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Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III invested in six new Michigan startups in December 2024, spanning healthcare technology, medical devices, therapeutics, and consumer products.
“Michigan Rise and Red Cedar Ventures had a particularly active quarter, with investments totaling over $2 million,” said Jeff Wesley, Executive Director of Ventures. “We’re very pleased with the diversity of these investments and their broad statewide impact.”
The fund supported the following companies:
- Coordinista: A nurse-designed platform and mobile app enabling centralized coordination and decentralized execution of care delivery for high-acuity and high-risk populations.
- HAPPE Spine: Develops implantable fixation devices designed to improve spinal fusion surgery outcomes through enhanced stabilization and support.
- JustAir: Provides comprehensive air quality management solutions, partnering with communities to increase well-being and promote environmental justice.
- Portera Therapeutics: Leverages proteasome enhancer technology to target cancer and neurological disorders, focusing on diseases caused by intrinsically disordered proteins.
- Protein Pints: Produces high-protein, low-sugar ice cream with 45 grams of whey protein, offering a healthier dessert option developed by student entrepreneurs.
- Protera Health: Provides virtual, clinician-led musculoskeletal (MSK) care, integrating multidisciplinary services to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
- WizeHire: An award-winning hiring platform combining software with expert support to help businesses build their teams confidently.
Michigan Rise is a wholly owned venture capital subsidiary of the Michigan State University Research Foundation, operated in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Michigan Rise provides early-stage funding to innovative companies that have the potential to transform industries and create jobs in Michigan.
