Venture Capital
Our Venture Capital Fund helps high-growth startups led by underrepresented founders, unique entrepreneurs, and driven innovators get off the ground. We jump in early, offering not just funding, but also the know-how and connections that founders need to build their early product, land those first customers, and start generating revenue.
We don’t limit ourselves to a single industry. Instead, we back startups from various sectors, all united by a common goal: closing important gaps for underserved customers. Our aim is to be a catalyst for equity, making a difference in Kalamazoo, throughout Michigan, and across the country.
Founders
CircNova
Crystal Brown
CircNova is a pioneering biotechnology company harnessing the power of its proprietary AI platform, NovaEngineTM, to design and develop circular RNA (circRNA) therapeutics for previously undruggable diseases. By combining deep-learning RNA structure prediction with high-throughput synthesis, CircNova is advancing a new frontier in RNA-based therapies—offering innovative solutions for critical unmet clinical needs like triple-negative breast cancer.
Website: circnova.com
Glidance
Amos Miller, Luke Buckerrough, & Kyle Buzzard
Glidance is revolutionizing mobility with Glide, the world’s first AI-powered, self-guided mobility aid for people who are blind or have low vision. Using advanced sensors and real-time navigation, Glide intuitively guides users through indoor and outdoor spaces—avoiding obstacles, identifying key landmarks, and empowering independence at every step. At Glidance, we believe mobility is a right, not a luxury.
Website: glidance.io
Motmot
Demetris Coleman & Elliot Smith
Motmot is a Water and GovTech startup revolutionizing how municipalities manage drinking water infrastructure. By deploying Autonomous Underwater Robotics (AURs), Motmot maps pipeline systems, detects defects, and delivers comprehensive risk assessments—helping communities make smarter, data-driven decisions. Their mission is simple: advance communities through intelligent, future-ready infrastructure.
Website: motmot.ai
Stunio
Adam Green
Stunio is an on-demand hiring platform that connects businesses with reliable, local student talent for jobs big or small—instantly. Through smart matchmaking and university partnerships, Stunio helps businesses tap into a pipeline of skilled students for gigs, micro-internships, or full-time roles, creating real-time solutions and long-term workforce connections.
Website: stunio.com
Nunchi
Trista Van Tine
Nunchi is the first AI-powered platform designed specifically for membership networks, helping teams move beyond spreadsheets, sales-focused CRMs, and shallow chat threads. With a relationship-first approach and built-in People Intelligence, Nunchi makes it easy to understand your network, surface meaningful connections, and deliver personalized member experiences. It’s not just about managing contacts—it’s about unlocking the power of real relationships to drive retention, referrals, and community growth.
Website: heynunchi.com
EliteCare
Darin Patmon
EliteCare is redefining post-acute care management by bridging the gap between healthcare and technology. Their intuitive platform streamlines care coordination, automates workflows, and enhances communication between providers, reducing complications after discharge and improving patient outcomes. Founded by a physician with firsthand experience, EliteCare empowers medical teams to focus on what matters most—the patient’s journey to better health.
Website: elitecaretec.com
Intero Biosystems
Madeline Eiken & Charlie Childs
Intero Biosystems is revolutionizing preclinical drug testing with GastroScreen, the world’s first stem-cell-derived human intestinal organoid featuring functional neurons, blood vessels, muscle, and intestinal lining. Designed to mirror the complexity of human organs, GastroScreen enables accurate drug testing on human tissue before clinical trials—dramatically reducing risk, cost, and time to market. As regulatory agencies around the globe push for alternatives to animal testing, Intero stands at the forefront of a new era in human-relevant, scalable, and predictive preclinical models.
Website: interobiosystems.com
JustAir
Darren Riley
JustAir is a comprehensive air quality management company that empowers communities, governments, and health institutions with accessible, reliable, and actionable air data. Through an easy-to-use platform that integrates multiple monitoring devices and automated QA/QC tools, JustAir delivers deep insights and culturally-responsive community resources to drive meaningful change. Their mission is simple but powerful: protect the 20,000 breaths we take each day by putting clean air data into the hands of the people who need it most.
Website: justair.co
The talent and ideas of underrepresented founders have historically been overlooked by venture investors.
Black founders received only 1% of U.S. venture capital investment in 2022, a slight decline from the 1.3% seen in 2021. [Pitchbook]
In 2022, female-led startups received just 2.1% of venture capital funding in the U.S., a decrease from 2.4% in 2021. [Crunchbase]
Only 0.5% of total venture capital funding in the U.S. went to startups with LGBTQ+ founders. [StartOut 2023]
Disabled founders are also overlooked to the point that data is not available on the percentage of venture funding that they receive.
However data shows that diverse teams outperform their competitors.
Diverse founding teams (in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity) perform better financially, with 35% higher returns on equity compared to homogenous teams. [McKinsey & Company report titled “Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters,” published in 2020].
Companies with diverse leadership are 70% more likely to capture new markets. [McKinsey]
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