Lincoln Park serving SOUP to raise money for budding businesses

The concept of combining soup and entrepreneurial pitches as a way to raise money for business start-ups is coming to Lincoln Park.

The Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance is hosting Lincoln Park SOUP, its own version of successful SOUP projects in Detroit, including the Corktown SOUP at Spaulding Court.

For $5 per person guests dine on soup, salad and bread while getting the low-down on budding entrepreneurial endeavors.

During mealtime the business plans, which have been approved previously, are detailed in three- to five-minute presentations. At the end of the night guests vote for the most promising proposal. The winner goes home with a portion of the proceeds to be used as project seed money.

"Lincoln Park SOUP is designed to help fund local projects and organizations through microfunding…Detroit SOUP has been lauded for its ability to raise monies and microgrants to support creative projects in Detroit. Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance hopes to do the same," says the alliance's Leslie Lynch-Wilson, who also sits on the city Downtown Development Authority.

The first Lincoln Park SOUP, which is likely to become a monthly event, will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at Ikaros Hall, 1677 Fort St. in Lincoln Park.

SOUP business proposals must be submitted no later than Sept. 16 to lincolnparkpreservation@hotmail.com.

Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Kim North Shine