20Fathoms

What 20Fathoms does

20Fathoms is a Traverse City, Michigan-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating as the Traverse City Center of Entrepreneurship (d.b.a. 20Fathoms), founded in 2018 to support technology entrepreneurs and small businesses across Northwest Lower Michigan. Its service portfolio spans startup coaching (virtual and in-person), coworking space and conference room rentals at the Traverse City headquarters, recurring pitch competitions (TCNewTech, IndigiPitch), cohort programs (CO.STARTERS Core, Customer Discovery via I-Corps methodology, Startup to Scaleup, Indigenous Business & Marketing Essentials bootcamp), workshop series (Breakfast Lab, Startup Idea Workshop), advisory services (Legal Office Hours with True North Legal Group, Founder Accountability Huddle using Scrum), and access to capital pathways through the Michigan Innovation Fund, MEDC, and regional grant collaborations. Specialized programming includes the Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator for water/marine technology startups and IndigiPitch, a dedicated Native American entrepreneurship competition held in Petoskey.

The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; its offering is human-intensive mentorship, education, programming, and intermediation between founders and capital providers. Revenue is generated through a mix of federal and state grants (notably a $2,000,000 U.S. Department of Commerce EDA award on 2023-11-09 and a U.S. Treasury SLFRP federal award), tiered corporate sponsorships (Founder $25,000, Accelerator $12,000, Incubator $6,000, Contributor $3,000), coworking space fees, and individual donations. The customer base is intentionally broad and long-tail — 2,000+ entrepreneurs served in 2025 across diverse industries — with explicit focus on underfunded segments including women-owned (60% of recent grant recipients), Indigenous, veteran, and disabled entrepreneurs. Distribution is community-led and event-driven through TCNewTech, Breakfast Lab, IndigiPitch, and regional partnerships with Michigan SBDC, Venture North, Northern Lakes Economic Alliance, Traverse Connect, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, and others.

Name

20Fathoms

Legal name

Traverse City Center of Entrepreneurship

Website

https://20fathoms.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubator Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Startup incubator services
• Entrepreneurship support programs
• Coworking space rentals
• Pitch competition events
• Small business coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Traverse City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Federal and state grant funding including Michigan Economic Development Corporation grants, U.S. Department of the Treasury SLFRP funds, and Michigan Innovation Fund allocations distributed to startups through the organization.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Donations: Corporate sponsorships at multiple giving levels (Founder Level $25,000, Accelerator Level $12,000, Incubator Level $6,000, Contributor Level $3,000) plus individual donations. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization relies on community support for ongoing program funding.
3. Coworking Space Fees: Revenue from coworking space and conference room rentals in Traverse City, MI. The organization provides flexible workspace with energy, ideas, expertise, and networking opportunities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

20Fathoms is a nonprofit technology incubator and startup hub operating as the Traverse City Center of Entrepreneurship. It provides coaching, mentorship, educational programming, pitch competitions, coworking space, and access to capital to entrepreneurs and small businesses in Northwest Michigan, with specialized programs for tech startups, second-stage businesses, and Native American entrepreneurs.

Product overview

20Fathoms is a nonprofit startup incubator and coworking organization based in Traverse City, Michigan, offering a comprehensive suite of programs for entrepreneurs at all stages. The portfolio includes specialized accelerator programs (Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator), pitch competitions (TCNewTech and IndigiPitch), cohort-based educational programs (CO.STARTERS Core, Customer Discovery, Startup to Scaleup), workshops (Breakfast Lab, Startup Idea Workshop), advisory services (Startup Coaching, Legal Office Hours), accountability programs (Founder Accountability Huddle/Scrum), access to capital resources, and physical coworking space. The ecosystem is designed to support technology-focused startups and Native American entrepreneurs through mentorship, education, funding access, and community connection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator: A specialized accelerator program for blue tech startups in Northern Michigan.
• TCNewTech Pitch Competition
• IndigiPitch
• Breakfast Lab
• Indigenous Business & Marketing Essentials
• Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator

Products and services

• Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ entrepreneurs received training, coaching, or access to funding in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 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

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern Lakes Economic AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development partner in $300,000 small business support initiative. Participates in grant review committee alongside 20Fathoms and Grove Community Incubator.
• Traverse ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in collaborative initiative bringing support and resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners in Northwest Michigan.
• Michigan SBDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall Business Development Center partnership in regional collaboration distributing $300,000 to local businesses through four application cycles.
• Northern Shores Community Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor and supporter of IndigiPitch, the Native American entrepreneurship pitch competition. Supporting Indigenous entrepreneur ecosystem development.
• Odawa CasinocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent host and sponsor of IndigiPitch pitch competition in Petoskey. Provides venue and discounted hotel rooms for event attendees.
• Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa IndianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Indigenous entrepreneurship support. Chairperson Winnay Wemigwase provides opening remarks at IndigiPitch events.
• True North Legal GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner providing monthly Legal Office Hours with attorney Josh Traeger exclusively for Northern Michigan entrepreneurs. Services available at no cost due to grant funding.
• CO.STARTERScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed curriculum provider for CO.STARTERS Core, a 12-week cohort-based startup program helping entrepreneurs move from ideas to validated business models.
• New Mexico Community CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Indigenous Business & Marketing Essentials bootcamp, co-delivering culturally-specific entrepreneurship programming for Native American entrepreneurs.
• I-CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustomer Discovery program built on I-Corps methodology used by 3,000+ ventures nationwide. Evidence-driven customer discovery process for entrepreneurs.
• Lisa CarbonellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrepreneur in Residence and Certified Scrum Master facilitating Founder Accountability Huddle using Agile framework. Specializes in cultivating authenticity, transparency, and accountability.
• Boomerang CatapultminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizing partner that played critical role in supporting the launch of 20Fathoms.
• Center on Rural Innovation (CORI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizing partner that played critical role in supporting the launch of 20Fathoms. Rural innovation network.
• Grand Traverse Pie CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizing partner that played critical role in supporting the launch of 20Fathoms.
• Right Brain BrewingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvent venue host for Startup to Scaleup programming and community events.
• NMC Innovation CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvent venue for Startup to Scaleup Day 2 programming and educational workshops.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ann Arbor SPARK: Economic development organization driving entrepreneurship and tech growth across the Ann Arbor region; directly comparable as a Michigan-focused startup support hub that recently secured $10.6M from the Michigan Innovation Fund.
• University of Michigan Accelerate Blue Fund:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@20fathoms43
• Facebookfacebook.com/20Fathoms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/20fathoms
• Instagraminstagram.com/20fathomstc
• Xx.com/20fathomstc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 20Fathoms