A Beloved Pakistani Pop-Up Is Among the 2024 Hatch Detroit Semifinalists #DetroitFood

The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown revealed the Top 10 businesses in the running for the $100,000 prize from Comerica Bank. Pictured from left to right, starting in the back row: Ned Staebler, president and CEO of TechTown Detroit, Heidi McAra of Nada Dry Bar, Harry Richmond of Harry Rich Clothier, Laura Howard of Pique Earth, Chantele Jones of Estella’s Vegan Dessert Boutique, Ryan Flint and Brandon Sorrell representing Unity Community Barbershop, Christianne Malone, assistant vice president for economic development at Wayne State University and chief program officer of TechTown Detroit and Kevin Watkins, vice president, External Market Affairs Managers and National African America Business Development Manager at Comerica Bank. From left to right in the front row- Meghan Storey, SVP, Michigan director small business banking at Comerica Bank, Keith Walker of Roller Skate Detroit, Denisha Ragland of The Gentleman’s Oasis, Barbara Woodard, Alice Smith, and LaKeisha LaGrande of Natural Living by Design II, Maryam Khan of Khana, and Aleita Cartwright and Tiffany Nicole Cartwright of Amarra Beauty Products / G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs.  | Hatch Detroit

The public can vote for their favorite startups now through Thursday, April 18

The top 10 semifinalists for the annual Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest have been revealed and this year, four food and drink businesses are competing for their chance at $100,000 in startup funds.

The competition has played a hand in supporting the work of some of Detroit’s most recognizable new food and beverage businesses for more than a decade, including: Baobab Fare, Sister Pie, Batch Brewing Company, and La Feria.

Voting to identify four businesses that will move onto the finalist round began at noon on Friday, April 12, and will continue through noon on Thursday, April 18. The public can vote for their favorite businesses once a day. In addition to the cash prize provided by Comerica Bank to open a brick and mortar business in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park, the winner also gets access to other startup supportive services, including accounting, legal, IT and public relations.

Four finalists will showcase their business plans during a Shark Tank-style “Hatch Off” at 6 p.m., Thursday, May 9, at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center at 461 Burroughs Street, in front of a live audience and a panel of judges, who will select a winner based off of their deliberations and the public’s votes.

Meet this year’s contestants below:

Food and Beverage

• Estella’s Vegan Dessert Boutique: This vegan bakery, founded by Chantele Jones has built a reputation for its vegan poundcake, but other made-from-scratch menu items include cookies, pies, cobblers, and more.
• Khana: This wildly popular Pakistani-inspired food pop-up helmed by Maryam Khan has made regular appearances over the years in bars and restaurants across metro Detroit (in addition to competing on the Food Network show, The Great Food Truck Race.
• Nada Dry Bar: This woman-founded bar aims to provide connectivity and offers non-alcoholic beverages and light fare.
• Pique Earth: This woman-owned food manufacturing company cultivates premium gourmet and medicinal mushrooms, fruits and veggies, and fresh and dried herbs and spices. The aim here is to develop chemical-free, 100 percent organic, locally grown products that benefit both the planet and humanity.

Non-Food and Beverage

• Amarra Beauty Products/G.L.A.M. Body Scrubs: A certified woman- and minority-owned business that specializes in natural, organic body scrubs, while providing jobs, training, and mentorship, in particular, to women who have experienced domestic violence and human trafficking, as well as returning citizens.
• Harry Rich Clothier: Inspired by the notion that fashion can be a tool to inspire, this company specializes in custom garments for individuals.
• Natural Living by Design II: This certified minority, female and family-owned enterprise is focused on holistic health and wellness through its curated selection of premium supplements and herbs.
• Roller Skate Detroit: An entertainment facility, with ambitions to develop a lifestyle brand that combines enjoyment, wellness, technology, and community engagement.
• The Gentleman’s Oasis: A day spa devoted to the physical and mental wellness of men.
• Unity Community Barbershop: A barbershop that cultivates a sense of safety, inclusiveness, and belonging for members of the transgender and LGBTQIA+ communities.

from Eater Detroit - All