Kalamazoo Forward Ventures

08/31/2026

We are kicking off the week by showing major love to one of our Main Street portfolio companies, Next Generation Education, and its founder Eric Wimbley! 🤌🏿

They were recently featured in an amazing article by Second Wave Media, highlighting how their platform is using AI to completely transform the testing and learning experience for students and teachers alike.

To watch a cutting-edge EdTech company build so much early-stage momentum right out of Kalamazoo is beyond exciting. In a city world-renowned as the home of The Kalamazoo Promise, we envision a future where Next Generation Education is working in every classroom and school across our community.

Teachers are loving the time it gives back to them, and students are loving the way it helps them learn!

Check out the full story below to see how Eric and his team are shaping the future of education!

👇 Read the full Second Wave Media story here:
https://secondwavemedia.com/how-a-kalamazoo-startup-is-using-ai-to-rethink-the-way-students-take-tests/

08/26/2026

✨ A little throwback to where it all began! ✨

Can you guess which childhood picture belongs to which partner before you read the names at the bottom? 🕵🏿‍♂️

Four partners at Kalamazoo Forward Ventures share something incredibly special in common: they all grew up right here on the Eastside of Kalamazoo!

The Eastside is one of the smallest neighborhoods in the city, but it is overflowing with rich history, deep culture, incredible stories, and lived experiences that shaped who we are today.

Representation matters so deeply.

It is about showing people that folks who look like them, come from the exact same streets, and share their lived experiences can build big things and accomplish extraordinary goals.

Kalamazoo can and will continue to inspire the world.

From the Eastside with love! ❤️🤌🏿

08/25/2026

One day. Two stages. All the venture capital energy Southwest Michigan has to offer. ⚡

🕘 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM • Southwest Michigan Entrepreneurship Summit at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
🕓 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM • PitchMI Semifinal Competition at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre

Come for the summit, stay for the pitches or catch either one. Save your seat:

🔗 luma.com/bsq8pm95 (Summit)
🔗 luma.com/p86i6gat (PitchMI)

08/24/2026

We want to send a massive thank you to Jeffrey Mosher and the Michigan Business Network for inviting Dwayne Powell Jr. and Marcel Fable Price onto the Michigan Business Beat podcast to talk all things Tsunami Lab! 🤌🏿

The interview with Jeffrey was so warm and welcoming, but the highlight of the day took us completely by surprise.

Legendary Michigan Economic Thought Leader and MBN founder Chris Holman appeared from behind the curtain like the Wizard of Oz to let us know he was listening in.

He personally thanked us and showered our work with flowers!
It was so incredibly humbling.

Chris deeply understands the reality facing our state: Michigan is powered by small and mid-sized businesses. Succession planning is a ferociously non-partisan issue. A huge portion of our local workforce relies on these legacy businesses staying open. By preparing local, diverse operators to step into ownership, we protect those jobs and keep community wealth right here in Michigan.

Thank you to Chris Holman, Jeffrey Mosher, and the Michigan Business Network for telling our story and supporting the next generation of business owners!

👇 Check out the comments below to listen to the full episode!

08/21/2026

08/12/2026

Huge thank you to Eric Ringwelski for coming out to celebrate our inaugural Tsunami Lab Cohort 1 Graduation and sketching such an incredible recap story for FIRST & 42 by Southwest Michigan First! 🤌🏿

Eric did an unbelievable job capturing what made that evening so special. He highlighted key moments from keynote speaker Michael Davenport, highlighted cohort member Katie Boertman's acquisition journey, and captured the true essence of what Dwayne Powell Jr. called "Kalamazoo at its finest."

Tsunami Lab was built to ensure that as legacy business owners retire across Southwest Michigan, local operators are ready to step in, protect those jobs, and keep economic wealth right here in our neighborhoods.

Graduation was just the beginning. Now, the real work starts as our 13 graduates assemble their teams, meet with brokers and lenders, and search for the right business matches.

Thank you to Southwest Michigan First and First & 42 for telling our city's stories and lifting up the changemakers shaping our region!

👇 Check out the comments below to read Eric's full article and learn more about Tsunami Lab!

08/11/2026

📣 Big news! Michigan Founders Fund Pre-Accelerator powered by gener8tor is coming to Kalamazoo!

📍Applications are now open for the first-ever MFF Pre-Accelerator for SouthWEST Michigan startup founders with an info session TONIGHT from 6:00–7:30 PM.

The details:
✨ FREE 7-week, no-equity program
💲$15k in non-dilutive grants from MFF
🤝 Personalized support & 1:1 coaching
🎯 Growth-focused, investment readiness approach
🚀 Strategy meetings, mentor introductions, and pitch meetings

Eligibility: Open to historically undercapitalized or underrepresented founders based in Southwest Michigan who are building tech-driven or high-growth startups.

Learn more and apply by Aug. 23: https://lnkd.in/ghCwitmY

08/10/2026

‼️ APPLICATIONS CLOSE TONIGHT ‼️
Submit your PitchMI Application tonight by 11:59pm EST.

Startups from anywhere in Michigan can apply to compete at the semifinal event that best matches their industry focus. This year’s semifinal competitions represent Michigan’s strengths in Defense & Aerospace (Grand Rapids); AI & Software (Kalamazoo); Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, & Outdoors (Marquette); and Healthcare & Life Sciences (Detroit).

💻 Apply to pitch at PitchMI.org

08/04/2026

Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 PitchMI competitions!

Michigan-based startups will compete in four semifinal competitions across the state, with $250,000 in prize funding awarded to each winner, plus a chance to compete in the statewide PitchMI Championship for an additional $1 million.

This year’s semifinal competitions represent Michigan’s strengths in Defense & Aerospace (Grand Rapids); AI & Software (Kalamazoo); Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, & Outdoors (Marquette); and Healthcare & Life Sciences (Detroit).

If you’re building a high-growth startup in Michigan, learn more and apply at PitchMI.org. Applications close August 10th.

Research Foundation | Economic Development Corporation

08/03/2026

Tsunami Lab Cohort 1 Has Officially Graduated! 🌊🚀✨

On Thursday, July 30th, 13 of our incredible Tsunami Lab Cohort 1 members took the stage for their graduation, and it was an absolute family affair! 🤌🏿

The room was filled with pure joy. We had mothers, fathers, memaws, kids running around making new friends, and partners beaming with pride across the entire venue.

We had an amazing fireside chat with Michael Davenport, State Representative Julie Rogers blessed our graduates with commemorative state plaques, and nearly 200 community members and partners showed out and showed up to lift these 13 leaders up!

A TIME WAS HAD! 🎉

Shout-outs and Deep Gratitude:
🎯 To Our Cohort: Thank you for trusting us on this inaugural journey. You put in hours upon hours of hard work on top of your jobs, businesses, families, and everyday lives. You represent the very best of our region.
🎯 To The Team: Thank you to everyone who poured their heart and soul into this, compressing three years of work into one transformative year.
🎯 To KVCC: Huge thanks to Kalamazoo Valley Community College for capturing these beautiful memories and creating amazing Tsunami Lab themed food and drinks for everyone!

This was a beautiful maiden voyage, but we are just getting started. As these acquisitions turn into realities, we will keep you updated every step of the way.

Stay tuned! ✨

📸: Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC)