Kalamazoo Forward Ventures

10/15/2026

Who will carry your business forward?

Retirement can bring plenty of questions. What happens to the team? The customers? The reputation you worked so hard to build?

Kalamazoo Forward Ventures serves as a bridge. Through Tsunami Lab, we connect retiring owners with vetted local operators ready to acquire and lead local businesses. We can also connect owners with trusted brokers, M&A attorneys, financial professionals, and other local resources when they need help preparing for a sale.

Explore local connections that can help Kalamazoo businesses move forward: https://kzfv.com/sell-a-business

10/12/2026

When we say Kalamazoo can inspire the world, we mean it!

Our COO & Main Street Managing Partner, Dwayne Powell Jr., recently sat down with the Innovation Alliance of Michigan to share his journey and highlight how we are supporting founders across Southwest Michigan.

The Innovation Alliance is a grassroots coalition of 85+ organizations, from universities and investors to founders and corporations, all working together to improve capital access and make Michigan the absolute best place to build a company.

Now, the Alliance is looking for its very first paid team member: an Operations Director to help turn big goals into daily ex*****on!

What they are looking for:
📍 A sharp operational mind with 7+ years in program management, operations, or coalition building who can run with multiple stakeholders.
📍 Someone who knows (or is ready to dive deep into) Michigan's innovation ecosystem.
📍 A 12–18 month renewable term starting in December 2026, with potential to grow into a full-time role.
📅 Application Deadline: October 30!

Tag someone in the comments who would be perfect for this role or share this post with your network!

👉 Apply for the Operations Director position here: https://wkf.ms/4zuLBQI
👉 Learn more and join the Innovation Alliance: https://www.innovationalliancemi.org/
👉 Watch Dwayne's story here:
https://lnkd.in/p/gq8c8rVP

Are you a member of the Innovation Alliance | Michigan? Hear Dwayne Powell, Jr. Powell Jr., COO & Managing Partner at Kalamazoo Forward Ventures, talk about his innovation journey and what they are doing to support founders in Southwest Michigan. Join the Innovation Alliance at: https://lnkd.in/gPuu...

10/12/2026

Our VC team will be at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco from October 13-15 to connect with the founders, investors, and operators building what's next.

10/06/2026

Retirement could look like this.

A new view. A slower morning. A calendar with more room for family, travel, and whatever comes next. ✈️

That freedom can feel closer when you know your business has a future in capable local hands. Through Tsunami Lab, Kalamazoo Forward Ventures connects retiring owners with community-focused business leaders who want to preserve, lead, and grow businesses here at home.

Explore how Tsunami Lab connects retiring owners with vetted local buyers and ecosystem resources to keep your business rooted in Kalamazoo: https://kzfv.com/sell-a-business

09/29/2026

Your legacy is worth protecting.

Your business has touched more lives than you may realize: employees, customers, families, and an entire community.

When your family is not taking over, let Tsunami Lab help kickstart that process. Through the use of local resources you need to get ready to sell or to connect you with a passionate, vetted local operator who wants to preserve what you built and help it grow, Kalamazoo Forward Ventures helps bridge the gap.

Support a future where Kalamazoo businesses remain locally rooted:

for people looking to Sell a business Thinking About Selling Your Business? Let's Protect Your Legacy. You built something real. Something that supported families, created jobs, and kept value circulating in the community. If you are considering retirement, transitioning out, or simply looking for a...

09/28/2026

Entrepreneurs: YOU asked for financial wisdom, and Room 35 is delivering!

We hear it all the time from local founders: "I need help understanding my numbers, managing my cash flow, and getting ready for capital."

Room 35 is stepping up with their Capital Matters workshop series, and THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!

This is a deep, 8-week program designed to build your financial clarity and confidence. You will learn how to price your products right, manage your cash flow, and boost your bottom line so you can make smarter decisions for your business.

The Details You Need to Know:
📅 New Start Date: Tuesday, October 6th (runs through November 24th)
⏰ Time: Tuesdays from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM (perfect for evening schedules!)
📍 Cost: Completely FREE!
🎁 BONUS: Completing this program with high attendance earns you extra points on your application for the United Way of South Central Michigan KMEG Grant!

Our small business ecosystem only grows when we pour into our own knowledge. Don't wait on this; check out the flyer attached and get signed up today!

👉 Sign up here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=md7sTHVrhUyozQEnxn6FlgSfQLVrKIBGsgegQF6SpMVUQVEwSUsxV082S0dFTDRWNkpRMDU0NkVQSi4u&route=shorturl

09/28/2026

Congratulations to who took the $425,000 prize in the AI & Software sector in the PitchMI Semifinals in Kalamazoo!!!

MotMot™ provides data-driven asset management for underground water main and water infrastructure.

Thank you to everyone who brought PitchMI to Kalamazoo and everyone behind the scenes that made this possible. Research Foundation Michigan Economic Development Corporation Startup Zoo

PitchMI Judges: Shalanda Armstrong, Brian Brackeen, Kyle Ellicott, and Jon Oberheide

We want to congratulate all the companies who pitched, BridgeCare Technologies, ConStrat AI, Helios Core AI, and MimoLabs.

09/25/2026

Keep what you built close to home.

Retiring and selling your business does not have to mean watching it lose the people, values, and community ties that made it special.

Through Tsunami Lab, Kalamazoo Forward Ventures connects retiring owners with vetted local operators who want to preserve your legacy and grow businesses right here in Kalamazoo. 🏡

Explore how Tsunami Lab makes the connection between retiring owners with local buyers:

for people looking to Sell a business Thinking About Selling Your Business? Let's Protect Your Legacy. You built something real. Something that supported families, created jobs, and kept value circulating in the community. If you are considering retirement, transitioning out, or simply looking for a...

09/23/2026

Who wore it better!?

Picture 1: Viola Davis holding down her Oscar.
Picture 2: The Kalamazoo Forward Ventures crew holding up our Southwest Michigan First Chamber 'Choice' Award!

Look, the real answer is Viola.
It is ALWAYS going to be Viola!

When we tell you the pride we felt accepting the BIPOC Business of the Year award, we truly felt like we were up on that Academy stage.

What made the night even more magical was looking around that crowded room and seeing so many of the incredible partners, portfolio founders, and community champions we love being nominated, winning, and feeling the love.

Southwest Michigan First put on an incredible evening.
This is the exact kind of momentum and celebration our city deserves!

To everyone who voted for us: THANK YOU! 🤌🏿❤️

To the people who are patient with us as we grow, the mentors who teach us how to do better, and every single person who stands in the trenches with us: THIS AWARD IS FOR YOU.

Kalamazoo, we love you! 🥂✨

09/15/2026

Every great business deserves a local next chapter.

You built something that matters. A team. A reputation. A place people count on.

When retirement begins to feel closer and family members aren’t taking over, Kalamazoo Forward Ventures can connect you with vetted local operators who want to carry that work forward, protect what makes your business special, and keep its impact growing in Kalamazoo.

Meet local operators who want to preserve and grow what you built.

for people looking to Sell a business Thinking About Selling Your Business? Let's Protect Your Legacy. You built something real. Something that supported families, created jobs, and kept value circulating in the community. If you are considering retirement, transitioning out, or simply looking for a...