We're excited to share the?Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s?feature on?Invest Detroit?and the work behind the?Michigan Innovation Fund—a $60M initiative designed to fuel early-stage startups and keep them growing right here in Michigan. In this interview,?Patti Glaza, Managing Director of ID Ventures,?and?Jennifer Hayes, SVP of Public Policy, share how we collaborated on a statewide coalition to turn research, collaboration, and policy advocacy into transformative legislation. From securing bipartisan support to rethinking venture capital for underrepresented founders, this piece highlights the power of strategic partnerships in shaping Michigan’s innovation future. #MichiganInnovation #VentureCapital #Startups #InvestDetroit #EcosystemBuilding #Entrepreneurship
Invest Detroit Leads $60M Michigan Innovation Fund – A Game Changer for Startups & Innovation In our 2024 Venture Equity Project report, Revitalizing Innovation: Models for Equitable Entrepreneurship Across the U.S., we spotlighted how strategic coalitions can drive systemic change for entrepreneurs. In Michigan, Invest Detroit and an alliance of key partners—including Ann Arbor SPARK, the University of Michigan’s Accelerate Blue Fund, Michigan State University Research Foundation, and Western Michigan University’s BRCC—have turned a shared vision into reality with the $60M Michigan Innovation Fund. This fund is designed to address the critical early-stage capital gap, ensuring that under-resourced founders across Michigan have access to sustainable, patient capital. With bipartisan support and structured policy collaboration, this initiative marks Michigan’s most significant investment in innovation-driven entrepreneurship in nearly two decades. Key Takeaways from the Article: - How public-private collaboration accelerated the fund from concept to policy reality. - Why evergreen fund models are crucial for supporting diverse, early-stage founders in non-coastal markets. - The measurable impact beyond funding—job creation, economic mobility, and startup resilience. ?? We want to hear from you! How can policymakers and investors further support equitable access to capital? Drop your insights in the comments. #MichiganInnovation #InvestDetroit #Entrepreneurship #InclusiveInnovation #VentureEquityProject #StartupFunding #VentureCapital #MichiganStartups #InnovationFund #EconomicDevelopment #EquityFunding #EarlyStageFunding #PublicPrivatePartnerships