Author: Ara Topouzian

In 2017, MVCA was thrilled to present the 10th MVCA Annual Research Report, reflecting Michigan’s venture capital community in 2016. We had much to celebrate last year – as shown during the 2017 MVCA Annual Awards Dinner – and all indications point to the long-term vitality of the entrepreneurial community in Michigan. However, findings showed […]

Mid-Michigan pitch competition to award $100,000 in cash prizes East Lansing, MI – GreenLight Michigan Business Model Competition announced that applications for its sixth annual statewide startup pitch contest are open now. GreenLight Michigan is an early-stage pitch competition bringing together entrepreneurs and small business supporters from all over Michigan. Selected finalists will pitch their ideas to […]

In his previous blog post, Tom Stasi of Taft explained the importance of “unrelated business taxable income” (UBTI). To expand on this topic further, Stasi answers commonly asked questions related to UBTI and provides essential planning tips. Taft is a 2018 Silver Service Provider Member who represents both venture capital funds and venture-backed companies, providing award-winning legal […]

As 2017 comes to a close, we want to thank the outstanding members of Michigan’s entrepreneurial and investment community. We had the honor of celebrating MVCA’s 15-year anniversary this year, which began with only three pioneer venture firms in Michigan. Now, we proudly represent over 100 organizations from across the country who are coming together […]

Michigan Venture Capital Association (MVCA) hosted the 2017 MVCA Annual Awards Dinner on November 15, 2017 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit to celebrate the organization’s 15-year anniversary.  With a record-breaking attendance of nearly 300 individuals from across the country, the event was a full-filled awards ceremony that focused on highlighting the strengths of Michigan’s […]

In anticipation of the upcoming North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), The State of Michigan’s PlanetM program and NAIAS are proud to announce the new platform of matchmaking to take place at the show for startup companies looking to meet and connect with corporate OEM, tier ones, and venture capital firms. The deadline to submit […]

What began as a volunteering opportunity at MVCA’s Follow-On Reception turned into a chance for Brandon Epstein to become a MVCA Venture Fellow. Now, Brandon is an associate at Detroit Venture Partners (DVP) where he focuses on deal sourcing, portfolio company support, and fund operation management! In this Q&A, Brandon shares why his perception of venture capital has evolved and his […]

In this exclusive guest series, Tom Stasi of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP (Taft) explains why the “Golden Rule” to recruiting pension plans, foundations, endowments, and other tax-exempt investors to invest in your fund is to avoid “unrelated business taxable income” (UBTI). Taft is a 2017 Silver Service Provider member who represents both venture capital funds and […]

As the 2017 MVCA Annual Awards Dinner rolls around the corner, MVCA is looking back at one of our previous awards known as The “100” Award with a special spotlight on one of our first awardees – Neogen! The following awardees earned The “100” Award by achieving significant capital or funding milestones in Michigan’s entrepreneurial […]

Renaissance Venture Capital Fund announced during its annual meeting in October that Houston has launched its first fund of funds based on the best practices model developed by Renaissance CEO and Fund Manager, Chris Rizik. Renaissance has set the standard for success with its model that has outperformed national benchmarks for the rate of return […]