Ann Arbor SPARK
VC Fund
Ann Arbor, United States
Ann Arbor SPARK is a VC fund in Ann Arbor focused on Software and Manufacturing. Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, offers programs, resources, and proactive support to businesses in the Ann Arbor region. Its products and services include provision of business accelerator and entrepreneur boot camp programs, online business planning, market and competitive landscape research, development of business model strategies,intellectual property validation and FTO reports, marketing and sales initiatives, identification of employee needs and opportunities, preparation of a business plan and financial analysis, and creation of a compelling case for attracting funding and other resources, as well as review of product plans, validation steps, and regulatory issues. The company also provides space/expansion and equipment; programs, resources, and educational opportunities for business growth and expansion; programs for recognizing excellence; tax-exempt industrial development revenue bonds to finance the acquisition, construction, installation, or rehabilitation of manufacturing facilities; site searches of industrial and office buildings, vacant land, and incubator space; workforce; educational forums; incentives; export assistance; financing; and university connections. It serves businesses in life sciences, automotive research and development, engineering and production, alternative energies, information technologies, homeland security/defense, information, print and online, and imaging/vision sectors. Ann Arbor SPARK was formerly known as SPARK. The company was incorporated in 1982 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- Total investments:
- 22
- Last investment:
- Lead investor:
- 9%
Last updated:
For AI agents: llms.txt
Industries Ann Arbor SPARK invests in
Stages Ann Arbor SPARK invests in
Countries Ann Arbor SPARK invests in
Contacts
| Name | Phone | Socials | |
|---|---|---|---|
Jennifer Olmstead
|
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Donna Doleman
|
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Heather Grisham
|
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Lisa Bies
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Liz Perpich
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| See all 9 contacts → | |||
Investment Focus
Industry
- Software 6 (27%)
- Manufacturing 6 (27%)
- Health Care 5 (23%)
- Biotechnology 4 (18%)
- Information Technology 3 (14%)
Stage
- Seed 8 (36%)
- Pre-Seed 4 (18%)
- Series A 4 (18%)
- Grant 2 (9%)
- Funding Round 2 (9%)
Country
- United States 20 (91%)
- Russian Federation 1 (5%)
Team
| Name | Title | Investments | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jennifer Olmstead
Director of Business Development
|
Director of Business Development | Total investments: 1 | Find email | |
|
Donna Doleman
Senior Vice President, Operations and Communications
|
Senior Vice President, Operations and Communications | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
|
Heather Grisham
Entrepreneur In Residence
|
Entrepreneur In Residence | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
|
Lisa Bies
Staff Accountant
|
Staff Accountant | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
|
Liz Perpich
Vice President, Administration and Finance
|
Vice President, Administration and Finance | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
| See all 9 team members → | ||||
Investments
| Company | Description | Round | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
Culturewell
|
Cleanliness Analytics - helping healthcare systems prevent infections in their facilities | $750K / May 29, 2026 | |
Maka Kids
|
Maka Kids is a female-founded company on a mission to raise the next generation of good humans.Most kids' streaming platforms were built for adults, then retrofit for children. At Maka Kids, every design decision starts with how children actually grow, not how long they'll watch. The result is the first streaming app rooted in childdevelopment science from the ground up, designed for families with children ages 0–6.At the core of the product is Maka Imprint, a developmental framework mapping 650+ milestones across 7 domains of early childhood, built in collaboration with researchers at Yale Child Study Center. Every show on Maka Kids is evaluated against Imprint through a proprietary AI pipeline, then reviewed by a human child development expert, ensuring what children watch actively supports healthy development.For parents, Maka Kids solves the daily stress of screen time without adding more decisions. Families choose curated channels built around the topics and stages that matter to them. Time limits hold. Wind-down cues signal the end of a session so transition off the screen is easier. No addictive algorithm. No ads. No endless feeds.Maka Kids has been featured in Crain's, Harvard Ed. Magazine, Kids Innovation Weekly, and Telescope, and was named a finalist in both the 2025 and 2026 Harvard President's Innovation Challenge. The company is currently in private beta, with a public App Store launch planned for fall 2026. | $3M / Pre-Seed / May 21, 2026 | |
Swept AI
|
Swept AI is a software company that provides AI applications tool, compliance infrastructure and security services. | $1.4M / Pre-Seed / Aug 18, 2025 | |
Modal Motors
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We are Modal Motors, and we are raising for our Seed Round funding. We are a Michigan corporation spun-out from Veolectra, Inc. and have a patent-pending advanced electric motor technology that is ready for commercialization for e-Mobility applications, and we need funding to launch the prototyping phase for our early customers. Ourpatent-pending electric motor technology is unique and harvests all of the magnetic flux developed inside the electric motor enabling us to achieve the highest torque density and average efficiency direct drive motor on the market. Our motors will have the highest full speed range efficiency due to the fact that our motors do not require back irons for the magnets and are yokeless, which are the source of the highest losses for our competitors’ electric motors. Our motors can even be made without permanent magnets and can utilize aluminum coil windings instead of copper.Our motors are designed for manufacturing in the USA with low capital costs and low to no touch labor making them the most cost-effective solution for our customers and the mobility market. The modular and scalable architecture enables fully automated cell-based manufacturing that is also scalable as volumes and motor sizes increase. Our motor technology has been developed over the past 12 years with numerous prototypes designed, built and tested to bring us to the technological state that we are in today. | $600K / Pre-Seed / Jan 02, 2025 | |
|
Culturewell
|
Cleanliness Analytics - helping healthcare systems prevent infections in their facilities | $1.4M / Seed / Nov 03, 2023 | |
SecuritySnares
|
SecuritySnares stops the business disruption caused by malware. Our flagship product, RansomSnare, is a purpose-built tool that detects and stops malicious encryption (ransomware). The ultra-light weight micro-agent quietly sits on the endpoint and detects when ransomware is executed, stopping it before it encrypts the first file. The technology isable to do this without signatures, learning periods, or updates, and can be used offline. It also works on older outdated operating systems commonly used in shop floor environments and healthcare. Our second product, WiperSnare, stops wipers, an emerging but devastating form of malware that corrupts or wipes files and cannot be undone. | $500K / Pre-Seed / Oct 10, 2023 | |
360ofme
|
360ofme is a new platform that provides consumers with portability, ubiquity and insights from their digital life. From healthcare to financial and insurance to automotive and home, 360ofme provides a simple means of securely sharing critical data with family members, doctors and others that consumers choose. Utilizing cognitive computing from IBM,new insights about people's lives will be surfaced. Consumers will gain control of their digital footprint. Visit 360ofme.com for more information. | Seed / Sep 25, 2023 | |
GM&T Engineering
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GM&T Engineering specialises in the research and development, engineering, and testing of Electrical Distribution Systems (EDS) for the automotive, aerospace, and appliance industries. | Grant / Jun 07, 2023 | |
Flightpath Biosciences
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Flightpath Biosciences is a biotechnology company that develops medications to treat rare infectious diseases.The company is bridging scientific unknowns by interrogating disparate fields of biology, taking risks, innovating, and deploying potentially orthogonal approaches to achieve desired outcomes. It is working with leading scientists,therapeutics, and diagnostics experts across multiple scientific disciplines within several esteemed academic institutions and government agencies to create novel, targeted solutions.The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Berkeley, California. | $8.1M / Series A / Feb 15, 2023 | |
Loansense
|
Loansense collaborates with mortgage technology and brokerage networks to assist student loan borrowers close more mortgages faster. | $100K / Grant / Oct 22, 2021 | |
| See all 22 investments → | |||
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FAQ
What does Ann Arbor SPARK invest in?
Ann Arbor SPARK invests primarily in Software, Manufacturing and Health Care startups, most often at Seed and Pre-Seed stage. Most of the 22 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.
How do I contact Ann Arbor SPARK?
Public channels for Ann Arbor SPARK include LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and the website linked on this profile. For a verified work email and phone number, create a free Shizune account — contact data is searched across 20+ sources and validated before delivery, so your outreach lands in the right inbox.
Who are the partners at Ann Arbor SPARK?
The team at Ann Arbor SPARK includes Jennifer Olmstead (Director of Business Development), Donna Doleman (Senior Vice President, Operations and Communications) and Heather Grisham (Entrepreneur In Residence), among 9 team members tracked by Shizune. The Team section lists each member with their title, investment count and links.
Is Shizune's investor data accurate?
Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.
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