What Boomerang-Catapult does

Boomerang Catapult LLC is a privately-held investment firm founded in 2016 by Casey Cowell — the entrepreneur who co-founded U.S. Robotics and led it through its $6.6 billion sale to 3Com in 1997 — and headquartered at 10850 E. Traverse Hwy, Suite 4400 in Traverse City, Michigan. The firm invests seed and early-stage capital in technology and intellectually-intensive companies based in Northwest Lower Michigan, with a stated thesis that regional prosperity is driven by enterprises that create economic value and export it beyond local geography. Its leadership team consists of Founder Casey Cowell, Managing Director Lowell Gruman, CFO Jody Trietch, and Chief of Staff Emily Modrall. There is no disclosed institutional fund vehicle; the firm operates as a direct, privately-financed investment vehicle with a team of 1–10.

The firm's core activity is equity investment in early-stage startups rather than product development. Its portfolio spans approximately 30 companies including Atlas Space Operations (satellite ground-station services, relocated from California), Naveego (cloud-based data management), Promethient (graphene-based climate control), GeoTix (event ticketing, acquired by Evvnt in 2020), Orbion Space Technology (plasma thrusters), Alquist 3D (3D concrete printing), Attrex BioTherapeutics (anti-infective pharmaceuticals), Uru Sports (athlete networking), and Taste the Local Difference (local-food marketing, acquired by Boomerang in 2018). Reported cumulative deployment is approximately $30 million across 30 startups in the Grand Traverse region over six years. Revenue, in the traditional product sense, is not generated; the firm's economics derive from investment gains and any management fees on capital under management, none of which are publicly disclosed.

Go-to-market is relationship-driven and regionally concentrated: deal sourcing flows through the Front Street Irregulars network (roughly 100 regional executives), TC New Tech monthly meetups (200+ attendees), Northern Michigan Startup Week, and co-investment with Northern Michigan Angels. The firm has actively built supporting ecosystem infrastructure, including co-founding the 20Fathoms tech incubator in Traverse City in 2018, and maintains strategic relationships with Munson Healthcare, the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and University of Michigan Health. Pricing — including fund size, management fees, carry, and individual deal valuations — is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Boomerang-Catapult

Legal name

Boomerang Catapult LLC

Website

https://boomerangcatapult.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Boomerang Catapult is a Traverse City, Michigan private investment firm providing seed capital to Northern Michigan technology startups. Founded in 2016 by U.S. Robotics co-founder Casey Cowell, it has deployed approximately $30 million across 30 startups focused on high-value, export-oriented businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital / Seed Investment Services

akta.pro primary industry

Geography-Focused ETA (e.g., LATAM/Europe/Asia) (FSANALAJ)

Keywords

• Seed stage investing
• Venture capital services
• Early stage investment
• Startup funding
• Northern michigan

Headquarters

HQ city

Traverse City

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns: Generates returns through equity investments in early-stage technology companies in Northern Michigan. Invests seed capital in promising startups with the goal of creating high economic value that benefits the regional community.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Boomerang Catapult is a private investment firm that makes seed and early-stage equity investments in early-stage technology and intellectually intensive companies based in Northwest Lower Michigan, particularly the Traverse City area. The firm targets enterprises that create high economic value and export products or services to global markets, with stated goals of creating 500 high-paying jobs and building a year-round regional economy beyond tourism and agriculture. By 2024, the firm had invested approximately $30 million across 30 startups in the Grand Traverse region.

Product overview

Boomerang Catapult is an investment firm, not a product company. It does not offer a unified product platform or modules. Its business model centers on providing seed and growth capital to early-stage technology companies in Northern Michigan (particularly the Traverse City area), focusing on intellectually intensive enterprises that export high-value products and services to global markets. Boomerang Catapult's portfolio companies include Naveego (cloud-based data accuracy platform), Atlas Space Operations (satellite ground station services and software), Orbion Space Technology (plasma thrusters for small satellites), Alquist 3D (3D concrete printing), Promethient (graphene-based heating and cooling technology), and GeoTix (event ticketing platform). Boomerang Catapult itself functions as a private investment group, not as a SaaS or technology product provider.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seed and Early-Stage Equity Investment Direct equity capital deployment into early-stage technology and intellectually intensive companies in Northwest Lower Michigan (Traverse City area), targeting enterprises that export high-value products and services to global markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 startups invested in Grand Traverse region over 6 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 20FathomscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology and manufacturing incubator launched in Traverse City with Boomerang Catapult and Northern Michigan Angels raising $500,000 to get it launched. Located downtown and serves as hub for tech entrepreneurs.
• Munson HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor medical facility in Traverse City that provides medical and technology infrastructure supporting health tech startups in the region.
• Michigan Economic Development Corp.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing resources to support health tech sector including Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Life Sciences Innovation Hub (MTRAC) which has awarded over $1.8 million for biomedical research projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Michigan Rise: Michigan-based pre-seed/seed fund created by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Co-investor alongside Boomerang Catapult in Atlas Space Operations' $15M growth round, sharing a focus on growing Michigan-based tech companies.
• Beringea: Michigan/UK growth-equity firm that co-invested in Atlas Space Operations alongside Boomerang Catapult. Provides growth-stage capital in the Midwest, complementing Boomerang's seed-stage focus.
• Grand Ventures: Michigan-based early-stage venture fund where Boomerang Catapult founder Casey Cowell serves as an advisor. Focuses on Michigan-rooted founders and similarly emphasizes ecosystem building in the Midwest.
• Invest Michigan: Michigan-focused investment program that has co-invested in Orbion Space Technology's Series A. Operates with a similar Michigan-rooted thesis, making it a regional peer.
• Wakestream Ventures: Michigan-focused venture firm that co-invested with Boomerang Catapult in Atlas Space Operations and Orbion Space Technology. Operates as a peer geography-tilted VC in the same regional ecosystem.
• Michigan Capital Network: Statewide angel network in Michigan that co-invested alongside Boomerang Catapult in Atlas Space Operations' growth round. Comparable as a regional capital-aggregation entity.
• Northern Michigan Angels: Traverse City-based angel investor group that has deployed roughly $9M across Michigan, with co-investments in Boomerang Catapult portfolio companies including Promethient and Atlas Space Operations. Most directly comparable as a regional, geography-focused early-stage investor.
• Red Cedar Ventures: Michigan State University Research Foundation's venture fund, investing in Michigan-based startups. Co-investor with Boomerang Catapult in space-tech and regional portfolio companies, sharing a geography-tilted thesis.

Regional players

• Ann Arbor SPARK: Economic development organization in Michigan that has co-invested alongside Boomerang Catapult (e.g., Orbion Space Technology Series A). Comparable as a Michigan-rooted innovation ecosystem builder, though operating in a different sub-region.

Emerging players

• 20Fathoms: Traverse City tech and manufacturing incubator co-launched by Boomerang Catapult and Northern Michigan Angels. While an incubator (not an investor), it is directly tied to Boomerang's ecosystem thesis and serves as an ecosystem peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BoomCatapultTC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments7 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Boomerang-Catapult