Vote for entrepreneurs to win $100,000 Hatch Detroit contest

Five entrepreneurs are competing for $100,000 through Hatch Detroit — and you can help decide who wins.

What's happening: After being whittled down from 10 semifinalists, Hatch announced the finalists Monday for its annual award to help small businesses open in Detroit, Highland Park or Hamtramck.

• The winner is decided through a public vote and a pitch competition on July 21.

Vote now through July 7 for:

• Little Liberia: Afro-fusion restaurant focusing on Liberian cuisine.
• Lily's & Elise: European-style tea lounge on Livernois Avenue.
• Gajiza Dumplins: Dumpling shop with more than 30 flavors.
• Detroit Farm and Cider: Farm on the west side aiming to build a cider mill with activities for kids.
• Colfetarie: Pastry shop downtown with Romanian desserts.

Flashback: Hatch's funder, Comerica Bank, doubled the grant in 2019 because rising construction and real estate costs made the initial $50,000 prize insufficient.

• Past winners include Sister Pie and Live Cycle Delight in West Village, Baobab Fare in New Center and Meta Physica Wellness Center in Corktown.

💭 Annalise's thought bubble: It's expensive and difficult to open an independent business. Competition winnings offer a boost without the strings of a loan, especially for underserved groups who historically struggle to access capital.

• But they often take a lot of time, energy and money to prepare and apply for. And while there's small-business funding programs around metro Detroit, the landscape is quite fractured and confusing to navigate.