The Michigan Venture Capital Association is proud to offer the Venture Fellows Program to Michigan’s venture capital community. The program, launched in 2023, is designed to increase the number of venture professionals in Michigan in order to accelerate the fundraising and deployment of capital into early-stage companies.
Bio: Justin Bell is a lawyer, investor, and proud third-generation Detroiter who loves investing and entrepreneurship. Justin is a graduate of Georgia State College of Law and works as an Associate with Detroit Venture Partners.
What are you most looking forward to about being a Venture Fellow?
I’m excited for the opportunity to contribute to the Michigan entrepreneurship ecosystem. I’ve been back in Michigan for a little less than a year and the community has been very welcoming and receptive to new voices and new ideas. As a Venture Fellow, I look forward to the chance to learn from so many smart people.
What attracts you to Michigan’s venture capital industry?
There’s clearly a renaissance happening in the Michigan tech scene right now. From the restoration of Michigan Central as an innovation hub, to the buzz of Black Tech Saturdays empowering entrepreneurs in Detroit, there’s real momentum in our tech scene and we are full steam ahead (pun intended). The data speaks for itself, but I hear stories every week of new talent, investors, and entrepreneurs moving to Michigan. Whether people are moving to Michigan for the first time or returning home to build their next venture, the word is out that Michigan is open for business. Our start-up scene isn’t without blemish, but founders and investors are all rowing in the same direction to push the scene forward.
What ideas do you have to support and advance DEI in our entrepreneurial and investment community?
This year is a turning point for minority entrepreneurs in the US. The Fearless Fund litigation in federal court last year was a foreshadow of what was to come in the venture ecosystem in 2025. Building an enterprise is hard, period – but when black founders receive less than 0.5% of venture funding and women founders receive less than 2% of venture investments year over year, there’s no question that minority groups face an even harder uphill battle to access the fuel and capital necessary to scale their companies. I believe that now more than ever, entrepreneurs have to get extremely creative and strategic about how to grow and build. I’ll always work closely with founders to strategize to grow their companies despite the challenges in this fundraising climate.
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
In ten years, if founders’ and VCs’ theses prove to be correct and we can all successfully execute on our bold visions, the world might look completely different. Breakthroughs in life sciences, quantum computing, space exploration might totally reshape industries and our daily lives. Personally, I want to capitalize on the trend of globalization by investing more in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Singapore, and the UAE. In a decade, I aspire to be more immersed in the global technology ecosystem – potentially establishing partnerships between Michigan and the rest of the world. There’s a vast world out there, and I’m eager to explore it further.
What’s your dream deal — the company you wish YOU had spotted first?
If I could turn back the clock, I would have bought Bitcoin in its early days. I’m not a crypto enthusiast and have limited knowledge of how blockchain technology works, but there’s no denying the appeal of an investment that grows an average of 100% annually for ten straight years.