Cereal City aims to develop a food startup scene
GRAND RAPIDS — Leaders in Battle Creek are betting the area has enough food industry talent to launch startups — and they've received federal fundi...
GRAND RAPIDS — Leaders in Battle Creek are betting the area has enough food industry talent to launch startups — and they've received federal funding to test that theory.Battle Creek Unlimited, an economic development group serving Southwest Michigan, earlier this month received from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration's Build to Scale program a $375,000 venture challenge grant, with a $416,571 local match, to develop a Future Food Accelerator. It also received a $147,750 capital challenge grant from the EDA, with a $160,000 local match, to create a Food and Beverage Investors Network — an angel group that will fund the early-stage food manufacturing companies that are part of the accelerator.