Advancing Michigan's Outdoor Innovation Industry

Seeking Investment?

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Advancing Michigan's Outdoor Innovation Industry

Seeking Investment?

Learn More

Dedicated to advancing innovation in the outdoor industry

The Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund is a $3 million investment fund dedicated to fostering the growth of early-stage startups that leverage technology to increase the enjoyment, accessibility or sustainability of the outdoor industry.

The outdoor recreation and tourism industry is a strong and rapidly growing sector in Michigan, contributing $10.8 Billion to the State’s economy in 2021 and supporting 109,595 jobs with a total of $4.7 Billion in compensation to employee households. There are more than 7,000 Outdoor Recreation Industry companies in Michigan, ranging from manufacturers, service providers and facilitators to retailers and wholesalers. Learn more about Michigan’s outdoor recreation industry.

Supporting companies pursuing the next generation of outdoor innovations

Supporting companies pursuing the next generation of outdoor innovations

The fund targets Michigan-based companies at the pre-seed stage in sectors such as outdoor mobility, wearables, trail advancements, sporting goods, tourism/experience enhancements, clean tech, sustainability tech, and blue tech. In partnership with the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Office and an actively engaged External Advisory Board the fund is able to leverage a combined 139 years of experience in pre-seed investing, entrepreneurship, and the outdoor recreation industry in supporting the success of our portfolio companies.

Backed by Michigan’s economic growth engines

The Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund, the first seed-stage venture fund in the Upper Peninsula and rural Michigan, is managed and administered by InvestUP, which is a private sector-led economic development organization focused on driving economic prosperity across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Founded by the region’s leading private sector businesses and three regional universities, its mission is centered on the people, projects, policies and promotion necessary to drive prosperity across the Peninsula. 

The fund is made possible with support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Michigan Innovate Capital Program which is making awards to multiple non-profit organizations that operate fund programs to invest in companies commercializing competitive edge technologies that require capital in the earliest stages of their development.