# Michigan Rise

Michigan Rise is a Pre-Seed Venture Fund based in East Lansing, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Pre-Seed Venture Fund
- **Headquarters:** East Lansing, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 325 E Grand River Ave, Suite 275, East Lansing, MI 48823, United States
- **Founded:** 2020
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.michiganrise.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/michigan-rise

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Michigan Rise is a subsidiary of the Michigan State University Foundation, which administers the Pre-Seed Fund III. Michigan Rise invests in early-stage high tech businesses in Michigan. The firm has made 115 investments, including a February 15, 2026, investment in Maka Media.

## Sectors

- Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- CleanTech & Energy
- EdTech
- FinTech
- Healthcare IT & Services
- Life Sciences
- Medical Devices
- Mobility & Transportation
- Enterprise Software

## Questions

### What is Michigan Rise's relationship with Michigan State University and the MSU Research Foundation?

Michigan Rise is a wholly owned subsidiary of the MSU Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1973 to commercialize university research and drive economic development. The fund's mandate flows directly from that parent relationship — investing solely in Michigan-based startups — and it operates alongside other state programs through a formal partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

### Does the fund make direct equity investments or fund commitments?

Michigan Rise makes direct pre-seed equity investments into individual startups; it is not a fund-of-funds and does not commit capital to external venture managers. The firm supplements its equity checks with grant assistance, mentorship, and connections to follow-on capital sources across Michigan's entrepreneurial network.

### Is Michigan Rise structured as a traditional venture fund or does it operate differently?

It operates differently. As a subsidiary of a nonprofit foundation with a state economic-development partner, Michigan Rise does not face conventional limited-partner liquidity timelines or pure return mandates. Success is measured partly by follow-on capital attracted to portfolio companies — nearly $700M by its own count — rather than solely by internal rate of return.

### Which sectors does Michigan Rise explicitly avoid?

The firm does not publish a formal exclusion list, but its portfolio is confined to technology sectors with demonstrated commercialization traction from Michigan's university and industrial base. HardTech, Therapeutics, and Consumer Goods appear in its portfolio tagging system, while industries like extractive resources, traditional retail, and financial asset management are absent from any disclosed investment.

### How does Michigan Rise source its deal flow?

Deal flow originates primarily through the MSU Research Foundation's technology-transfer pipeline, faculty and alumni networks, referrals from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and the broader state-supported entrepreneurial ecosystem. The firm's East Lansing office sits inside the university's orbit, giving it early visibility into spinouts, licensed IP, and accelerator-graduate startups.

## Related profiles

- [Michigan Farm Bureau Insurance](https://altss.com/profile/michigan-farm-bureau-insurance)
- [Michigan State University Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/michigan-state-university-foundation)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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