The Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation works to facilitate access to capital by connecting entrepreneurs to local partners and investment funds that provide monetary support and funding for growing businesses and innovative ideas. Regardless of what stage the startup is in, CEI and its community partners provide a strong entrepreneurial environment for support. Listed below are partner organizations that CEI directly works with to assist in the fundraising process.

Grand Angels

Grand Angels is the only regional investment group that offers mentoring paired with a relatively patient exit strategy, meaning invested funds may not need to be returned as quickly as would be expected by commercial or other investors.

Muskegon Angels

Muskegon Angels' priority is to assist local businesses and attract other businesses to the Muskegon area. 

Early stage companies often need investments between $250,000 and $1 million, yet this is too large for friends and family and too small for venture capital. Existing companies, recovering from the recession, need equity capital as well. This is where they come in.

Start Garden

The type of idea Start Garden looking for is an idea that could, potentially, become a business. Each week they invest $5,000 in two ideas. One is chosen by Start Garden, the other is the idea with the most endorsements from the general public. They want to invest in what people likes. Each $5,000 idea has about two months to do something interesting, then the businesses must return in-person to give an update at a public event. The update informs the Start Garden team if the project is ready for another $20,000.