The Oakland Entrepreneurial Alliance: Fueling Michigan's Economy

The Oakland Entrepreneurial Alliance (OEA) is an initiative by the Oakland County government to bring together organizations dedicated to serving small business owners in Oakland County. The OEA works to empower local entrepreneurs by giving them the education and momentum they need to launch or grow a small business. If you need help getting your business venture off the ground, the OEA is a great place to start! The OAE services and support offering includes: • Business counseling and training • Market research • Export assistance • Manufacturing expertise • Capital source relationships • University resources

The OEA has and will continue to grow the economy in Michigan through its many efforts and partnerships. The organizations’ 2015 accomplishments alone included: • Servicing over 800 companies • Raising over $92 million in capital • Supporting over 2,300 attendees at workshops • Launching 64 startup companies • Creating more than 545 new jobs

The Powerful Organizations Behind the Alliance

The Oakland Entrepreneurial Alliance is run by six core organizations, with Lawrence Technological University as the latest addition!

Lawrence Technological University (LTU) is a private university located in Southfield, Michigan that offers undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs in STEM fields. LTU, which includes the LTU Collaboratory, offers unique resources specifically catered to helping entrepreneurs learn, grow and thrive. Automation Alley is a Michigan SmartZone and leading technology business association that connects companies and organizations with talent, resources and funding to accelerate innovation. Automation Alley is partnered with Southfield Centrepolis and focuses on serving entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and start-ups. Oakland County’s One Stop Shop Business Center is a branch of the Oakland County government that provides small businesses with confidential counseling, market research, training and access to capital sources. OU INC is another Michigan SmartZone that supports start-ups with business development and accelerating their ideas to market, with a focus on the energy, medical device, and information technology sectors. The SBDC Tech Team is headquartered at Grand Valley State University and works to enhance Michigan’s economic wellbeing by providing counseling, training and research for new ventures, existing small businesses and advanced technology companies.

Walsh College LaunchPad helps fully-enrolled Walsh students and degreed Walsh alumni assess and develop their ideas for starting and growing for-profit and non-profit ventures. Together, the member organizations of the Oakland Entrepreneurial Alliance work to shape the future of Michigan economy and innovations! Want to learn more check out the OEA’s FAQ’s!