Michigan Rise News
Michigan Rise News
Stay up-to-date with the latest from Michigan Rise and our portfolio companies. From funding announcements to founder stories, discover how Michigan’s technology ecosystem is evolving and the role we play in its advancement.
Built on firsthand operator experience, Clicki helps businesses turn referrals into a more structured and measurable way to grow—reducing reliance on paid advertising. Kendall Hines was sending so many referral payments through Venmo that his account got flagged for suspicious [...]
Built on frontline experience, Authsnap helps healthcare providers manage and appeal denied claims—turning a manual, resource-heavy process into something scalable. Two sisters carried the same genetic risk for cancer. One received the preventative scan she needed, caught the disease early, and survived. [...]
Built for technology transfer teams, FirstIgnite helps universities and laboratories connect research discoveries with companies ready to develop them. Every year, thousands of patents, discoveries, and technical breakthroughs emerge from university labs across the United States. But many promising ideas—from life-saving medicines to cleaner energy and [...]
The Michigan Rise family of funds continued its investment activity in January, backing five Michigan-based startups across energy, education, healthcare technology, and workforce software—demonstrating the breadth of early-stage innovation across the state. 86Repairs (86repairs.com) – Operates a restaurant equipment repair and maintenance platform that reduces downtime and [...]
Founded by a longtime restaurant operator, Shifty is rethinking how restaurants support and retain frontline teams through better training. On paper, the restaurant industry looks like a machine built for constant motion: new menus, new faces, new trends. Behind the [...]
Michigan Rise made 12 new investments and completed two Purchase Order Financing deals in November and December 2025. These Michigan-based startups span mobility, CleanTech, life sciences, and digital platforms, reflecting the breadth of early-stage innovation across the state. New Investments: BridgeCare Technologies (bridgecare.me) – Operates a chat-based coaching platform that [...]
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Woodchuck, the AI-powered climate-tech startup redefining how construction and manufacturing industries handle wood waste, today announced that Michigan Rise, a venture investment subsidiary of the MSU Research Foundation, has made a growth-round [...]
Michigan Rise expanded its portfolio in October with four new investments and one purchase order financing loan. These Michigan-based startups span mobility, CleanTech, and EdTech, reflecting the breadth of early-stage innovation taking place across the state. New Investments: Bloom (togetherwebloom.us) – Operates a marketplace that connects hardware [...]
The program has provided $7.6M to help startups deliver on customer orders and demonstrate market validation—key steps that attract follow-on investment and accelerate Michigan’s innovation pipeline. In its first three years, Michigan Rise has provided [...]
