EAST LANSING | GRAND RAPIDS

The MSU Research Foundation's venture creation entity – Spartan Innovations – drives MSU entrepreneurs to develop their ideas, create business plans, and successfully launch high-tech startups.

Spartan Innovations sources its inventions through its relationship with MSU Technologies - the technology transfer arm of Michigan State University - which receives 175-200 unique invention disclosures every year from MSU faculty. This gives our team the opportunity to identify and nurture early-stage technologies that could serve as the foundation for a new venture. Once a project is identified, Spartan Innovations works closely with the inventors through the discovery, validation, and planning phases. The goal is to launch a viable company.

SI has several support programs and services related to startups. Some of our programs include our Conquer Accelerator programs, Entrepreneur-In-Residence, and Mentor-In-Residence programs. These programs provide fundamental resources entrepreneurs need to grow their venture.

Companies created through Spartan Innovation's process will pitch to our venture funds, Red Cedar Ventures or Michigan Rise for early-stage funding.

SI not only works with MSU Tech Transfer, but has strong affiliations and partnerships throughout Michigan and the state’s SmartZones. Two SmartZones SI actively collaborates with to support joint efforts are the Grand Rapids Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA), and the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP).