University of Michigan students and faculty have launched a student-run investment fund targeting early-stage climate tech companies that aim to make a real difference on climate change. The fund is the centerpiece of the Michigan Climate Venture, a first-of-its-kind, multidisciplinary program at the intersection of climate technology and venture capital at U-M. The program is [...]
The University of Michigan has announced the launch of Innovation Partnerships, a reorganized unit that will serve as a central hub to lead research commercialization efforts, support startup company launch and growth, and create and foster corporate research alliances. The newly named Innovation Partnerships, based in the Office of the Vice President for Research, consolidates, [...]
An additional $6.5 million state investment gives pre-seed fund Michigan Rise more capital to back a strong pipeline of startup companies. Created a year ago and administered by the Michigan State University Foundation, Michigan Rise has at least 10 startups awaiting investments. The Michigan Economic Development Corp. expects Michigan Rise to invest $2.5 million in 15 startups in [...]
The Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) in Lansing announced the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) has approved a grant amendment for $6.5 million for the Michigan State University Foundation to support high-tech startup companies and innovative technologies in Michigan at the university level through the Pre-Seed III fund. The Pre-Seed Fund was created to provide early-stage [...]
The Zell Founders Fund, in collaboration with the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business, announced today that it has contributed $100,000 to a recent funding round for Just Enough Wines, a premium quality canned wine company founded by University of Michigan alumna Kaitlyn Lo (MBA '21) with her [...]
Six businesses focused on financial technology are part of Conquer Accelerator's sixth cohort that runs through Aug. 6. The businesses will receive $20,000 and mentorship over the course of 10 weeks. The selected companies are CrossBraining, Frizzmo, Nickels, Rebound AI, Safety Sit and Tandem. "The goal is to help a company go from product solution fit to product market fit," said Tom Stewart, Conquer Accelerator [...]
EAST LANSING, Mich., June 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Conquer Accelerator announces its sixth season and summer 2021 cohort. The 10-week accelerator welcomes six selected teams to its East Lansing program: CrossBraining, Frizzmo, Nickels, Rebound AI, SafetySit, and Tandem. "We're proud of what we've built over the last five years at Conquer Accelerator and we're only getting better," said Thomas Stewart, Conquer Accelerator Program Manager, [...]
The Desai Accelerator, a University of Michigan accelerator open to early-stage alumni startups, announced the four companies accepted into its 2021 cohort. As part of the accelerator program, the ventures will be provided with funding, tailored mentorship opportunities, national visibility and other resources to achieve successful sustainability. The Desai Accelerator, managed by the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie [...]
The Accelerate Blue Fund, a University of Michigan early-stage venture fund raised through philanthropy, has reached its first fundraising milestone and made its first investment in a U-M tech startup. The recipient of the fund’s first investment is Movellus Inc., which provides technology to boost semiconductor chip design for cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other [...]
The Office of the Vice President for Research has developed a new funding program that aims to catalyze research and spur innovation across the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses. The Research Catalyst and Innovation Program features four new funding mechanisms that total more than $1.5 million in annual research support to [...]