Ventures

Student-run ventures are prime examples of the impact of U-M’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. These ventures by U-M students and a few recent grads span multiple disciplines and models—from for-profit businesses to nonprofit organizations to innovative products with market potential—and the university is helping nurture their journeys from idea to execution.

Each venture falls into one of three categories: START (S)—in the beginning stages, determining market potential; LAUNCH (L)—creating prototypes, defining customers, and developing teams; and GROW (G)—ready to deliver innovative products or services, looking for investment, and planning for success.

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  • Vitamin See
    SLG

    Vitamin See is a live web app that empowers stroke survivors to communicate with ease over text messaging and email.

    Vitamin See close

    “On May 16th, 2013, our grandmother suffered a stroke. After her stroke, she suffered from aphasia, which is the loss of ability to understand and express language. Without language, our grandmother could no longer communicate with the people that matter most to her. While no two stroke survivors are alike, all stroke survivors have a similar need to communicate with the people that matter most to them.”—Maxwell Weng.

    Vitamin See is a live web app that empowers stroke survivors to communicate with ease over text messaging and email. Through facilitating a pathway for communication, Vitamin See aims to create a space to address stroke survivors’ emotional and physical needs.

    Innovation in Action 2019 Second Place Winner


    Team:

    • Maxwell Weng, College of Engineering, BSE 2022, Co-founder
    • Linda Weng, Novi High School, Software Developer, Co-founder

  • The Returning Citizens Project
    SLG

    The Returning Citizens Project is developing an app and a website to help formerly incarcerated individuals with their financial literacy and employment.

    The Returning Citizens Project close

    “After someone is released from prison, they face steep challenges in several areas, such as finding employment, financial literacy, and adjusting to the many social and technological innovations that have occurred while they have been incarcerated.”— Marjorie Biel

    The Returning Citizens Project is developing an app and a website to help formerly incarcerated individuals with their financial literacy and employment.

    Through their app, The Returning Citizens Project aims to provide help with budget creation, bill tracking, job searching tools, and ultimately a help hotline where users can get assistance at any point in their journey to financial stability.

    Innovation in Action 2019 Third Place Winner


    Team:

  • SubQ Assist
    SLG

    SubQ Assist is a task-shifting device that facilitates the consistent and accurate administration of subcutaneous contraceptive implants.

    SubQ Assist close

    “SubQ Assist has the potential to revolutionize contraception delivery in low-resource settings. It also has the potential to boost the adoption of subcutaneous implants as drug delivery devices for a range of indications in developed as well as developing markets.”—Vinayak Gokhale

    SubQ Assist is a task-shifting device to aid in the safe administration of subcutaneous contraceptive implants for people in rural areas.

    Michigan Business Challenge 2019 Finalist, Michigan Business Challenge 2019 Seigle Impact Track Finalist


    Team:

  • STAR Laces
    SLG

    STAR Laces is an apparel company that sells shoelaces with personal pronouns printed on them.

    STAR Laces close

    Star Laces believe that laces are a discreet way in which people can start conversations about intentional pronoun use.

    STAR Laces is an apparel company that sells shoelaces with personal pronouns printed on them. Through their products, STAR Laces aims to normalize pronouns while giving visibility to trans identities.

    optiMize Cohort VII


    Team:

  • Shout
    SLG

    Shout is a mobile app that makes it easy to connect with local, state, and federal public officials.

    Shout close

    Saharsh is passionate about Shout because it closes the gap between typically inaccessible public officials and their constituents. He believes that Shout represents a future in which constituents view their involvement with the government as active instead of passive.

    Shout is a mobile app that makes it easy to connect with local, state, and federal public officials.

    optiMize Cohort VII


    Team:

  • Right Step Forward
    SLG

    Right Step Forward provides immigrant communities with resources and support to plan their next steps in education.

    Right Step Forward close

    “Since the U.S student population is steadily increasing, the student to teacher/counselor ratio is no longer sufficient for students to receive the individual attention that they need in planning their futures. This is especially true for students from immigrant families, since they are less likely to be connected with the necessary resources to make such life-altering decisions.”—Jasmine Kim

    Right Step Forward (RSF) aims to aid first generation, immigrant college students make the right decisions and bring them one step closer to success while efficiently utilizing resources available to them. By helping them through their college application process and providing guidance throughout high school, RSF will better prepare them for their futures.

    optiMize Cohort VII, Innovation in Action 2019, Entrepreneurial Advising


    Team:

  • RedyWatch
    SLG

    RedyWatch is an online platform that provides crowdsourced content information about potentially distressing scenes in movies and TV shows.

    RedyWatch close

    “RedyWatch hopes to give back control to the lives of those who have suffered from traumatic events by providing them with the information to make informed decisions about what they see, allowing them to prioritize their mental health recovery.”—AJ Estes

    RedyWatch is an online platform that provides crowdsourced content information about potentially distressing scenes in movies and TV shows. For example, individuals with PTSD are able to navigate to RedyWatch’s website and learn about the content in a film or TV show before they engage with it. This information allows consumers to make informed decisions in order to circumvent negative emotional responses such as intrusive flashbacks or panic attacks.

    optiMize Cohort VI, Michigan Business Challenge 2019 Round 2 Participant, Zell Lurie Institute Dare to Dream Grants Phase I


    Team:

  • Perch
    SLG

    Perch is a national online employment solution for academics seeking research opportunities.

    Perch close

    “After interviewing research applicants across 18 universities, Perch found that the methods most commonly used to pursue research opportunities involve cold emailing and leveraging personal networks. Because most research positions are found through such haphazard processes, applicants face low success rates applying to research groups outside their personal networks, and are often unaware of the scope of university research in their discipline. Conversely, this process also impedes academic employers trying to recruit the best talent to their labs.”—Akira Nishii

    Perch is a national online employment solution for academics seeking research opportunities, and for labs who are looking to hire the best talent. Using a proprietary matching algorithm, Perch connects applicants with employers based on the information they provide on their profile pages.

    optiMize Cohort VI, Michigan Library Student Mini Grants, Zell Lurie Institute Dare to Dream Grants, Zell Entrepreneurs Program, Michigan Law Entrepreneurship Clinic and Zell Entrepreneurship and Law Program (ZEAL), Innovation in Action 2018, Entrepreneurial Advising


    Team:

  • Peerstachio
    SLG

    Peerstachio seeks to improve the academic performance (and confidence) of students by connecting peers through an online learning platform.

    Peerstachio close

    “Founding and running a startup is an ongoing learning process. There are always going to be pivots, changes, and ambiguity—but those are what makes the entrepreneurial journey fun and rewarding!”— Scarlett Ong Rui Chern

    Peerstachio is a peer-to-peer learning community platform that helps undergraduate college students improve their grades by connecting underclassmen with trusted upperclassmen.

    optiMize Cohort VII, Michigan Business Challenge 2019 Seigle Impact Track Round 2


    Team:

  • Paani
    SLG

    Paani is a nonprofit that aims to improve health and sanitation in Pakistan.

    Paani close

    “We are working to improve the sanitary crisis in Pakistan by providing sources of clean energy and clean water. We do this by building wells, installing solar panels, designing curriculum for youth, and providing healthcare technologies that are both eco-friendly and impactful.”—the Paani team.

    Paani is a nonprofit that aims to improve health and sanitation in Pakistan.

    optiMize Cohort VII


    Team:

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