3 Takeaways with Paul Riser of TechTown Detroit

Spearheading Metro Detroit’s entrepreneurial success and blurring the geographical lines of collaboration and innovation within the Michigan entrepreneurial ecosystem is Paul Riser, the director of Urban Solutions at TechTown Detroit.

As Detroit’s longest-standing incubator and accelerator, TechTown supports entrepreneurs with training and education programs in tech-based, small space and local business development.

Supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation initiative, TechTown fosters a community of collaboration amongst entrepreneurs and helps ignite relationships between investors and entrepreneurs.

In the 3 Takeaways video featured here, Paul gives insight through a series of tips to entrepreneurs to help them along their journey from ideation to commercialization.  In addition to the three takeaways, Paul provided the following guidance for budding entrepreneurs:

1. In order to attract new talent to your entrepreneurial idea, you should work to develop leadership within your startup. This will allow you, as an entrepreneur, to articulate and sell your vision about your startup and not focus solely on the technology.
2. Remember to invest in yourself. It is easy for entrepreneurs to get so laser-focused on the business itself that they neglect personal and professional development. Always remember to take the time to build genuine relationships with mentors or experts, they help go a long way.
3. Utilize your resources. Take advantage of the vast resources that are available to you in your local ecosystem and across Michigan. Make sure to do the research and learn about the variety of programs across Michigan, particularly those supported by the MEDC.
4. Remain resilient and remember to maintain an equal balance between focusing on entrepreneurial business and building strong relationships inside and outside of the ecosystem while never losing sight of what is important in life.

If you’ve got a high-tech start-up idea you’d like to explore further and don’t know where to start, contact the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation initiative at 888-522-0103 or visit https://www.michiganbusiness.org/entrepreneurship.

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