EAST LANSING ? Nine Michigan start-up companies split $30,000 in cash awards as the Fall Cycle winners of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur?s Quest business-plan contest. Also at the ceremony, 13 teams became eligible to compete in the Spring Cycle where the top prize is $50,000.

The top three Fall Cycle teams from the more advanced Emerging Company path received awards of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 in cash, plus valuable legal, marketing, financial and web development services. Two teams also received an honorable mention and will go on to compete in the finals. The winners and finalists for the GLEQ Fall Cycle were as follows :

Emerging Company path:

First Place: Ann Arbor-based Accuri Instruments, submitted by Jennifer Baird

Second Place: Ann Arbor-based Pixel Velocity, submitted by Eric Sieczka

Third Place: Kalamazoo-based Proteos, submitted by Thomas Dammer

New Business Idea path, East region:

First Place: Ann Arbor-based Style High, submitted by Todd Sullivan

Second Place: Whitmore Lake-based ElectroJet, submitted by Kyle Schwulst

Third Place: Plymouth-based B.A. Maze, submitted by Robert Mazur

New Business Idea path, North/West region:

First Place: East Lansing-based, Medical Professional Performance Systems, submitted by William Donohue

Second Place: Edwardsburg-based ImagePath Systems, submitted by Alton Floyd

Third Place: East Lansing-based MagBiosense, submitted by Ramani Narayan

Three students and recent alumni of The Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business were winners in the GLEQ contest. There were 12 total Zell Lurie entrants, and 47 total teams competing. Zell Lurie winners were Style High,)B.A. Maze, and

Pixel Velocity.

Emerging Company, eligible finalists:

Ann Arbor-based Accuri Instruments; Ann Arbor-based Pixel Velocity;

Kalamazoo-based Proteos; Ann Arbor-based Style High; Whitmore Lake-based ElectroJet; Plymouth-based B.A. Maze; East Lansing-based Medical Professional Performance Systems; Edwardsburg-based ImagePath Systems; East Lansing -based MagBiosense; Mount Pleasant-based DCM Associates; Sterling Heights-based Playing Field; Ann Arbor-based NEXTSERVICES and Ann Arbor-based BuyBluePrints.com.

Each team in the New Business Idea path submitted a five-page summary of a business idea that was judged on its innovation, relevant expertise, competitive advantage and market opportunity. The GLEQ crowned two first-place winners from the Quest?s New Business Idea path (East and North/West). Each first-place winner was awarded a $2,500 prize plus in-kind services from some of Michigan?s top service providers in the areas of law, marketing communication, finance and web development.

In addition, each region had a second-place winner, receiving a $1,500 prize plus in-kind services, and a third-place winner, receiving a $1,000 prize and additional in-kind services. Two NBI teams from the East region received an honorable mention and are eligible to compete in the finals for the Emerging Company path.

This year?s Quest continues with the Spring Cycle which begins today and continues through May of 2005. For early stage entrepreneurs, the GLEQ will again offer a New Business Idea path in the Spring Cycle. The New Business Idea path is a business idea competition held in multiple regions across Michigan. For more advanced companies, the GLEQ continues with the Emerging Companies path and the Quest for the GLEQ Grand Prize championship.

Registration for both the New Business Idea path and the Emerging Company path are due by noon, April 15. The Spring Cycle awards presentation, which will honor winners in all regions, is scheduled for early June in Ann Arbor.

Any one interested in registering or learning more should visit www.gleq.org or call (734) 615-4423.