Michigan Capital Network

We are grateful to the SBA & DoD for the partnership opportunity!

Join us in welcoming the new Director of BlueWater Angels, Erin Strang! BlueWater Angels would not be what it is today without the leadership of Leland Richards - we are forever grateful for your 5 years of dedication to BlueWater Angels and look forward to continually working with you! https://lnkd.in/g2G9fiQg

Welcome, Kalina Foster! https://lnkd.in/g5uB24ZP

Join us in welcoming the new Director of BlueWater Angels, Erin Strang! BlueWater Angels would not be what it is today without the leadership of Leland Richards - we are forever grateful for your 5 years of dedication to BlueWater Angels and look forward to continually working with you! https://lnkd.in/g2G9fiQg

Thank you to one of our AMAZING sponsors NPF Investment Advisors for hosting our annual Grand Angels holiday party!

NPF was thrilled to host our friends at Michigan Capital Network for their annual holiday party. What a fantastic group of member-investors who have helped shape the entrepreneurial landscape this year!

Looking forward to working with New Community Transformation Fund! Thank you to everyone on both teams for the hard work and dedication that got us here.

Michigan Capital Network Names New Controller Michigan Capital Network (MCN), a fund management organization that oversees four venture capital funds as well as five Michigan angel investing groups, announced it has hired Michael Bender as its new Controller. His first day with the firm was on November 11 . Michael comes to us after years in the financial services industry, most recently working as a Senior Investment Associate at an international trust bank. He has experience in financial planning and analysis, corporate and partnership tax accounting, and investment management. ? He received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame. During his academic career, he served as a member of the Volunteer Income Tax Preparer program. He also volunteered as a guest teacher at a middle school in Rome, Italy, during his studies abroad. He led bilingual lessons in Italian literature. ? In his spare time, Michael enjoys golfing, writing, and spending time with friends and family – especially on or near any of Michigan's beautiful lakes. He is also in the process of learning guitar as a member of a local band.

Michigan Capital Network Adds Two New Analysts Michigan Capital Network (MCN), a fund management organization that oversees four venture capital funds as well as five Michigan angel investing groups, announced it has hired two new analysts to support the company’s investment efforts. ? Jose L. Villalba Villalba joined the firm in September, bringing with him an extensive professional background. In 2010 he co-founded Centro Diagnostico, an IT firm based in New Jersey. He began his finance career in 2017, first working as an analyst for The Walt Disney Company before moving on to Accenture where he worked as a strategic consultant. Jose has also served previous internships with Octave and Acumen America, where he worked as a VC Associate. In his role with MCN, Jose is sourcing and conducting due diligence on early-stage AI and other advanced technology startups. He has already recommended two investments and led recapitalization analysis for a Series B venture-backed healthcare startup. ? Jose obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from Rutgers University in 2017. He is currently attending the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and is set to receive his Master of Business Administration in Finance and Entrepreneurship in May of 2025. During his time at U-M, he has received a Consortium Fellowship, and has been recognized as a Dean’s Fellow, and a Management Leadership for Tomorrow Professional Development (MLT PD) Fellow. ? Simran Kalra hails from Midland, Michigan, and also joined MCN in September. She took her first career steps at an early age, founding the Juice Co. in 2019, while a student at Midland Dow High School. Since then, she has held several impressive positions including as a senior director for the National STEM Honor Society. Simran has also worked in a variety of roles with Michigan Investment Group and 180 Degrees Consulting, and has also served as an investment analysts for ONL Therapeutics, an MCN portfolio company. In her role as a Growth Strategy Analyst with MCN, she is sourcing and conducting due diligence on potential investment opportunities. ? Simran is currently pursuing both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan . She’s expecting to graduate in May 2026. Please join us in welcoming Jose and Simran to the MCN family!

Congratulations to our very own Paul Damato, Jody Vanderwel and Dale Grogan on making the Crain's Grand Rapids Business 200 Most Influential Leaders in West Michigan for 2024. We are lucky at Michigan Capital Network to be guided by not one, but THREE amazing people. Each brings unique strengths and perspectives that have inspired our growth and success. #venturecapital #GrandRapids #Michigan