Category: Uncategorized

Last week, nationally-recognized and proven accelerator model Techstars announced it would begin a three-year program in the growing entrepreneurial district of Detroit.  Officially dubbed Techstars Mobility, driven by Detroit, the program will kick off June 9, 2015 with 10 next-genertation automotive, transportation, and mobility startups and conclude with a Demo Day on September 10, where each team will present to investors, […]

Last week, nationally-recognized and proven accelerator model Techstars announced it would begin a three-year program in the growing entrepreneurial district of Detroit.  Officially dubbed Techstars Mobility, driven by Detroit, the program will kick off June 9, 2015 with 10 next-genertation automotive, transportation, and mobility startups and conclude with a Demo Day on September 10, where each team will present to investors, […]

Ann Arbor, MI (Dec. 3rd 2014) — Plymouth Ventures was the lead investor on a $4.5 million Series D round in Indianapolis-based, CloudOne.  Current investors are also taking part in this round of financing. CloudOne is a leader in bringing enterprise applications to the cloud.  This fresh capital will fuel the expansion of the company’s […]

A career as an advocate for Michigan’s innovation and entrepreneurial community has earned Michael A. Finney the 2014 MVCA Lifetime Achievement Award (click here to see the video tribute Mike’s colleagues and friends made in his honor). [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ASwb402A0?feature=player_detailpage] Finney is President and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), where his responsibilities also […]

It was an auspicious first day of work for new MVCA Executive Director Maureen Miller Brosnan.  “Not many people get a party this big thrown in their honor the first day on the job!” she joked before a record crowd of 215 at the MVCA Annual Awards Dinner on December 1, 2014 at the Inn at […]

Graduating MVCA Venture Fellow Sam Hogg has become immersed in the world of early-stage agribusiness, with ag-tech venture investor Open Prairie Ventures.  Sam recapped his two years in the MVCA Fellowship Program for us, and how he became an expert on spider venom’s most useful properties: Tell us about your Fellow position–where are you, what […]

Welcome back to Michigan, Kathryn Gardner, MVCA’s newest Fellow!  Kathryn starts her Fellowship at Arboreum Ventures, and we asked her to introduce herself to our MVCA community: How did you find out about the Fellows program?  What advantage do you think the Fellows program gives younger professionals and venture firms when trying to make a […]

Venture Capitalists Return to Backing Science Start-Ups Vestaron makes an eco-friendly pesticide derived from spider venom. Bagaveev uses 3-D printers to make rocket engines for nanosatellites. Transatomic Power is developing a next-generation reactor that runs on nuclear waste. They all have one thing in common: money from Silicon Valley venture capitalists. After years of shying […]

Venture Capitalists Return to Backing Science Start-Ups Vestaron makes an eco-friendly pesticide derived from spider venom. Bagaveev uses 3-D printers to make rocket engines for nanosatellites. Transatomic Power is developing a next-generation reactor that runs on nuclear waste. They all have one thing in common: money from Silicon Valley venture capitalists. After years of shying […]

Spartan Innovations, part of the Spartan Innovation Center at Michigan State, is nearing its second anniversary of providing the educational and financial support necessary to turn MSU research technologies into successful Michigan businesses.  So we thought we’d check in with Director of Student & Community Engagement Paul Jaques and ask: What are you excited about, and […]