Funding

You’ve got ideas. We have the funding to bring them to life.

The Grand Rapids SmartZone is the entry point to Grand Rapids’ tech startup community. We exist to help tech startup founders connect with funding. By leveraging partnerships with local startup support organizations, we ensure that Grand Rapids is a premier destination to start and grow a tech business.

High Tech Startupsview of the Grand Rapids downtown city skyline as the sunsets

The SmartZone network offers grants through the Business Accelerator Fund (BAF). BAF grants can be used to conduct market research studies, cover legal costs for licensing or equity agreements, logo design, product testing, patent searches and more.

All Startups

Grand Rapids invests in entrepreneurs by administering hundreds of thousands of dollars in small grants each year. We know it’s important to get funds directly into the hands of small businesses– and we’ll help provide support to make sure that funding makes an impact for your business.

group of winner posing with their large award checks

These programs include:

  • 5x5 Night – A monthly competition giving five participants five minutes to pitch their idea, with a $5,000 prize.
  • StartGarden 100 – A no-strings-attached competition to fund new ideas. 100 founders receive $1,000 and two months to turn that idea into a viable business. Founders pitch again with the potential to receive $20,000 to make their idea a reality.

 

 

 

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