Entrepreneurial Services Client Portal

STEAM Ahead is a statewide program, administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), that aims to foster meaningful, hands-on career experiences for students interested in STEAM-related positions and to support companies of all sizes with building a strong tech talent pipeline for key focus areas through the next decade:

• EV & Mobility
• Semiconductor
• Life Sciences & Medical Device
• Clean Energy
• Defense & Aerospace
• Advanced Manufacturing

STEAM Ahead provides a win-win-win scenario for companies, students and Michigan. Read how the expansion of the STEAM Ahead model is increasing in students and employers.

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Interested Companies

Michigan colleges produce exceptional talent, perfect for the state’s large number of innovative, growing companies. STEAM Ahead provides financial support to Michigan companies who hire interns in STEAM-focused internships by providing a one-to-one match towards intern wages for up to $4,000 for full-time interns and up to $2,000 for part-time interns.

Internship Candidates- Secure a STEAM Internship and Launch your Career in Michigan

As a native Michigander or as someone who attends school here, you know how special the state is. With two easy steps, you can explore opportunities to learn more about the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) fields and gain first-hand experience right here in Michigan.

A partnership with Eastern Michigan University's Digital Engagement Program. College students from southeastern Michigan complete a 90-hour internship consisting of high-level digital media and marketing projects. This is provided at no cost to eligible SPARK clients. Recruitment begins in early spring. Contact your account manager if you are interested.

A partnership with the University of Michigan connecting students to start-ups in gaming and extended reality (XR).

Clients located within the LDFA SmartZone are eligible to hire one intern annually with a 50% wage match from SPARK of up to $6,000 with a minimum of 2 interns and maximum of 4 interns. SPARK handles administrative tasks like payroll and taxes. Contact your account manager to learn more.

A 9,000-square-foot coworking studio with meeting rooms, comfortable workstations, networking opportunities and high-speed wifi.

Offers collaborative workspaces, turn-key office spaces, small and large conference rooms, high-speed internet, wet labs, specialty work areas, production areas, warehouse space, and unlimited free parking. Located minutes from downtown Ann Arbor.

Provides secure, modern office space for existing companies and individuals in Ypsilanti.

An intimate and vibrant shared workspace for entrepreneurs and work-at-home professionals looking to work in a communal environment in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor.

The Ann Arbor region offers a variety of coworking spaces to choose from - including SPARK's Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti locations.

The most efficient and powerful CAD design collection available for product and part assembly designers. The SOLIDWORKS CAD suite of tools allows you to grow your business out of an intelligent, effortless SOLIDWORKS seed, so your organization can scale, flourish, and adapt to the 3D modeling changes for decades to come.

Works with select accelerators, incubators, VCs, and other startup-enabling organizations to offer exclusive benefits.

Designed to help startups build and scale using Google Cloud. Startups are eligible for Google Cloud credits depending on evaluation. The amount of credit and benefits provided will be sized to each startup.

A secure cloud services platform offering computer power, database storage, content delivery, and other functionality to help businesses scale and grow. SPARK offers include:
• $5,000 in AWS Credits

Click  'Apply Now' on aws.amazon.com/startups/credits and contact your SPARK account manager for the organization ID to get started.

Credits are eligible to only seated clients in our incubator (not virtual).

Purpose

SPARK Capital is designed to help Michigan-based, high-growth technology companies, at the pre-seed and seed stages, to raise funding rounds in order to grow and get to the next level, by investing $100k-$200k as an initial investment alongside private co-investors. SPARK Capital reserves additional funds for subsequent investment rounds, which are often led by venture capital funds. Given our limited funding capacity and our mission to help diversify and grow the Michigan economy, which includes creating quality jobs, we are only able to invest in the highest growth-potential businesses.

Investment Criteria

To be eligible for SPARK Capital funding, companies must meet the following minimum criteria:

• Michigan-Based Companies – The company’s principal place of business and the majority of its employees are based in the State of Michigan.
• Technology Companies – SPARK Capital only invests in companies that produce technology goods and services, which generally require extensive research and development prior to sales.
• Private Co-Investors – We will only co-invest in companies that receive commitments from private co-investors including angels, angel groups, and venture funds, but not including other public or quasi-public funds.
• Problem-Solution Fit – Company can demonstrate that it is solving a significant unmet market problem/need with a compelling value proposition, that has been rooted in a systematic customer discovery process.
• High-Growth & Scalable – The potential to scale to 8-figure revenue and achieve high gross margins
• Large Market Opportunity – Eligible companies will be selling into a large addressable market of at least $1 billion, with well understood TAM, SAM, and SOM, which should be demonstrated through a bottom-up analysis.
• Differentiated Product/Service – Must have a differentiated, novel product/service that has a competitive advantage in the market.
• Defensibility/Intellectual Property – If possible, the company has filed or is in the process of filing for patent protection. In lieu of patent protection, the company can demonstrate defensibility with barriers to entry.
• Defined Business Model – Clearly defined revenue streams and competitive pricing that has or is being developed/tested with potential customers.
• Go-To-Market Plan – Company can demonstrate a path to market including an initial target market and well-defined sales and marketing plan reflecting a deep understanding of the customer and buying process.
• Qualified Team – Company is led by an experienced, multi-person team, that is or will become full-time in conjunction with the round, and that demonstrates compatibility and complimentary skills needed for success.
• Traction & Milestones – Company has or nearly has a finished minimum viable product which can be demonstrated and has a clear milestone-based plan tied to growth.
• Financials – Provide a 5-year financial model that shows rapid but realistic revenue growth, with expenses that are aligned with the industry and stage of business and reflects subsequent funding requirements, and with the first year of the model being the current year. Cash investment in the company to-date from the founder(s) improves consideration.
• Use of Funds – Demonstrates appropriate use of funds for the stage of development of the business.
• Investment Instrument – Negotiable including convertible debt, preferred equity, or SAFE.

Application Process

Initial Review

For an initial review, SPARK Capital requires the following materials:

• Executive Summary or ideally a business plan if available
• Investor Pitch Deck/Slides
• Financial Model

Initial Screening Meeting

In cases where companies appear to meet the eligibility criteria, we will schedule an initial screening call/meeting to learn more and determine fit.

Market Validation

In many cases, we will ask for a market reference contact(s) to help us understand and validate the market for the product or service when needed.

Due Diligence

After initial screening, we will identify the best candidates for due diligence of all aspects of the business. At this point, we will ask for a link to the company’s data room (if available) and/or provide our due diligence checklist. This process can take several weeks to several months.

Investment Review Board Approval

For companies that meet the due diligence criteria for investment, a proposal will be submitted to the SPARK Capital IRB, which makes the investment decision.

Terms & Investment

For those companies that are approved, the SPARK Capital team will work with you to determine mutually agreeable terms of investment and work to close on the investment in a timely manner.

This loan fund is a partnership between Center for Empowerment & Economic Development (CEED Lending), Washtenaw County, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The fund was established to assist existing and startup small businesses in who cannot obtain conventional financing due to lack of capital, no credit, and insufficient collateral. Loans are up to $30,000 and have an interest rate that can be fixed as low as 0%.

Provides direct access to a variety of funding resources.

A program designed for innovators across all funding stages who seek to transform technology and business. Honda has created this program to engage innovators in an open and friendly environment. It offers funding for rapid prototyping, collaborative workspaces, and pairing with Honda mentors.

Designed to assist Ypsilanti-based companies grow their business in the city of Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township. Some portions of loan repayment may be waived, on a per loan basis, in conjunction with meeting certain milestones that have been deemed to make a significant economic impact. While microloan terms may vary on a case-by-case basis, they typically carry below-market rates and do not exceed $50,000 per company. Contact a SPARK employee for more information.

Offers account options for early-stage companies through a kickstart account, essentially a small business check. To open an account, you need:

• The company's tax ID
• The company's articles of incorporation
• The ID and SSN of any person with over 25% ownership
• The ID, SSN and contact information of any signers on the account.

A unique, purpose-built facility focused on testing, validation, and self-certification of connected and automated vehicles and other mobility technologies at the more than 500-acre historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti Township in southeast Michigan.

A robotics and advanced manufacturing technology education collaborative to align talent with employers and economic development needs.

Michigan's mobility initiative representing the collective mobility efforts across the state. The Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) connects you to Michigan’s mobility ecosystem — the people, places and resources dedicated to the evolution of transportation mobility.

Provides direct access to a variety of funding resources.

Offers an intensive, 16-week program for tech-enabled startups. Provides the funding, mentorship, staff, and resources necessary for early-stage ventures to rapidly grow and build their business.

The +Impact Studio teaches interdisciplinary student teams how to effectively use scholarly intellectual capital, business acumen and design methodologies to start addressing problems.

Provides Detroit entrepreneurs with the accounting services that can help them successfully launch and grow their businesses. On Fridays throughout the semester, MAcc and BBA students hold free one-on-one accounting consultations with entrepreneurs.

A statewide program that accelerates the transfer of technologies from Michigan’s institutions of higher education to the private sector for commercialization. The awards provide mid-stage, translational research funding and resources for proof-of-concept and late-stage translational studies with a high potential of commercial success.

Front door for data science at the University of Michigan at the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses. Please contact burgardk@umich.edu to post job opportunities on their website, inquire about collaboration, and more.

Early-stage connected and autonomous vehicle testing in living labs, research, and collaboration drawing on expertise at U-M, plus education and outreach efforts to inform and share insights.

The T3N Fellows Program consists of graduate students who work part-time to assist tech transfer licensing specialists to assess the technical and market potential of new U-M inventions. In return, they receive valuable training and encouragement for their careers. The Mentors-in-Residence Program contains seasoned entrepreneurs who work within the tech transfer offices, bringing entrepreneurial expertise and connections for opportunity assessment and venture creation programs.

Whether you're looking to network, enrich your business acumen, or get inspired, SPARK hosts many events all year long. All of these can be found on the SPARK website, under the Upcoming Events tab.

A taste of SPARK delivered right to your inbox. Choose one of many or subscribe to them all. Available newsletters include:

• Events
• Job Seeker
• Fast Forward
• Mobility
• a2TECH360 News and Information
• Michigan STEM Forward
• SPARKcapital

Links entrepreneurs with management expertise, joint venture partners, business services, capital, and other critical resources.

This program is a partnership of the State Bar of Michigan Access to Justice Committee and the Intellectual Property Law Section. The Patent Project is now accepting applications for pro bono assistance if you have filed a provisional application and are income eligible for pro bono services. The program also provides education and information on federal and state patent, trademark and copyright law issues through seminars, publications, and networking events.

This guide on starting your business in Michigan provides step-by-step instructions on the paperwork to file formation documents, obtain tax IDs, and set up company records.

Designed for organizations trying to learn more about entrepreneurship, sales, marketing, product launch, competitive analysis, and other topics. They have useful ideas and resources that will guide you and help you grow your great ideas into great companies. Contact your account manager for the SPARK discount code.

Offered twice a year, SPARK's boot camp program helps startups learn skills to advance their business. The boot camp includes guidance on fundraising, expanding your team, customer discovery, market validation, and more. Let your account manager know if you are interested in participating.

Provides Michigan communities, organizations, and people with high quality – yet affordable – talent services. Experts in human resources, career coaching, recruiting, economic development, and entrepreneurship.

Ann Arbor SPARK has an Entrepreneurial Marketing Services team to support your business growth journey.  We provide a range of marketing services for our clients at no-cost, specifically designed to support your business's growth. Our comprehensive offerings include branding/design, content marketing, strategic planning, social media strategies, public relations, marketing coaching, and thought partnership – all tailored to meet your unique needs. Marketing Services provided by Latricia Trice.

Latricia can be reached at: latricia@ltriceconsulting.com

Southeastern Michigan's premier home for life science and other innovation-based startup businesses, brought to you by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

Ann Arbor SPARK provides in-house marketing services for entrepreneurial services clients. Startups receive consulting support across a range of topics, from strategic marketing - working on customer discovery, defining the target market, product positioning, or creating a marketing plan - to tactical execution such as writing blogs or press releases.

Matches U-M faculty and students with small businesses for professional services consulting projects. U-M student teams provide free strategic consulting work, legal assistance, design strategy, and other work on complex business problems.

Assists early-stage life science companies with technology commercialization strategy and implementation, with expertise in all 11 participating federal agencies as well as grants and contracts management and commercialization planning.

Free mentoring, local workshops, and free resources for small businesses.

Apply to this postdoctoral research fellowship program to work with faculty mentors on technology or startup development. This increases the chances for a license or startup in Michigan and offers potential employment opportunity for admitted applicants.

MathWorks supports startup accelerators and incubators worldwide with benefits and sponsorships. Benefits for startups at approved accelerators and incubators include:

• One year of free access to MATLAB, Simulink and over 100 add-on toolboxes
• Engineering support from MathWorks experts and access to online training and videos
• Access to MATLAB Central, a user community of 100k+ members that shares knowledge and code
• Opportunities to promote your product through MathWorks startup promotions program

Helps venture-backed startups with inbound marketing and sales, cloud-based marketing sales, and software service.

Custom printed apparel for your business/startup. SPARK members are eligible to receive $100 off a custom apparel order. Offer Terms:

• Minimum order amount of $200
• Valid only for new customers
• Offer applies to custom apparel only, cannot be combined with any other discounts, promotions,
  or special pricing.