Michigan’s Startup Investment Landscape: Myth vs. Reality 

Showcase Presentation

This even will feature a 10-minute investor-focused pitch, developed by a local entrepreneur with the help of NEF’s coaching program. The goal of the Showcase Presentation is to allow entrepreneurs to present their business plan and connect with potential investors.

This month’s Showcase Presenter will be Chris Raasch, Co-Founder and CTO at CSIsim. CSIsim is Changing the Game in Learning & Training, employing simulation-based immersive experiences that tell your story better via cutting-edge and proprietary Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Artificial Intelligence tools.

Michigan’s Startup Investment Landscape: Myth vs. Reality 

Michigan is working to build a world-class startup ecosystem. For many founders, the question is practical: what are the realities of early-stage funding here, and how should you approach fundraising to set your startup up for success? 

​​Join us for a candid, data-informed fireside chat on Michigan’s startup investment landscape and how it compares to other states. We’ll examine key benchmarks, including early-stage deal activity in Michigan and how startups here progress beyond Seed compared with those in other ecosystems. We’ll also discuss what these patterns mean for founders, investors, and those working to strengthen the region’s startup ecosystem. 

Expect practical guidance on how to fundraise effectively in Michigan, when to broaden your scope beyond our state borders and how to build momentum without losing sight of where you want to grow. 

Featured Speakers

Dave Repp, Director of Ventures at Innovation Partnerships and Managing Director of Accelerate Blue Fund. Dave oversees the creation of new start-up companies based on technologies invented and developed at U-M. In this role, he administers resources to build, launch and grow new ventures, including U-M’s mentor-in-residence program, two MTRAC translational grant hubs and the Accelerate Blue Fund. Before joining U-M, Dave was President and COO of Gema Diagnostics, a venture-backed molecular diagnostics company, and prior to that, Dave co-founded and U-M spin-out Avidimer Therapeutics. He has also consulted for ANGLE Technology, a venture investment and management consulting firm focused on life sciences and tech opportunities in the US and UK, and Deloitte Consulting, where he was on the Strategic Advisory Team for the firm’s High Tech Industry Practice. 

Philippe Vella, Co-Founder of StartMidwest, an online magazine sharing the best stories of innovation and entrepreneurship from the Midwest. Originally from Australia, Philippe moved to the US after 12 years in Europe where he co-founded that continent’s first Fractional CMO business for early-stage startups, based in Paris. Over five years they worked with over 200 startups and VC funds, grew to a team of 30 and reached seven figures of revenue before he sold it in 2023. Prior to that, he was a Magazine Publisher in Australia, then worked in London as Head of B2B Marketing for eBay and as Marketing Director for Informa TechTarget

Who should attend: If you’re raising, advising, or writing checks, this conversation will leave you with clearer expectations and help you recalibrate your fundraising strategy for today’s market. 

Networking

Come join us in person to enjoy food and drink and conversation with members of the local startup community.

Featured Sponsor