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.

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

Spartan Innovations' Grand Rapids team also is the administrator of the Grand Rapids Business Accelerator Fund (BAF). The MEDC, with support of the Michigan SBDC, established this fund to support services to help privately held, high growth tech businesses to commercialization and company success. These companies must be early-stage advanced technology companies based in Michigan, for profit and a small business (as defined by the SBA), with less than $1M private sector investments and less than $2.5M in revenue in the last 12 months. If you think your business qualifies for BAF funding and you'd like to apply, click here.