# University of Michigan Social Venture Fund

University of Michigan Social Venture Fund is a Venture Capital based in Ann Arbor, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Venture Capital
- **Headquarters:** Ann Arbor, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- **Founded:** 2009
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** zli.umich.edu
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-of-michigan-ross-social-venture-fund

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The University of Michigan Social Venture Fund is a private equity firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It focuses on venture capital investments.

## Sectors

- Education
- Digital Health
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- Enterprise Software

## People

- Erin Washington — Managing Director

## Questions

### Who makes investment decisions at the Social Venture Fund?

Graduate students — primarily second-year MBAs — serve as the investment committee, conducting sourcing, diligence, and final decisions under faculty and Managing Director oversight. The fund is structured as a year-long fellowship within the Ross School of Business, with students rotating through functional roles. No external GP makes unilateral calls.

### Is the fund backed by the University of Michigan endowment?

Yes, the endowment is one capital source, alongside philanthropic donors and external limited partners. The university does not publicly break out the allocation, and the fund does not disclose its total capital commitments. The structure gives Michigan exposure to early-stage impact without requiring a separate endowment carve-out managed by external GPs.

### Does the Social Venture Fund invest only in Michigan-based companies?

No. While the fund's Ann Arbor location and university ecosystem generate strong in-state and Midwest deal flow, portfolio companies have included ventures based across the United States. The fund's mandate is impact-first, not geography-bound.

### How does the fund define 'social venture'?

The fund targets companies where social or environmental impact is core to the business model, not ancillary. Sectors include education technology, digital health, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and accessibility software. Each investment requires a measurable impact thesis alongside a credible path to venture-scale returns; the fund does not make program-related investments or pure grants.

### What happens to portfolio relationships when students graduate?

The fund operates on an academic-year cycle, with formal handover processes between outgoing and incoming student teams. Board-observer seats, diligence records, and founder relationships transfer to the next class. The Managing Director and faculty oversight committee provide continuity, but the fund's design forces an institutionalized succession rhythm that is unusual for a vehicle of its size.

### Is the Social Venture Fund part of a larger university investment office?

No. It operates under the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Ross School of Business, not the University of Michigan Investment Office. The fund runs independently as an experiential-education program with real fiduciary obligations, distinct from the endowment's broader private-equity commitments.

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- [United Capital Partners](https://altss.com/profile/united-capital-partners)
- [Untitled Group](https://altss.com/profile/untitled-group)

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

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