Top 10 entrepreneurs vie for $100,000 prize from Comerica Bank as public voting begins
DETROIT, May 15, 2025 -- The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown, the small business competition behind many of Detroit's most popular neighborhood storefronts, is unveiling its Top 10 semifinalists. These entrepreneurs will go head-to-head over the coming weeks, competing to win $100,000 in startup funds from Comerica Bank to open a brick-and-mortar storefront in Detroit, Hamtramck or Highland Park.
Public voting to narrow the 10 semifinalists to four finalists begins Friday, May 16, at noon and runs through Friday, May 23, at 11:59 p.m. Community members can vote for their favorite businesses once per day by visiting HatchDetroit.com.
The four finalists of the 2025 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown will be revealed on Tuesday, May 27, with the final round of public voting beginning on Monday, June 2, at noon and running through the completion of the pitch competition at "Hatch Off" on Wednesday, June 11.
"The neighborhood voices of our community have long been instrumental in shaping Detroit's small business landscape, and the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown is no exception," said Christianne Malone, Assistant Vice President for Economic Development at Wayne State University and Chief Program Officer of TechTown Detroit. "This city's entrepreneurial spirit shines brightest when ignited by the passion of its people. Through this contest, we witness how strong community support can elevate a single storefront into a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization, and we're proud to be a proven launching pad for these small business owners."
Over the years, the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown has helped create some of Detroit's most successful and well-known businesses, including winners G.L.A.M Body Scrubs (2024), Bouncing Around The Motor City (2023), Little Liberia (2022), 27th Letter Books (2019), Baobab Fare (2017), Meta Physica Massage (2016), Sister Pie (2014), Batch Brewing Company (2013) and La Feria (2012).
Below are the Top 10 businesses competing to win the 2025 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest:
- The Coloring Museum: The Coloring Museum harnesses the power of the crayon to bring community collaboration, spark creativity, and promote mental wellness. Through vibrant events and interactive experiences, residents and guests color black-and-white murals illustrated by local artists. Each mural becomes a collective masterpiece, transforming simple lines into colorful stories celebrating connection, self-expression, and the healing power of art therapy.
- Cone Vecinos: Every neighborhood should have a beloved ice cream shop. Cone Vecinos aspires to be an anchor for the Morningside community with a simple concept: soft serve ice cream + friends. Cone Vecinos will bring together all ages, all walks of life to enjoy a no-frills treat with neighbors and newcomers alike.
- Detroit Culture & Clay: Detroit Culture & Clay is a one stop for all things clay. Guests can enjoy paint and sips, hands-on learning and a full stock of ceramic supplies, while also supporting local artists by purchasing their unique work.
- Evelyn's Midtown Kitchen: Evelyn's Midtown Kitchen offers immersive, hands-on cooking classes that spark joy, build confidence, and foster community. From youth camps to date nights and global cuisine workshops, Evelyn's Midtown Kitchen defines their mission as serving Detroit and beyond with accessible, culturally rich experiences that create connection, celebrate diversity and make culinary education a joyful, empowering tool for community impact, growth, and meaningful engagement.
- For the Love of Cheesecake: For the Love of Cheesecake crafts exceptional, fully customizable cheesecakes using premium, locally sourced ingredients, while uplifting the Detroit community through job creation and entrepreneurial support. Extending beyond cheesecakes, For the Love of Cheesecake empowers local women and students with flexible employment and fosters economic growth by providing shared commercial kitchen space to help emerging food entrepreneurs build and scale their businesses.
- Halie & Co: Halie & Co is a handmade jewelry, candle, and home fragrance store with the belief that everyone should have access to affordable jewelry and goods that make them feel beautiful and are created with high-quality materials and intention. Halie & Co creates experiences through permanent jewelry and jewelry making workshops, giving customers the perfect way to be a part of the creation process.
- Livy's Sweet Rolls: Livy's Sweet Rolls specializes in handcrafted gourmet cinnamon rolls made from scratch with nostalgic, high-quality ingredients. Inspired by a family tradition of wholesome baking, Livy's Sweet Rolls offers better-for-you desserts free from preservatives, dyes, and artificial junk. Its mission is to spread joy through premium sweet treats that families can trust, enjoy, and create memories around.
- Que Shebley: Que Shebley is a luxury fashion brand founded by Lebanese-American designer Que Shebley. Merging heritage with innovation, the brand is launching a world-class flagship in downtown Detroit, a fusion of bespoke tailoring, cutting-edge tech, and a high-fashion café. From handcrafted shoes to custom suits, Que Shebley offers a bold new take on modern elegance and self-expression.
- The Spiced Bar: The Spiced Bar is Detroit's first full-service flavor destination. Guests create custom spice blends, sip bold drinks at a spice-forward beverage bar, and explore globally inspired small bites—all in one immersive space. It's where curiosity meets culture, and flavor becomes a form of self-expression. Crafted for Detroit. Made to be unforgettable.
- Walter Pat's Bakery Cafe: Walter Pat's Bakery Cafe is a seasonally driven, small-batch, black woman-owned bakery in Detroit. The cafe focuses on Michigan seasonal produce and specific flavors from Midwest upbringing and southern influence. Walter Pat's strives to showcase unique flavor combinations and delicious classics, as well as to broaden taste buds with a new experience through food.
With this year's contributions and grants, Comerica and Comerica Charitable Foundation have invested $1.3 million into Hatch Detroit since it first began supporting the small business program in 2012.
2025 Hatch Off
The contest will culminate with the annual "Hatch Off" where the Top 4 entrepreneurs present their business plans in front of a panel of expert judges and live audience. The winner of the 2025 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest will be chosen through a combination of the public's vote and judges' deliberations.
Tickets are now available to witness the Top 4 business pitches and see the winner of the "Hatch Off" competition crowned. The "Hatch Off" takes place on Wednesday, June 11, at 6 p.m., at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center at 461 Burroughs Street in Detroit. To purchase your ticket to the "Hatch Off," visit HatchDetroit.com.
Comerica Bank, a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated, has served Michigan longer than any other bank with a continuous presence dating back over 175 years to its Detroit founding in 1849. It is the largest bank employer in metro Detroit and has more than 4,300 employees (FTE) statewide. With one of the largest banking center networks in Michigan, Comerica nurtures lifelong relationships with unwavering integrity and financial prudence. Comerica positively impacts the lives of Michigan residents by helping customers be successful, providing financial support that assists hundreds of charitable organizations, and actively participating in Detroit's downtown revitalization. Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Comerica, X: @ComericaBank and Instagram: @comerica_bank.
TechTown Detroit, Wayne State University's entrepreneurship hub, is a nonprofit business service organization that provides programs, education and resources for early- to growth-stage small businesses and tech entrepreneurs. By building bridges for entrepreneurs to succeed, TechTown is accelerating an inclusive economy for Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Since 2007, TechTown has supported more than 6,090 companies, which created 2,277 jobs and raised more than $406 million in startup and growth capital. For more information, visit techtowndetroit.org.
Hatch Detroit supports both existing and new retail initiatives in the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. Hatch Detroit was founded in 2011 to give residents and aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to have a voice in neighborhood retail development and joined TechTown Detroit's suite of entrepreneurial programs and services in 2022. Beyond the contest, Hatch Detroit provides funding, exposure and mentoring in support of its alumni entrepreneurs. With support from Hatch Detroit, 50 alumni have opened businesses. They employ over 500 people and have invested over $10 million in economic development. To learn more, visit hatchdetroit.com.
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