Spartan Innovations Announces Conquer Accelerator 2022 Summer Intern Class
EAST LANSING, Mich. –– Spartan Innovations is thrilled to announce its 2022 Summer Intern Class under the Conquer Accelerator Diversity in Entrepreneurship (CADE) Program. This will be the 3rd summer that the CADE Program has welcomed student entrepreneurs to join the 10-week venture accelerator program. This summer, we welcome five members to our East Lansing cohort:
Yonis Salah - Senior, Chemical Engineer, Michigan State University
Hannah Sherman - Senior, Food Industry Management, Entrepreneurship Minor, Michigan State University
Kristan Maxie - Class of '21, Bachelor of Education, Michigan State University MBA Candidate 2022, National University US Army
Calarie Idhe - Senior, Northwood University, Business Administration & Management
Nicholas Foster - Class of '22, Advertising, Grand Valley State University Student Athlete - Football
The CADE internship program is designed to increase diversity within the entrepreneurial community by hiring young professionals from various ethnicities and backgrounds to collaborate with selected teams over the 10-week Conquer Accelerator program. The Conquer Accelerator program runs in East Lansing during the summers and Grand Rapids in the fall.
"The talent and dedication that comes through the CADE program has been incredible and we're excited to support these students as they continue their journey,” said Thomas Stewart, program director. “With the coaching and the resources our team provides, I am confident these five students will have a great starting point for their future careers.”
The Conquer program selects five startup companies in East Lansing and Grand Rapids and accelerates their business development. The goal of the program is to assist early-stage companies to grow and scale by helping to author business plans, apply for non-dilutive funding and prepare the companies to raise venture capital investments.
“I went from having zero experience, to quickly working at an up-and-coming tech company. It went so well that after the CADE program ended, I was asked to stay on with them” said Mimi Pham, a CADE Intern from the Summer of 2021 class. “Now, I have a solidified skillset and I’m more confident in my own abilities.”
The East Lansing CADE and Conquer Accelerator programs are currently underway while the Grand Rapids program is currently accepting new applications. Entrepreneurs can apply for the Grand Rapids Conquer Accelerator by going to msufoundation.org/conquer-accelerator