What InvestUP does

InvestUP is a private, non-profit regional economic development organization serving all 15 counties of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Headquartered in Marquette and operating since 2017 under CEO Marty Fittante (appointed 2019), it functions as the U.P.'s designated regional counterpart to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, providing business attraction, expansion and retention support, workforce development coordination, access to capital and incentives, and community development services. The organization is governed by a board of CEOs and Presidents from the region's largest employers and reports a 250% increase in its private-sector investment base since 2019.

InvestUP's product surface extends beyond traditional EDO advisory services into direct capital deployment and talent programs. Operationally, it manages the Build U.P. $15 million housing development fund (addressing a documented regional housing shortage), the $5.6 million Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund (20+ portfolio companies), the WorkLiveUP talent-attraction platform, the Lead to Succeed podcast series, and the UP Data Center. It also runs formal higher-education programs with Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan University, and Lake Superior State University (NMU Rural Fellows, MTU SHERPA, Wildcat Collective). Notable outcomes include securing a $200 million state business development grant — the largest in the region's history — and supporting projects such as the Highland Copper Copperwood mine (380 jobs at $100K average salary) and MTEC SmartZone portfolio companies that have raised nearly $600 million in follow-on funding.

InvestUP's revenue model is funded through recurring private-sector investor membership, Michigan Economic Development Corporation grants, and philanthropic commitments (including a $1.4M Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation commitment in 2025), rather than transactional service fees. Its GTM motion is sales-led and relationship-driven: direct engagement with businesses considering relocation or expansion, ongoing support to existing U.P. employers (over 75% of organizational effort), and partnerships with municipalities and 22 sub-regional EDOs across the U.P. Collaborative Development Council. The organization does not develop proprietary technology, sell software, or offer APIs, positioning it as a service-and-funds organization rather than a product company.

Name

InvestUP

Legal name

InvestUP

Website

https://investupmi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

InvestUP is a non-profit regional economic development organization serving Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It drives business attraction, expansion, workforce development, and capital deployment (housing, outdoor innovation) across 15 counties in partnership with MEDC and three universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marquette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Private Sector Investment and Membership: InvestUP operates as a private-sector led economic development organization, funded through private-sector investment base and investor members who contribute to support the organization's mission of driving prosperity across the Upper Peninsula.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

InvestUP is a regional economic development organization that promotes and improves Michigan's Upper Peninsula economy by attracting business investment, supporting business growth and retention, providing workforce development coordination, facilitating access to capital and incentives, and promoting the region to attract talent and businesses. It serves as the single point-of-contact EDO for all 15 U.P. counties and operates multiple specialized funds (Build U.P. housing fund, Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund) along with talent attraction programs (WorkLiveUP, Lead to Succeed, university fellowships).

Product overview

InvestUP is a regional economic development organization for Michigan's Upper Peninsula, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of advisory and support services organized under multiple branded programs: the core InvestUP services provide business development support, capital access, and workforce programs; Build U.P. is a housing development fund; the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund supports outdoor-tech startups; Lead to Succeed is a business leadership interview series; and WorkLiveUP helps professionals relocate to the region. Educational partnerships include the NMU Rural Fellows Program, MTU SHERPA Entrepreneurial Fellows Program, and Wildcat Collective mentorship program. The UP Data Center provides demographic and economic research resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Build U.P. Sustainable housing development fund managed by InvestUP addressing the U.P.'s housing shortage
• WorkLiveUP
• Lead to Succeed
• Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund

Products and services

• InvestUP Core Services Regional economic development advisory services for Michigan's Upper Peninsula spanning business attraction, expansion support, workforce development, access to capital and incentives, talent recruitment, and community development for companies considering relocation or expansion and for existing U.P. businesses.
• Build U.P. Housing development fund managed by InvestUP that addresses the Upper Peninsula's housing shortage through sustainable development initiatives, including CTE housing partnerships with intermediate school districts to build the construction workforce.
• Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund Investment fund providing flexible financing for early-stage companies focused on improving the outdoor experience through technology, with statewide focus and Upper Peninsula roots. Has backed 20+ startups.
• Lead to Succeed Interview series featuring conversations with Upper Peninsula business leaders and CEOs discussing challenges, opportunities, and leadership in the region. Hosted by Steve Arwood with 28+ episodes featuring regional business and community leaders.
• NMU Rural Fellows Program Paid applied learning experience for students interested in rural economic development and public sector careers, connecting Northern Michigan University students with community development projects across the Upper Peninsula.
• MTU SHERPA Program Entrepreneurial Fellows Program connecting student fellows from Michigan Tech with early-stage companies across the Upper Peninsula to help reach milestones in market validation, customer engagement, and commercialization.
• Wildcat Collective Partnership between Northern Michigan University and InvestUP providing paid internships, mentorship, and leadership training for NMU students to unlock potential and retain talent in the Upper Peninsula.
• WorkLiveUP Program helping Upper Peninsula professionals find opportunities to live in communities with the best tech jobs, startup resources, and world-class trails.
• UP Data Center Online resource center providing data about Upper Peninsula demographics, communities, labor market studies, housing studies, population statistics, and small business resources for prospective businesses, workers, and researchers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew investment base by 250% since 2019
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEDC provides state-level economic development support and funding coordination. InvestUP serves as the regional partner for MEDC in the Upper Peninsula, leveraging state resources and incentive programs for regional business attraction and development. The partnership includes matching grants and collaborative economic development initiatives.
• Northern Michigan University (NMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Rural Leadership Fellowship program connecting students with economic development projects, and MTU/NMU SHERPA Entrepreneurial Fellows Program helping startups reach milestones through student fellows working with early-stage companies.
• Michigan Technological University (MTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting MTU SHERPA Entrepreneurial Fellows Program, providing student talent to assist early-stage U.P. companies with market validation, customer engagement, and commercialization milestones.
• Lake Superior State University (LSSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing STEM talent pipeline, research capabilities, and startup support through university business incubator and innovation programs.
• Build U.P.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary housing development fund managed by InvestUP ($15 million) addressing the Upper Peninsula's housing shortage through sustainable development. Partners with ISDs and CTE programs for housing construction workforce development.
• Economic Development Leaders for Michigan (EDLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of Michigan's leading regional economic development organizations. InvestUP CEO Marty Fittante serves as Chair (2024), representing regions comprising 79% of state population and 84% of GDP. Collaborative policy advocacy and strategic initiatives for statewide economic growth.
• Upper Peninsula Collaborative Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of all 22 economic development organizations in the Upper Peninsula working in coordination on regional priorities including infrastructure, mining projects, and workforce development.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/InvestUPMI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/invest-up-mi
• Xx.com/investupmi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about InvestUP