BRIGHTON, Mich.— The Lake Trust Foundation, an independent charitable organization of Lake Trust Credit Union committed to supporting small businesses across Michigan communities, has announced the winners of its first-ever Entrepreneur Pitch Competition.
The inaugural class of winners, Whole Mama Michigan, DA BOMB TACO, C’Mon Betty and Reed Walker Design Collective, received a total of $11,000 in funding to support their business’s next chapter of growth.
“As part of our commitment to empowering entrepreneurs, this competition was created to connect business owners with the resources, relationships, and capital they need to turn their ideas into sustainable businesses that strengthen our communities,” Amanda Huszti-Vickers, managing director of the Lake Trust Foundation, said in a statement.
“Small businesses play an essential role in creating vibrant neighborhoods and driving local economic growth. By supporting these entrepreneurs as they scale their operations, we are not only investing in their future success but strengthening the fabric of the communities they serve,” added Nicole Paine, business development manager at Lake Trust Credit Union.
To participate in the competition, entrepreneurs must have completed the Lake Trust Entrepreneurship Institute (LTEI), a free, self-paced online business program in partnership with Cleary University that equips small business owners with business plan ideation, marketing, financial and scaling skills. Following the completion of LTEI’s first cohort, nine LTEI graduates were offered the opportunity to showcase knowledge gained from the program and how they’ll apply it to their businesses to support continued growth.
2026 Pitch Competition Winners
The Lake Trust Foundation awarded a total of $11,000 in funding to four participants in support of their future business plans. The first-place winner received a grand prize of $5,000, with second- and third-place winners receiving $3,500 and $1,500, respectively.
In addition to the judges’ decision, the live audience had the opportunity to vote for their favorite pitch of the night and select an Audience Choice winner to take home a $1,000 prize.
The winning class of the Entrepreneur Pitch Competition includes:
- First Place: Whole Mama Michigan of Brighton, MI, a holistic maternal and family wellness hub serving women, partners, and growing families from preconception through postpartum.
- Second Place: DA BOMB TACO of Detroit, MI, a food truck and fast-casual restaurant combines authentic Mexican flavors with expert craftsmanship and genuine hospitality to provide an explosively flavorful experience.
- Third Place: C’Mon Betty of Ann Arbor, MI, an artisanal canning company that manufactures condiments from fresh surplus produce that would have otherwise gone unsold, uneaten or unharvested.
- Audience Choice: Reed Walker Design Collective of South Lyon, Mich., an interior design, design strategy and historic preservation consultancy.
