Michigan Founders Fund

Save the Date! 🎉 Join us for the Emerging Talent End of Program Celebration to celebrate this year's Michigan Founders Fund intern cohort. As our fourth annual summer internship wraps up, we'll celebrate these exceptional students and wish them well as they embark on the next phase of their careers. 🗓 Date: August 21, 2024 🕒 Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM 📍 Location: Venue by 4M, Ann Arbor 🍽 Food and beverages will be provided Find more info and RSVP here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gK6KC52n See you there! #Internship #EmergingTalent #MFF #Networking #ProfessionalDevelopment

The Capital One Accelerator Program, created and managed by Capital One and the Dallas Entrepreneurship Center (DEC Network), will conclude at Dallas Startup Week from August 11-15. During this event, entrepreneurs will pitch their businesses and have an opportunity to win prizes totaling more than $50,000, which will be awarded by a panel of industry expert judges. 🎉 Congratulations to 3 MFF Members who have been accepted into the accelerator! David R. Medina Álvarez, LIVAQ Dima Dobrynin, Staxel Arnold Kadiu, Intermode Learn more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gut7AbQq

Exciting update from Ultrium🎉 Ultrium has teamed up with Tesla to test their new EV battery management prototype. This innovative partnership is dedicated to enhancing the performance, reliability, and longevity of Tesla’s electric vehicle batteries. Ultrium's advanced system offers continuous battery health monitoring, providing real-time data on charge levels, temperature, and discharge rates. With predictive maintenance algorithms, potential issues are identified and addressed proactively, ensuring seamless operation. By optimizing charging cycles and providing valuable insights into energy usage, Ultrium plays a crucial role in maintaining peak battery efficiency and extending battery life. Congratulations to MFF Member Paris Plain and the entire Ultrium team on this collaboration! Check out this article by the Michigan Chronicle to learn more about Ultrium and its team ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gGFbE5f4

Member Monday Shoutout: Congratulations to MFF member Darren Riley, Co-founder and CEO of JustAir, for being selected as one of the 20 recipients of the 2024 Google for Startups Black+Latino Founders Fund! 🌟 JustAir’s mission is to protect the 20,000 breaths individuals take daily by empowering communities with air quality data. Their mission involves fostering well-being and driving local change through trusted partnerships, accessible air quality insights, and community-led initiatives. They are committed to building a team that embodies their values in everyday practice. Find the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gwc7yKgy

⏰ Reminder: There will be no Founders First Friday this month, but we’ll be back on August 2nd. Wishing everyone a happy and safe 4th of July! Enjoy the festivities, celebrate with loved ones, and take a moment to reflect on the values of freedom and independence, we'll be back after the long weekend. Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸

What an incredible time we had celebrating our new members and our current MFF community at our Quarterly Member Celebration event! We’ll be sharing some member highlights over the next couple weeks, but in the meantime, take a look at some of the amazing pictures from the event captured by Tay Ford,MA,LLPC! 🎉 And thanks again to Ebony L. Walls, CNP, BSW, MPA and Be A Part of Me Consulting, LLC for helping to put on such a wonderful event. It was truly special!

Founders: If you didn’t get a chance to attend this year’s Mackinac Policy Conference, we’ve put together some highlights from the event that you should definitely check out! We’ll leave you with one quote: “We must build a culture of Innovation and make Michigan a place where innovators and entrepreneurs feel seen and heard. We can’t do this alone. It takes pioneers, and thankfully we have some doing work every day in places like Corktown, supported by organizations like Black Tech Saturdays and Michigan Founders Fund.” – Governor Gretchen Whitmer Full blog post here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g5SqESMN #MPC2024 #Innovation #Michigan #Founders #Entrepreneurship #MFF

We’re so excited about what Sara Chen is building at Pangoo Apparel. Her women’s climbing pants are helping women reach new heights — literally! Learn more about this new startup and Sara’s journey to make apparel that helps women feel more comfortable and empowered outdoors. Purpose Jobs has the story here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gmdhDvxf #Detroit #apparel #startup #inclusion #MFF

As we reflect on PRIDE Month, we want to highlight some insightful and inspiring information about founders in the LGBTQ+ community. According to data from StartOut and Proud Ventures, LGBTQ+ founders have on average: - Created 36% more jobs - Produced 114% more patents - Achieved 44% more exits ...all while raising 16% less funding compared to the average founder. However, there's still progress to be made. 75% of LGBTQ+ founders hide their identity from investors due to the very real risk of their identity harming their ability to raise funds. Studies show that concealing your identity leads to poorer health outcomes. Individuals who hid their identity were 2.17x more likely to suffer from adverse health effects, including higher susceptibility to infectious diseases and certain cancers. Many also struggled with a decline in cognitive performance. For more detailed statistics and insights, check out this enlightening report by StartOut ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gqyVT5vC and this report by Proud Ventures ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gcAN7mqE Additionally, learn how Michigan is supporting its LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gnaykB4x The LGBTQ+ community has made significant strides in the fight for equality, but there’s still much work to be done to ensure everyone feels welcome and valued. At MFF, we believe Michigan can be the most successful startup ecosystem in the country, by being the most inclusive and most community-minded. LGBTQ+ founders and all others are welcome. 🏳️🌈

🎉 Our Quarterly Member Celebration is just ONE DAY AWAY!🎉 Rain or shine, the celebration continues! Join us tomorrow, June 21st at the Newlab rooftop (indoor rain location) to celebrate our new Michigan Founders Fund new members! This experience will be curated by Be A Part of Me Consulting, LLC featuring SM Sounds ( Caleb Conley), Gajiza Dumplings, Detroit Phoenix Center and the Zero “mock tail” Bar. Come and learn about the great things happening in the tech ecosystem while enjoying: - Live Music - Asian-Infused Cuisine - Photo Booth - Networking & Great Fellowship! If you’re a Founder, venture capitalist, ecosystem partner, or anyone that wants to help more founders succeed here in Michigan, we’d love to see you there. 👉 Don’t forget to RSVP here: https://lu.ma/jac5snyj 〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️ #Networking #Community #Founders #Michigan #Detroit #BAPMconsulting #Tech #Ventures #MFF #DetroitEvents #NewLab