MSU Research Foundation’s Captive Venture Funds Close 24 Investments
January-March 2025 Update: The Michigan State University Research Foundation backs a diverse range of startups through its Red Cedar Ventures and Michigan Rise Pre-Seed III investment funds, supporting companies in healthcare, fintech, education mobility and more.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (Apr. 22, 2025) — The MSU Research Foundation announced 24 new investment and purchase order financing transactions in startup companies through its Red Cedar Ventures and Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III investment subsidiaries between January and March of 2025.
“This quarter’s investments reflect just how deep the innovation pipeline runs in Michigan,” said Jeff Wesley, Executive Director of Ventures at the MSU Research Foundation. “We’re backing both new ventures and founders we’ve supported in the past who are gaining traction and scaling up.”
The Red Cedar Ventures Pre-Seed Fund supported the following companies:
Crux provides a platform offering hyper-local insights to help financial institutions build stronger relationships with small business, enhancing business development, underwriting, and portfolio management.
Cura Collaborative helps care managers coordinate home care by involving families in shared care planning and communication.
Denovo Fertility is an online platform combining personalized biochemistry insights, education, and community support to help individuals and couples enhance fertility.
EnquAlre is an AI-powered app that supports post-discharge care through increased patient interactions, recovery monitoring, and reduced hospital readmissions.
Elite Care Technologies is a platform the helps outpatient clinics optimize billing for transitional care services through real-time updates on patient hospital admissions and discharges.
Housetable helps banks offer a new kind of home renovation loan, making it easier for homeowners to finance improvements.
MoveFactorX develops small, portable sensors that track movement and provide real-time feedback to help athletes and patients improve strength and mobility.
Ollivate is a gamified educational app simplifying certification processes for medical professionals, with plans to expand to other cortication-reliant industries.
PatenSee has developed a contactless imaging system that enables early detection of vascular access complications in hemodialysis patients, enhancing care through advanced technology.
Ribbon helps credit unions support families during inheritance transfers, making the process smoother while helping credit unions retain and grow their memberships.
Salus automates small loan approvals for banks and credit unions, making it faster and easier for people to access financial support.
Sawport is an AI-powered virtual branch platform that enables financial institutions to provide remote services, with a focus on underserved global and domestic markets.
The Red Cedar Ventures Opportunity Fund supported the following companies:
86Repairs simplifies restaurant equipment repair and maintenance by managing service calls, coordinating with technicians, and providing data-driven insights to reduce downtime and control costs.
Indapta Therapeutics develops immune cell therapies designed to boost the effectiveness of antibody treatments in cancer care, advancing new options for patients.
Ripple Science makes it easier for researchers to find and manage study participants with user-friendly recruitment software.
The Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III supported these companies:
Adrenaline Interactive provides AI-powered tools for managing in-game advertising, helping publishers boost revenue and brand engagement.
Airspace Link makes it safer and easier for drones to operate in communities, helping pilots, businesses, and local governments integrate drones into everyday life.
Arborsense creates wearable health monitors that use advanced sensors to track wellness continuously and non-invasively.
Atterx creates new treatments to prevent and combat infections caused by drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
ChurchSpace enables churches to list and rent underused space throughout the week to local individuals and organizations.
Intero Biosystems develops lab-grown miniature human intestinal models for drug development and preclinical testing.
Livsee uses artificial intelligence to simplify the renting process, making it easier for renters and landlords to connect.
PatenSee has developed a contactless imaging system that enables early detection of vascular access complications in hemodialysis patients, enhancing care through advanced technology.
SwimSmart enhances beach safety with electronic warning systems that provide real-time weather updates, replacing traditional flags with a stoplight system to help families make informed decisions.
“Michigan Rise had another strong quarter, with more than $1.5 million invested,” Wesley added. "The fund is doing exactly what it was designed to do—fuel early-stage innovation across Michigan."
The Foundation also supported the following companies with access to working capital through the Michigan Rise Purchase Order Financing program:
Accelerated Filtration provides advanced, self-cleaning water filtration systems that efficiently remove suspended solids, enhancing sustainability and reducing operational costs.
"Behind every investment is a team committed to finding and backing high-potential startups," said Wesley. “They continue to go above and beyond—sourcing great deals, supporting founders, and making sure we're putting capital to work where it can have real impact."
The Red Cedar Ventures and Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III investment funds provide critical support to tech startups at various stages of development. Red Cedar Ventures' Pre-Seed Fund offers early-stage funding to help startups launch and secure additional investment, while the Opportunity Funds I and II provide follow-on funding as portfolio companies grow. The MSU Research Foundation established the Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), offering funding, coaching, and grant assistance to Michigan-based tech startups. Together, these funds deliver comprehensive financial support and resources to startups throughout their journey in the technology sector.
For more information about the MSU Research Foundation, its investment funds and portfolio companies, visit msufoundation.org.