Join host Ara Topouzian as he sits down with Ted Velie, a seasoned builder of the Midwest startup ecosystem. From co-founding the regional platform Midwest House to serving as Co-Chair of Michigan Tech Week, Ted brings a unique perspective on what it takes to spark innovation in Michigan. In this episode, they talk about Ted’s efforts to help investors and founders work better together across the Great Lakes — and the bold ideas that could spark the region’s next big leap.

In this episode of Michigan VCtalk, ⁠Ara Topouzian⁠, Executive Director of the ⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠, sits down with James Feagin, Managing Partner of Black Bottom Ventures and Michigan Angel Collective. James shares his journey as a long-time Detroit ecosystem builder and investor, offering insights into the importance of inclusive growth, the role of angel investors in supporting early-stage companies, and what it takes to strengthen Michigan’s entrepreneurial landscape.

Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of Michigan VCtalk, Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association, sits down with Terra Osmon, founder of Farmish. Farmish is a Michigan-based startup helping people buy and sell locally grown food in their communities, strengthening connections between growers and neighbors who care about fresh, sustainable options.

Ara and Terra discuss her journey as a founder, what inspired her to launch Farmish, and the lessons she’s learned building a mission-driven company in Michigan’s startup ecosystem. Terra also shares her perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing entrepreneurs in Michigan, and why community and connectivity matter now more than ever.

Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Ara chats with Justin Kosmides — entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Bloom, a Detroit-based platform reshaping how hardware startups scale and manufacture. From Wall Street to e-bikes to re-industrializing Michigan, Justin’s journey is a great example of innovation in action.

Ara chats with Daniel Jeffries, Managing Partner at Kalamazoo Forward Ventures. They digs into how Kalamazoo Forward Ventures is helping high-growth startups—especially thoseled by underrepresented and mission-driven founders—get off the ground. From funding and mentorship to building connections, their work is creating real impact in Kalamazoo and beyond.

This marks Michigan VCtalk's 50th episode since its inception!

Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠⁠⁠⁠ (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Ara chats with Robert Wolfe, co-founder and CEO of Zeck.

Robert is a serial entrepreneur who’s no stranger to innovation, having previously co-founded Crowdrise and Moosejaw. Now, with Zeck, he’s rethinking how boards and leadership teams operate—transforming clunky, outdated processes into streamlined, digital experiences.

Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠⁠⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠⁠⁠ (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠⁠⁠.

Ara chats with Michigan Venture Capital Association members and Venture Fellow recipients Terese Hunwick (Augment Ventures) and Caroline Wolanin (Plymouth Growth).

Caroline is one of the first Venture Fellows when MVCA relaunched the program a few years ago. She shares her experience in the program and the exciting work she’s now doing at Plymouth Growth. We’re also joined by Terese Hunwick who gives us insight into her background and the impactful work she’s leading here in Michigan.

Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠⁠ (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠⁠.

Ara chats with Ben Marchionna, Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Ben plays a key role in fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurs, and strengthening Michigan’s tech and startup landscape. We’ll explore his insights on building a thriving innovation ecosystem, the impact of public-private partnerships, and what we all need to be doing to drive investment in Michigans future.

Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by ⁠Michigan Venture Capital Association⁠ (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA.

This episode is sponsored by ⁠Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III⁠.

Ara chats with Blake Mischley, Co-Founder of Meet Your Class, a platform designed to help students build meaningful connections before their first day. Ara and Blake talk aboutthe inspiration behind the idea, the challenges of launching a startup, and what’s next for Meet Your Class. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an educator, or just love a good startup story—this episode is for you.

Michigan VCtalk is a podcast series produced by Michigan Venture Capital Association (MVCA) and hosted by Ara Topouzian, Executive Director of MVCA.

This episode is sponsored by Michigan Rise, Pre-Seed Fund III.

In this episode, Ara sits down with Justin Turk, CEO & Co-Founder of Livegistics, the game-changing cloud-based platform revolutionizing the construction and waste management industries. Justin shares his journey from startup to scaling, the impact of real-time data on operational efficiency, and how Livegistics is driving innovation in traditionally paper-heavy industries.

Ara chats with Cindy Warner, Founder of 360ofme, an ethical data exchange platform. Cindy is a an active member of the Michigan ecosystem who also serves on the Michigan Strategic Fund that helps promote economic development within the State of Michigan. (Ara sat down with Cindy during the 2024 Michigan Tech Week activities).  

Ara chats with Paula Macpherson, Executive Director of Velocity which is a catalyst for culture change designed to accelerate innovation, re-invention and growth for businesses. Located in Sterling Heights, MI, they are an incubator, accelerator and coworking space combined in one world class facility. Paula’s role is in helping Velocity grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem by strengthening relationships and partnerships within their county. Special thank you to our generous podcast sponsors Michigan Rise and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

For more information on MVCA, please visit: https://michiganvca.org/

Ara talks with Monica Wheat who is currently the Managing Director of the Techstars Detroit Accelerator Powered by JP Morgan, part of a global seed-stage accelerator in 40+ cities worldwide. She previously served as a Techstars Startup Programs Lead for 10+ years leading programs globally and is the Founding Co-Director of Founders Boost, a global Pre-Accelerator and for Techstars program now live in 20 cities.

Monica’s extensive experience in tech startups and venture capital offers invaluable insights into the entrepreneurial landscape. Our conversation delves into her journey, the challenges she’s faced, and her vision for the future of innovation in Michigan. Don’t miss this engaging and insightful discussion.

Special thank you to our generous podcast sponsors Michigan Rise and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.  

Ara chats with two MVCA Venture Fellow recipients: Jacqueline Lensing (Grand Ventures) & Sapna Patel (Michigan Capital Network) about their path to Michigan and venture capital.

Special thank you to our generous podcast sponsors Michigan Rise and Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Ara talks with Mykolas Rambus, a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. Mykolas brings a wealth of experience from his impressive career, including his roles as CEO of Wealth-X and Head of Business Development at Bloomberg LP. Join us as Mykolas shares his unique perspectives on venture capital, the challenges and opportunities in the tech industry, and his journey from startup founder to influential investor.
Special thank you to our generous podcast sponsors Michigan Rise and Michigan Economic Development Corporation.  

Ara talks with Atomic Object’s Co-CEOs, Shawn Crowley and Michael Marsiglia.
Atomic Object is a custom software development consultancy that creates web, mobile, desktop, and embedded applications for a diverse range of clients.
Both are known for their forward-thinking approach and remarkable leadership; Shawn and Michael have guided Atomic Object to the forefront of custom software development.

Ara talks with Mike Flanagan, Managing Director of the Michigan Angel Fund and Vice President at Ann Arbor SPARK. Mike and Ara discuss the ecosystem, the importance of angels, entrepreneurs and much more. Special thank you to our sponsor: Michigan Rise.

Ara talks with both Broc Edwards and Reuben Levinsohn, managing partners of Exit Quotient Ventures. Exit Quotient Ventures is a founder focused venture capital fund headquartered in Lansing, MI. The firm was founded in an effort to help grow the Midwest's entrepreneurial ecosystem and play an integral part in funding pre-seed and seed stage companies as they scale.

Ara talks with Katie Hall is the Founder and CEO of Claira Technologies, a pioneering workforce optimization platform tailored for industrial enterprises.
With a decade-long commitment to assisting organizations in navigating the transformative influence of AI on the workforce, Katie's diverse background in business, public policy, and government enriches our discussion with invaluable insights. 

The Michigan Venture Capital Association is proud to offer the Venture Fellows Program to Michigan’s venture capital community. The program, launched in 2023, is designed to increase the number of venture professionals in Michigan in order to accelerate the fundraising and deployment of capital into early-stage companies. Michigan VCtalk features two of the MVCA Venture Fellows, Caroline Wolanin, Plymouth Growth and Keegan McGuire, Arboretum Ventures. Listen to their track toward getting into venture capital and what they hope to gain our of the Fellows program.