---
title: "Demo Day Puts Half-Million Before Grand Rapids Founders"
url: https://www.heregrandrapids.com/2026/10/16/start-garden-demo-day-500k-funding-grand-rapids/
date: 2026-10-16T06:57:04-04:00
modified: 2026-10-16T06:57:04-04:00
author: "Bianca Riojas"
categories: ["Business"]
site: "HERE Grand Rapids"
attribution: "HERE Grand Rapids"
---

# Demo Day Puts Half-Million Before Grand Rapids Founders

> GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A public Demo Day next Thursday will close the eighth season of Start Garden's The 100 in Grand Rapids, putting a pooled pot of more than $500,000 in front of 50 West Michigan finalists downtown. Doors open from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the group's headquarters. Admission is free. Founders

*Source: [HERE Grand Rapids](https://www.heregrandrapids.com/2026/10/16/start-garden-demo-day-500k-funding-grand-rapids/) — October 16, 2026 by Bianca Riojas*

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A public Demo Day next Thursday will close the eighth season of Start Garden’s The 100 in Grand Rapids, putting a pooled pot of more than $500,000 in front of 50 West Michigan finalists downtown.

Doors open from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the group’s headquarters. Admission is free. Founders can demo products, meet investors and compete for capital assembled with GROW, Opportunity Ventures, Union Heritage and Meijer.

Co-director Laurie Supinski said founders already treated The 100 as a fundraising door, so the organizers pulled partners in so a night can yield a first big contract or backer, not only a small prize.

Across eight seasons the program has linked upwards of 800 Michigan founders to early money and mentors. Organizers say roughly three in four participants are women or people from minority groups.

Start Garden’s vault and coworking space is at 2 Fulton Street West. The city’s startup lane also includes The Right Place, the regional economic development outfit that works alongside Start Garden’s seed and accelerator work.