with a bold idea and relentless determination," said Carrie Vill, Chair of the Frederick S. Upton Foundation. "If it weren't for innovation and entrepreneurship, the Frederick S. Upton Foundation would not exist. The Uptons started with just three people in a garage and transformed their vision into Whirlpool, a global leader in innovation and industry. We are proud to empower today’s entrepreneurs as they take their first steps toward building the next Southwest Michigan success story."
Traci Robinson, Senior Manager, Community Relations & Whirlpool Foundation Managing Director, added, "We celebrated the incredible innovation and vision of tonight’s contestants. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us, and best of luck on your next adventure!”
All told, the event awarded over $65,000 in combined cash prizes and additional opportunities, made possible by the generous support of Pinnacle Sponsors Frederick S. Upton Foundation and Whirlpool Foundation, along with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Indiana Michigan Power an AEP Company, APEX Integrated Solutions, Bread + Bar, Corewell, Horizon Bank, Sturgis Bank & Trust, All Star Family Chiropractic, Casey's - Berrien Springs, Four Winds Casino, Andrews Innovation, Michigan SBDC, SCORE of West Michigan, Solarium by Watermark/Watermark Brewing Co., The Pitch Coach - Aiye Akhigbe, and Media Partners Mid-West Family and Moody on the Market.
“HYPE showcased the incredible entrepreneurial talent and innovation thriving in Southwest Michigan,” added Jasmine Hansen, Events Director and program lead for NextGen. “We are so proud of all our contestants and incredibly excited for our top three winners and the crowd favorite winner for their hard work, creativity, and passion—they truly embody what this event is all about. We cannot wait to see how they continue to grow and impact our community."
A heartfelt thank you to all our contestants, judges, sponsors, NextGen board members and attendees for making this event so successful for another year. Together, we’ve ignited a spark that will continue to inspire and shape the future of our business community.
By bringing together aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned business leaders, and supportive community partners, HYPE highlighted the importance of collaboration in driving economic progress. This inaugural event sets a strong foundation for future efforts to champion entrepreneurship and sustain growth across Southwest Michigan. For more information about HYPE or the Chamber’s initiatives, visit www.smrchamber.com.
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