What Is It?
Michigan Founders Fund (MFF) Venture Together is a pitch competition at Michigan Tech Week where founders join together to showcase how to build exceptional companies alongside a commitment to people, places, and the planet in Michigan. Founders working together will enact a plan that benefits all of your separate businesses as well as the community around you.
MFF is built on the values of growth and giving back, and this competition reflects that. Rather than traditional pitches, we want to give founders easy money that rewards collaboration and community, while having fun doing it!
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How It Works
There are three steps to win:
- Apply individually and then find teammates on your own or with our connector tool
- Submit a team statement to determine finalists
- Finalists will pitch on stage at MTW in front of judges
In a 5-minute pitch, finalist teams of 4-5 founders each must explain how you will leverage each company’s unique attributes to support one another in achieving mutual success and growth.
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Your pitch must also include at least two of the following category considerations:
- People: How will your team contribute to the well-being and prosperity of people either inside of your companies or across your community?
- Place: How will your businesses grow in-state, support local opportunities, and/or contribute to a thriving community?
- Planet: How will your team help reduce your environmental footprint, innovate with sustainable practices, and/or contribute to the health of our planet?
Full statement and pitch prompts will be provided after your team eligibility is confirmed.
What You Win (The Prize)
The winning team will equally split $100,000 in non-dilutive prize money amongst the individual founders/startups that are part of the team (each team must have either 4 or 5 founders from different companies).
This includes $80,000 in cash grants and $20,000 in startup legal services grants split between founders. Additionally, all applicants accepted to pitch will receive 2 free tickets to attend Michigan Tech Week even if they are not winners.
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Eligibility Requirements
- Each founder must be working on their startup full-time.
- Each startup must be incorporated (or LLC) with headquarters in Michigan.
- Must be building a high-growth startup with at least a proof of concept.
- Must be committed to growing their business/team in-state (does not exclude growing out of state as well).
- Companies who have already raised $2 million or more in equity funding are not eligible.
- Past competition winners (recipients of prize funding) are not eligible.
- Each TEAM must include exactly 4 or 5 founders that fit all the categories above. (You can apply individually and be matched later).
2026 Timeline
April 10 - April 30
High-growth Michigan Founders apply individually to establish eligibility. Individuals must then also find other eligible founders to form 4-5 member teams.
Applicants may indicate they already have existing teammates, or they can then find new teammates after applying using the private/online MFF Founder-Finder (MFFFF) tool. Note: We will share the MFFFF after receiving your individual application. Even if you already have a team identified, all individuals must still separately complete the application.
April 30
All individual applications AND TEAM formations are due - teams must be formed by 11:59pm, April 30, 2026!
May 4
All accepted applicants will be notified and full judging criteria and problem statement released via email.
May 6 (2pm ET)
MFF will host a virtual Overview Call for accepted applicants to meet and learn more details in preparation for the pitch.
May 13
All accepted applicants must submit a first round statement identifying how their teams will work together.
May 18
The latest that teams chosen to pitch live on stage will be notified. (However all finalists will get free MTW passes to attend.)
May 21 (3pm - 4:30pm ET)
MFF Venture Together Competition Day at MTW!
Frequently Asked Questions
Teams of founders create a mutual pitch based on how to leverage each company’s unique attributes to support one another in achieving mutual success and growth, while positively impacting local communities.
Our goal is to provide significant, non-dilutive capital to Michigan founders and deepen founder-to-founder relationships and understanding of one another. We also want founders to consider how they are stewards of their communities in addition to their business bottom line.
Individual founders who have the following qualifications will be eligible: working on a Michigan-headquartered start-up full-time that is high-growth and has at least has a proof of concept. Additionally the startup has raised no more than $2 million in equity funding.
Individual founders from separate high-growth startups apply to be eligible. Participants then create teams of exactly 4 or 5 founders from separate startups to compete together. MFF will provide a tool to meet other eligible founders.
There are two mini-stages to this competition based on a single prompt. The first deliverable will be submitting a team statement, which you’ll receive after confirming your team eligibility. The next will be the finalists’ pitch (no slides) in front of the judges. The prompt will be released to everyone at once for fairness.
No, teams are NOT CREATING a new product or business in this competition.
The winning team splits the top prize of $100,000. This includes $80,000 in cash grants and $20,000 in startup legal services that will all be split between founders.
Judges are evaluating the pitch based on originality, feasibility, and impact. They want to see how: unique and innovative the idea is; it benefits each team member’s company and can actually be executed; it supports people and communities; it contributes to Michigan’s economy; and it promotes environmental progress.
Have more questions?
Please contact us at info@michiganfoundersfund.org with the Subject Line: MFF Competition
next mtw
May 19-21, 2026
Sign up and get a chance to be part of it.
