The Underground Entrepreneurial News

Congratulations Cogent Hex! - Michigan Celebrates Small Business
Top 50 companies to Watch Out for in 2023

Cogent Hex began their small business journey as a tenant of the The Underground and has since expanded into their own business operation. Cogent Hex provides turn-key automation solutions and services, engineering, installation and support.

Cogent Hex is also a 2018 SmartZone Best Small Business Honoree and received a Certificate of Recognition for Investments and Employment in 2020 from the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County.

Meet Bonika, a local #smallbusinessowner and mother of five, who spent 14 years working in the medical field. Bonika recently took on both the risks and rewards of making the switch from employee to employer. In the first 90-days of starting her in-home health care business, she grew from 2 clients as a solo entrepreneur, to caring for over 50 clients with a staff of 30 employees just one year later. Learn more about Bonika's #entrepreneurial journey, how she got started and how she continues to grow her small business in St. Clair County,

Listen to Bonika Surline of BeLove Home Care talk with EDA’s CEO, Dan Casey, on Episode 26 of the EDA’s Our Shorline Your Horizon podcast here. #smallbusiness #homehealthcare #startingabusiness

Rene, Inc. was a 2022 Awardee for SmartZone Best Small Business from Michigan Celebrates Small Busines. Michigan Celebrates Small Business (MCSB) remains on the forefront of championing small business and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in Michigan. The MCSB’s role is to serve as a catalyst for creating an entrepreneurial culture while inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. The mission of MCSB is to honor and recognize Michigan’s small business people and those champions and advocates that support them. MCSB brings together the resources of collaborative partners and supporters so that they may raise the profile of small businesses in Michigan, build a network of entrepreneurial companies, and tell the stories of successful, growing Michigan entrepreneurs.

Port Huron Smartzone (The Underground) Awardee - St. Clair County, Mi.

Rene joined the EDA’s Our Shoreline Your Horizon community & economic development podcast to share more about how her business is helping people live healthier lives. In this episode Dan Rene talk about the three companies Rene owns, recruiting early stage investors, IT and IT patents (international vs. U.S. patents), the path to launching an app and more.

Listen to Rene in eda’S oUR SHORELINE YOUR HORIZON PODCAST / Episode 7 published on April 26, 2022 here.

Underground disperses over $50K in grants in june 2022

The Underground and the Economic Development Alliance managed two entrepreneurial grant programs for the City of Port Huron.  Through the City of Port Huron Emerge Fund and City of Port Huron Seed-It Fund, $56,500 in total funds were awarded to 14 entrepreneurs and small business owners.  Grant funding was made possible through funds the EDA received from the City of Port Huron from the American Rescue Plan. Seven grants were awarded through the SEED-IT funding grant ranging from $2,500 to 7,500 per entrepreneur. An additional seven grants were awarded to area entrepreneurs through the The Underground incubator Emerge Funding program. Emerge Grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,000. Overall, both grant programs helped local entrepreneurs in their efforts to start or grow their small businesses.