Lakestate Industries is competing in this year’s SmartPrize competition with a proposal to expand its operations of the Rustic Room by adding a coffee shop operated by people with barriers to employment. The exhibit, located at Snowbound Books in Marquette, is one of nearly 25 set up at different venues in downtown Marquette. (Journal photo by Ryan Jarvi)

MARQUETTE — The entrepreneurial spirit of the Upper Peninsula is in the spotlight this week as exhibits featured in the second SmartPrize competition were opened for public viewing Saturday.

The event, which runs through April 9, offers nearly 25 venues throughout downtown Marquette where entrepreneurs set up exhibits and compete for more than $35,000 in cash and prizes that can help them start a new business or expand an existing one.

Some of the proposals include the design and implementation of an environmentally responsible urban roof habitat, small business accounting software, a rack system that can be used to transport bicycles or other outdoor recreation equipment, new craft beer-related businesses and even one for the production of lemonade that’s sweetened with U.P.-sourced maple syrup.

“Travel Marquette and the sponsors of SmartPrize seek to spur economic development in the region by bringing attention to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Upper Peninsula, helping innovators connect with investors, and providing seed money to help viable ideas become a reality,” said Nicole Young, organizer of SmartPrize and executive director of Travel Marquette, the Marquette County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

In addition to advertising packages and other in-kind donations, cash prizes come from several event sponsors, including businesses, local governmental groups and private investors.

The event has been described as “Science Fair meets Shark Tank,” and was modeled after ArtPrize, the juried art competition held annually in Grand Rapids.

Similar to ArtPrize, SmartPrize winners are chosen by a panel of judges, except for the winner of the “Crowd Favorite” category, which is selected by the public through online voting.

“Our qualified judging panels will score each exhibitor based on creativity, viability and presentation,” Young said. “Judging categories are Innovation, Start-Up, Growth, Tourism and Technology, with over $35,000 in prizes. Spectators will also be able to weigh in to award a $1,000 prize to Crowd Favorite.”

In addition, new to the event this year is SmartPrize Jr., where children ages 6 to 12 can compete for $1,000 in prizes in a contest similar to that for the older competitors. SmartPrize Jr. will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, located at 123 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette.

The week of SmartPrize also includes several workshops featuring previous SmartPrize winners and others with information that may help entrepreneurs move their projects forward.

SmartPrize exhibitors have access to all the events, though non-competitors may pay at the door to attend individual workshops or purchase a SmartPrize Pass to attend them all, except the SmartPrize Awards Banquet, tickets for which must be purchased separately.

Exhibits are typically able to be viewed from noon to 6 p.m. weekdays, and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, though hours may vary at each venue.

The awards banquet is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. April 9 at the Masonic Building, located at 128 W. Washington St., Marquette.

Last year’s Crowd Favorite and Start-Up category winner was Wahmhoff Technologies LLC, which entered Project Pegasus, a gas-powered, long-range drone that can fly up to 200 mph and carry 200 pounds simultaneously.

Exhibitor Janah Pruitt won the Concept category with the Bandolure, a substitute for a fisherman’s traditional tackle box that can be worn around the waist or over the shoulder.

Partridge Creek Farm’s project Building an Agricultural Economy was selected as the winner in the Growth category. The project was aimed at building a community farm each year and partnering with local schools and other programs to provide nutrition and farming-related education.

Winning the Tourism category was Friends of the Ore Dock with its BotEco Center proposal, also referred to as the Living Dock. The project would redevelop Marquette’s Lower Harbor ore dock into a year-round botanical ecological space and provide a venue for a variety of events.

For more information and a complete list of this year’s exhibitors and venues, visit www.smartprize.org, or call Travel Marquette at 906-228-7749.

Ryan Jarvi can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 270. His email address is rjarvi@miningjournal.net.