Michigan Founders Fund Pre-Accelerator

Powered by gener8tor

Early capital, networks, and support for Michigan founders.

Kalamazoo (Fall 2026)

Detroit (Early 2027)

Past Program Outcomes

$2.3 million in early capital raised
40% of teams raised additional capital post-program
95% of companies remain active

Past Program Participants

100% underrepresented founders
75% Black / African American CEOs
50% companies with female founders

Coming to Kalamazoo Fall 2026!

Five startups from the eight-county Southwest MI region will be selected for the 7-week hybrid program (in person and virtual).

Applications Open: Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2026
Application Deadline: Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026

Program Kick-off: Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026
Founder Showcase: Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026

Investment Terms: No equity. No fees. MFF grants $15,000 in direct non-dilutive operating grants are provided for each eligible company’s expenses.

APPLY FOR THE FALL 2026 KALAMAZOO COHORT

If you have any accommodation requests or needs for assistance with this application process, please email us.

About the Program

7-weeks | Free | No equity | Non-dilutive grants

Through the Michigan Founders Fund (MFF) Pre-Accelerator powered by gener8tor, we help prepare you for investment opportunities through hands-on strategy meetings, coaching, operating grants, and a robust network of mentors, customers, and investors. Designed for underrepresented or undercapitalized Michigan-based founders, past participants routinely point to our unique combination of high-quality programming, supportive approach, and execution-focused outcomes.

Launched in 2025 by Michigan Founders Fund, a statewide community of high-growth founders committed to giving back, and gener8tor, a global venture firm and startup accelerator, we have hosted four cohorts of early-stage companies in Southeast Michigan. This program is specifically called a “pre-accelerator” to fill the gap that underrepresented founders face in either reaching a full equity-based accelerator or receiving their first major angel or venture investment.

Outcomes from program participants in 2025 and early 2026 include founders advancing into investment accelerators, securing non-dilutive funding, raising pre-seed and seed capital from angels and venture capitalists, and reaching major traction and sales milestones. Founder feedback has also remained strong, with the Pre-Accelerator receiving a 90 Net Promoter Score (satisfaction index) from participating founders.

Eligibility Criteria

You’re Locally Based

This is a hybrid program (in-person and virtual) for underrepresented founders of early-stage companies with local roots.

Program Commitment

You can commit to attending at least 85% of our programming, with the ideal being 100%. The MFF Pre-Accelerator requires at least 5-7 hours weekly of programming, not including the time founders dedicate to working on their businesses independently.

You’re a Founder Traditionally Underrepresented in Venture

The MFFPA programming is open to all established startups from various industry verticals that are led by underrepresented founders in high-growth startups. This includes companies 51% owned by women, Black, Latino, Arab, AAPI & Indigenous, immigrants, children of immigrants, refugees, LGBTQIA+, veterans, disabled people, individuals from rural communities, and those experiencing or who have experienced poverty.

Coachability and Responsiveness

You’re coachable, open to feedback, and value multiple perspectives to make informed decisions for your business. You’re also responsive and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Program Benefits

Growth focused: Our goal is that graduates will be prepared to go on to participate in an investment accelerator or raise a pre-seed or seed round.

Direct funding: MFF grants up to $15,000 for each founder

Personalized support: We work to deeply understand you and your company, providing responsive, trustworthy, hands-on support.

High-impact, hands-on program: Hands-on strategy meetings, weekly lunch & learns, and mentor introductions.

Individualized coaching: Focused on company growth and investor readiness, provided by Michigan-based and national investors and subject matter experts

Pitch opportunities: Curated 1:1 pitch meetings with 30+ mentors, 25+ investors, and a final celebration pitch showcase

$1M+ in deals and perks: Provided by vendors like IBM Cloud, Rackspace, Amazon, Paypal, Zendesk, Hubspot and Microsoft

Ongoing support: Receive post-program support, community involvement, and offerings from both gener8tor and Michigan Founders Fund

Get Started

Apply to the fall 2026 Kalamazoo cohort to join a statewide network of founders, mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners committed to helping underrepresented Michigan founders build fundable, scalable companies.

Apply for Fall 2026 in Kalamazoo

Program Manager

The MFF Pre-Accelerator powered by gener8tor is led by Brittni Abiolu.

For nearly 20 years, Brittni has worked at the intersection of founders, capital, and platforms. She has supported more than 120 early-stage founders and helped 64 companies raise a combined $4.5 million at the earliest stages of capital.

Brittni particularly enjoys working with overlooked and underrepresented technology founders of pre-seed and seed-stage companies that have strong execution potential and are ready for the discipline, strategic positioning, and credible pathways for investment.

Have any questions? Get in touch with Brittni.

What past participants had to say

“This is pobably one of the most thought out accelerator programs that I’ve participated in. The program takes founder friendliness very seriously.

Shantonio Birch, Founder & CEO of ThermoVerse

“What stood out to me about this program is how granular and execution-focused it is. The level of documentation, clarity, and real operational guidance is off the charts — it’s the kind of assistance founders actually need to build something the right way.”