Alex Southern leads Business Development initiatives for Midcoast, a Detroit-based creative studio, and in 2011 founded GrowDetroit, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping foster Detroit’s emerging entrepreneurial and startup community. He has been involved in the Internet space for a decade, working with startups and established businesses on their marketing and operational strategies. He was a Marketing Executive at Visalus Sciences, a technology-driven nutrition startup that markets supplements, energy drinks, and weight management products. The company’s Body by Vi Challenge has donated nearly one million meals to children and families in need. Previously, he served as Associate Editor of DBusiness, a leading business publication, where he reported on emerging Detroit startups and technology-based companies.