Subsidiaries
OVERVIEW
The MSU Research Foundation accomplishes much of its work through several wholly-owned subsidiary organizations:
Spartan Innovations: Venture Creation Services
Red Cedar Ventures: Seed Stage Venture Fund
Michigan Rise: Pre-Seed Fund (in partnership with MEDC)
Research Parks: Real Estate and Placemaking
The subsidiaries are legal business entities, but operate much like departments within the Foundation. They do not have their own branding, website, or social media channels.
BRANDING GUIDELINES FOR SUBSIDIARIES
Primary Branding:
Always prioritize the MSU Research Foundation name and logo in communications. This reflects the unified mission and overarching goals of the organization.
Use appositive constructions when referring to a subsidiary by name (i.e. “Spartan Innovations, a venture creation subsidiary of the MSU Research Foundation, has achieved…”)
Use of Subsidiary Logos:
The MSU Research Foundation logo is the primary visual symbol of our brand identity. Subsidiary logos should only be used in very limited cases, such as:
Legal documents and contracts that involve the legal business entity of the subsidiary.
Employment agreements specific to the subsidiary.
Showcasing the support strength of the Foundation where multiple logos are displayed together (e.g., the Foundation logo alongside individual subsidiary logos).
By adhering to these guidelines, the integrity and unity of the MSU Research Foundation’s brand will be maintained, while still recognizing the specific roles and legal identities of its subsidiary organizations.
LOGO & LETTERHEAD FILES
To ensure the best quality and appropriate use of the logo, several file types and color modes are available on SharePoint. Please contact the Director of Communications if you need specific sizes and/or file types for a particular use.