20Fathoms
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersTraverse City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
20Fathoms firmographics
Firmographics- 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
20Fathoms industry classification
Industry- 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
Where 20Fathoms is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Traverse City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
20Fathoms business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
20Fathoms product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use 20Fathoms
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
20Fathoms technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
20Fathoms partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Northern Lakes Economic AlliancecoreRegional economic development partner in $300,000 small business support initiative. Participates in grant review committee alongside 20Fathoms and Grove Community Incubator.
- Traverse ConnectminorRegional partner in collaborative initiative bringing support and resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners in Northwest Michigan.
- Michigan SBDCcoreSmall Business Development Center partnership in regional collaboration distributing $300,000 to local businesses through four application cycles.
- Northern Shores Community Development CorporationcoreSponsor and supporter of IndigiPitch, the Native American entrepreneurship pitch competition. Supporting Indigenous entrepreneur ecosystem development.
- Odawa CasinocoreEvent host and sponsor of IndigiPitch pitch competition in Petoskey. Provides venue and discounted hotel rooms for event attendees.
- Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa IndianscorePartner in Indigenous entrepreneurship support. Chairperson Winnay Wemigwase provides opening remarks at IndigiPitch events.
- True North Legal GroupcoreLegal 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.STARTERScoreLicensed 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 CapitalminorPartner in Indigenous Business & Marketing Essentials bootcamp, co-delivering culturally-specific entrepreneurship programming for Native American entrepreneurs.
- I-CorpscoreCustomer Discovery program built on I-Corps methodology used by 3,000+ ventures nationwide. Evidence-driven customer discovery process for entrepreneurs.
- Lisa CarbonellcoreEntrepreneur in Residence and Certified Scrum Master facilitating Founder Accountability Huddle using Agile framework. Specializes in cultivating authenticity, transparency, and accountability.
- Boomerang CatapultminorOrganizing partner that played critical role in supporting the launch of 20Fathoms.
- Center on Rural Innovation (CORI)minorOrganizing partner that played critical role in supporting the launch of 20Fathoms. Rural innovation network.
- Grand Traverse Pie CompanyminorOrganizing partner that played critical role in supporting the launch of 20Fathoms.
- Right Brain BrewingminorEvent venue host for Startup to Scaleup programming and community events.
- NMC Innovation CenterminorEvent venue for Startup to Scaleup Day 2 programming and educational workshops.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
20Fathoms competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
20Fathoms social profiles
Digital presence20Fathoms financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
20Fathoms leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
20Fathoms funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
20Fathoms M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 20Fathoms
What does 20Fathoms do?
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.
Is 20Fathoms a public or private company?
20Fathoms is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was 20Fathoms founded?
20Fathoms was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is 20Fathoms based?
20Fathoms is headquartered in Traverse City, United States, in the North America region.
How does 20Fathoms make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships and Donations and coworking Space Fees.
Who are 20Fathoms's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ann Arbor SPARK and University of Michigan Accelerate Blue Fund.
Does 20Fathoms have an API?
No public API is recorded for 20Fathoms.
What industry is 20Fathoms in?
20Fathoms's product category is Startup Incubator Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAC, Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAB, Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days). Its NAICS code is 611430.