• Michigan Venture Capital Association
  The MVCA is a non-profit trade organization designed to bring together venture capital industry participants in the state of Michigan.
• Ann Arbor Angels
  The Ann Arbor Angels is a collaborative non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the gap between angel investors and early-stage technology-based companies in Southern Michigan.
• Arbor Partners
  Arbor Partners provides access to long-term capital, experienced support and an extensive network of strategic contacts to entrepreneurs who share a commitment to building tomorrow’s great technology companies.
• Arboretum Ventures
  Arboretum Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in the healthcare sector. Founded in 2002, the firm manages $450 million in capital and has invested in more than 35 companies. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Arboretum invests throughout the United States, but with a preference for Midwest opportunities. Their team targets capital-efficient companies that can meaningfully reduce healthcare costs in our areas of expertise: devices, diagnostics, services and IT.
• Arsenal Growth
  Arsenal Growth is a unique venture capital firm focused on the intersection of the Government, large corporations and emerging technology companies.
• Baird Capital
  Baird Capital makes venture capital, growth equity, and private equity investments in strategically targeted sectors globally. Since 1989, they have raised and managed more than $3.1 billion and invested in nearly 300 portfolio companies. They partner with company management, founders and entrepreneurs with the goal of building world-class companies across their sectors of focus: healthcare, industrial solutions and technology services.
• Michbelles
  Michbelles is an early-stage investment fund building great companies in Michigan, the Midwest and other regions. They provide a premier source of human and financial capital to women-led companies.
• Blue Water Angels
  BlueWater Angels is a network of more than 30 high net-worth, successful individuals and organizations interested in investing private capital in promising companies.
• ID Ventures
  ID Ventures scales promising early-stage ventures into thriving companies that help support the state’s economy, provide jobs to local talent and bolster Michigan’s growing startup community.
• Detroit Venture Partners
  DVP backs seed and early-stage startup teams with the grit, creativity, and passion to tackle and mold opportunity. They look for founders who are creative, disciplined and trustworthy. They are passionate entrepreneurs who know how to build successful companies from the ground up. To them, building a business is an act of creative expression. It is an opportunity to make a difference and change the world.
• Great Lakes Angels
  The Great Lakes Angels organize and mentors angels and provide a forum for them to grow in knowledge and wealth and foster more of the same by helping invest in entrepreneurial companies in the region.
• Invest Michigan
  The InvestMichigan program is a series of Funds focused on generating strong returns for investors and growing the next generation of Michigan companies. In order to support companies at different stages of development, the program offers three distinct investment vehicles: Mezzanine Fund, Growth Capital Funds and Michigan Opportunities Fund.
• Mercury Fund
  Mercury Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm.
• Michigan Angel Fund
  The Michigan Angel Fund is a for-profit pooled professionally managed angel fund; established by Ann Arbor SPARK and funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
• MK Capital
  MK Capital invests in companies at all stages of the funding lifecycle with a strong sector focus on digital media, data center automation, software and education technology.
• North Coast Technology Investors
  We invest in early-stage technology-driven companies with outstanding growth prospects.
• Northern Michigan Angels
  The mission of Northern Michigan Angels is two-fold: to help grow the economic base of the region through investment in scalable early-stage companies, and to provide members a compelling financial return on their time commitment and invested capital.
• Plymouth Growth
  Plymouth Growth finances and adds value to emerging companies in Michigan and the Great Lakes region.
• Start Garden
  Start Garden was founded on the ethic of finding fast, inexpensive ways to turn ideas into actions. Today, we work to make accessible platforms to do just that.
• Tappan Hill Ventures
  Tappan Hill Ventures was founded to bring together a group of investors connected from doctoral and masters programs at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
• Zell Lurie Commercialization Fund
  The Zell Lurie Commercialization Fund is a pre-seed investment fund established to identify and accelerate the commercialization of ideas generated within the University community and the surrounding area.

• Accelerate Michigan
  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business competition designed to bring together later-stage entrepreneurial companies with local, national, and international investors.
• Midwest Growth Capital Symposium
  Midwest Growth Capital Symposium is the Midwest’s leading event for attracting the best investors from across the U.S. and showcasing high-quality investable companies.

• Inforum
  Inforum is the only professional organization in Michigan - and one of a few in the country – that combines strategic connections, proven professional development programs, a respected forum for new ideas and original research to accelerate careers for women and boost talent initiatives for companies.
• MichBio
  MichBio is a non-profit association representing more than 600 biotechnology companies, universities and academic institutions dedicated to advancing Michigan’s biotechnology industry.
• Michigan Small Business Development Center
  The MI-SBDC enhances Michigan’s economic well-being by providing counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures, existing small businesses, and innovative technology companies.
• MI Innovation Alliance
  The MI Innovation Alliance works to apply innovation and advancements in science and technology as well as best practices in business, academia and government collaboration to benefit Michigan and the Great Lakes states.

• Michigan Economic Development Corporation
  The MEDC brings together everything enterprising individuals and businesses are looking for in starting or growing a business in Michigan.
• Ann Arbor SPARK
  SPARK promotes the economic development of innovation-based businesses in the Ann Arbor region by offering programs, resources and proactive support to business.
• Automation Alley
  Automation Alley is a dynamic organization of leaders from all backgrounds and business sectors who are combining their talents and energy to transform southeast Michigan into a high-technology powerhouse.
• Desai Accelerator
  The Desai Accelerator is a collaborative effort at the University of Michigan between the Zell Lurie Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies at the Ross School of Business and the Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Engineering.
• Design Core Detroit
  The Design Core Detroit is designed to support the growth of Detroit’s creative economy by delivering business acceleration and attraction services and developing signature programming tailored specifically to creative professionals’ needs.
• Start Garden
  Start Garden was founded on the ethic of finding fast, inexpensive ways to turn ideas into actions. Today, they work to make accessible platforms to do just that.
• TechTown
  TechTown is a community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, service providers and corporate partners creating an internationally recognized entrepreneurial village in the city of Detroit.

• Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
  The Zell Lurie Institute provides the curriculum, program initiatives, community involvement and alumni outreach activities that deliver exclusive resources for future entrepreneurs of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
• University of Michigan Tech Transfer
  U-M Tech Transfer is the University unit responsible for the commercialization of University research discoveries and reports to the U-M Office of Research. They enhance these research discoveries to encourage licensing and broad deployment with existing businesses and newly-formed U-M start-ups.
• Innovate Blue
  Innovate Blue is the central hub for U-M to access technology, expertise, resources, and connections to create new startup ventures based on U-M technology.
• Wayne State University Technology Commercialization
  Wayne State Technology Commercialization is responsible for the identification, protection, marketing and licensing of intellectual property (e.g., patents, unique biological or other materials, and certain copyrights) developed by WSU faculty, staff and students.

New Enterprise Forum has many partner sponsors, who are dedicated, along with us, in helping entrepreneurs and their startup companies. Please visit our Sponsor Directory to learn more about how these organizations can help you.

• D:hive
  D:hive is a physical storefront in Detroit’s central business district that connects you with the tools and resources you need to live, work or engage in the city.
• Michigan Corporate Relations Network
  The Michigan Corporate Relations Network is a statewide university network designed to create partnerships that will connect Michigan’s corporations to critical university assets.
• Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center
  The MMTC assists Michigan’s small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses to compete and grow by providing personalized services fitted to meet their client’s needs.
• NextEnergy
  NextEnergy is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to build on intellectual, entrepreneurial and industry resources available in Michigan to advance alternative energy across the United States and around the world.
• Talent Connect
  Pure Michigan Talent Connect is an online marketplace connecting Michigan’s job seekers and employers.