MINTS
MINTS is a $25 million venture fund initiative within the University of Michigan's Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE), funding and accelerating commercialization of student- and faculty-led startups. It serves U-M students across all disciplines from undergraduate through PhD through courses, fellowships, and seed-stage capital programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What MINTS does
MINTS is a $25 million venture fund initiative of the University of Michigan, operated out of the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE), with a mandate to leverage the commercialization of university research and student-led ventures. The initiative sits within CFE — founded in 2008 by Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen — alongside a broader educational portfolio that includes over 30 ENTR course sections open to all U-M students (undergraduate through PhD) across every school and college, a 12-credit Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the year-long Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP), and the Perot Jain TechLab Series, which places student teams with startups across mobility (Mcity), electrification, climate, healthtech, and air-and-space tracks.
The fund's venture-acceleration surface is built around three programs that deploy capital and customer-discovery support to U-M–affiliated founders: the Fuel program (monthly awards up to $25,000 per venture), the Great Lakes I-Corps Hub (hosted under an NSF partnership that teaches customer discovery and validation), and the Michigan Biomedical Venture Fund, a seed vehicle for life sciences startups spinning out U-M–licensed IP in therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and health IT. There is no proprietary technology platform — CFE explicitly characterizes itself as "an educational entrepreneurship center, not a technology company" — and no commercial software product is sold. The operating model is community-led: MINTS/CFE reaches users through U-M's Wolverine Access enrollment system for ENTR coursework, application-based selective programs (ELP, PJTL), direct applications for venture funding, and partnerships with regional ecosystem players including Zell Lurie Institute, TechArb, Mcity, the Economic Growth Institute, Ann Arbor SPARK, and a network of 25+ named startup partners (May Mobility, Refraction AI, Baraja, Innoviz Tech, Heirloom Carbon, Fortera, GigXR, SkySpecs, and others).
MINTS/CFE is not a revenue-generating enterprise. It is funded through University of Michigan institutional budgets, donor contributions, and partnership arrangements, under the governance of The Regents of the University of Michigan. Students access CFE programs as part of standard U-M tuition, and the Graduate Certificate is offered at no incremental cost to enrolled full-time graduate students. There is no commercial pricing model, no published commercial fee schedule, and no third-party paying customer base. The principal beneficiaries are U-M students and student/faculty-led startups receiving education, mentorship, and seed-stage capital.
MINTS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MINTS
- Legal name
- The Regents of the University of Michigan
- Website
- https://cfe.umich.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- MINTS is a $25 million venture fund initiative within the University of Michigan's Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE), funding and accelerating commercialization of student- and faculty-led startups. It serves U-M students across all disciplines from undergraduate through PhD through courses, fellowships, and seed-stage capital programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MINTS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Entrepreneurship Programs
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI)
Keywords
Where MINTS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
MINTS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Educational Institution Funding: CFE is a University of Michigan center funded through university budgets, grants, and donations rather than commercial revenue generation. Students enrolled at U-M access CFE programs as part of their academic tuition.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
MINTS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MINTS is a $25 million University of Michigan venture-fund initiative that supports commercialization through the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE). Its core offerings are educational: 30+ open-enrollment ENTR courses, a 12-credit Graduate Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the year-long Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP), the Perot Jain TechLab Series (PJTL), and venture support programs including the NSF I-Corps customer discovery program, the Michigan Biomedical Venture Fund (MBVF) for life-science startups, and the Fuel program providing up to $25,000 per month to student ventures.
Product overview
The Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE) at the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive portfolio of entrepreneurship education programs and venture support services. The core offerings include ENTR courses (over 30 course sections open to all U-M students), the Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (12 credits), the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP) as a year-long immersive experience (6 credits), and the Perot Jain TechLab Series (PJTL) providing hands-on startup collaboration across five focus areas (Mcity, Electrification, Climate Change, HealthTech, Air & Space). Additional programs include the I-Corps customer discovery program, Michigan Biomedical Venture Fund seed investments, EHour weekly speaker series, and the Fuel funding program providing up to $25,000 per month to student ventures.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ENTR Courses: Entrepreneurial courses offered through the CFE, covering topics from innovation fundamentals to venture capital and intellectual property strategy.
- Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP)
- Perot Jain TechLab Series
- EHour (Entrepreneurship Hour)
- Fuel
- I-Corps
- Michigan Biomedical Venture Fund (MBVF)
- Graduate Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Products and services
- ENTR Courses
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 30,000 students empowered since 2008
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use MINTS
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
MINTS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
MINTS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
34 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- AdastecminorStartup partner in Perot Jain TechLab Series, focused on autonomous vehicle technology. Students work on real-world technical projects with company mentors.
- AiphasminorStartup partner in Perot Jain TechLab Series providing project opportunities for student teams.
- Arbor Battery InnovationminorBattery technology startup partnering with PJTL Electrification program for student project work.
- BarajaminorStartup partner in Perot Jain TechLab Series focused on LiDAR and autonomous vehicle sensors.
- Biliti ElectricminorElectric vehicle startup partnering with PJTL Electrification for student collaboration.
- CarmeraminorMapping and data startup for autonomous vehicles, PJTL partner.
- Civil MapsminorAutonomous vehicle mapping startup partnering with PJTL Mcity program.
- May MobilityminorAutonomous vehicle startup partnering with PJTL Mcity for student projects.
- Innoviz TechminorLiDAR technology company for autonomous vehicles, PJTL partner.
- DeepMapminorHD mapping for autonomous vehicles, PJTL Mcity partner.
- GatikminorAutonomous trucking and logistics startup, PJTL partner.
- Heirloom CarbonminorCarbon sequestration technology startup, PJTL Climate Change partner.
- ForteraminorCarbon technology company partnering with PJTL Climate Change program.
- Cowboy Clean FuelsminorClean energy startup, PJTL Climate Change partner for carbon reduction projects.
- GigXRminorExtended reality platform for healthcare training, PJTL HealthTech partner.
- SkySpecsminorDrone technology company for infrastructure inspection, founded by CFE faculty Danny Ellis. PJTL Air & Space partner.
- National Science Foundation I-CorpscoreCFE hosts the Great Lakes I-Corps Hub, providing free regional entrepreneurship training for Midwest innovators. NSF I-Corps teaches customer discovery and validation methodologies.
- McitycoreU-M public-private partnership for advanced mobility research. PJTL at Mcity uses Mcity facilities and connects students with autonomous vehicle startups.
- Perot JaincoreNamed sponsor of the Perot Jain TechLab Series, providing funding and strategic direction for the multi-track startup collaboration program covering mobility, electrification, climate, healthtech, and aerospace.
- Zell Lurie Institute (Ross School of Business)coreCross-referral and complementary programs. ZLI provides business-focused entrepreneurial advising while CFE focuses on curriculum and venture education. Jointly support the Michigan startup ecosystem.
- TechArb (Student Startup Accelerator)coreU-M's student startup accelerator. CFE faculty Moses Lee previously led TechArb, and programs complement each other with mentorship and resources.
- DESAI AcceleratorminorU-M's professional business accelerator for early-stage tech startups founded by recent graduates. CFE refers advanced startups seeking further acceleration.
- Economic Growth InstituteminorPartners with CFE for the Reimagining Companies practicum course. Provides company engagement opportunities for student consulting projects.
- International Programs (IPE)minorCo-develops study abroad programs for entrepreneurship education. Spring/summer programs in Scandinavia offer international experiential learning.
- Ann Arbor SPARKminorRegional economic development organization supporting tech businesses. Collaborates on ecosystem events and Discovery Treks to local startups.
- NavyaminorAutonomous vehicle manufacturer, PJTL Mcity partner.
- PolysyncminorAutonomous vehicle software startup, PJTL partner.
- Refraction AIminorLast-mile autonomous delivery startup, PJTL Mcity partner.
- ZendriveminorMobile analytics for driving behavior, PJTL partner.
- Deepen AIminorAutonomous vehicle safety and validation startup, PJTL partner.
- Seoul Roboticsminor3D robotics and autonomy startup, PJTL partner.
- ElectricfishminorEV charging infrastructure startup, PJTL Electrification partner.
- Mission ZerominorCarbon capture technology startup, PJTL Climate Change partner.
- UtilidataminorGrid edge technology company, PJTL Electrification partner.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MINTS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Harvard Innovation Labs (i-lab): Harvard's entrepreneurship and innovation hub offering programs, workspaces, and venture support to all Harvard students. Directly comparable in offering cross-school entrepreneurship education and startup incubation within a major research university.
- MIT Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship: MIT's central entrepreneurship center providing curriculum, mentorship, and venture support across all MIT schools. Comparable in serving a top-tier research university with cross-disciplinary student founders and deep tech transfer focus.
- UC Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship / SkyDeck: UC Berkeley's combined entrepreneurship program pairing Berkeley Haas MBA entrepreneurship tracks with SkyDeck, a vertical-agnostic accelerator serving Berkeley founders. Comparable cross-disciplinary university entrepreneurship platform with venture acceleration component.
- Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP): Stanford's flagship entrepreneurship education program offering courses, programs, and venture support to Stanford students. Directly comparable as a top-tier university entrepreneurship center combining curriculum, venture acceleration, and ecosystem partnerships.
- Cornell Entrepreneurship at Johnson: Cornell's university-wide entrepreneurship hub offering curriculum, mentoring, and venture programs. Comparable cross-college entrepreneurship center within a research university setting.
- Wharton Entrepreneurship (Penn): Wharton's entrepreneurship program spanning courses, the Venture Initiation Program, and Wharton Entrepreneurship Conference. Comparable as a top-tier university program combining academic curriculum with venture-launch support.
- Princeton Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education: Princeton's hub for innovation education combining entrepreneurship courses, design thinking, and maker spaces. Comparable as a research university center integrating entrepreneurship into engineering and STEM programs.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: Large global accelerator network offering mentorship-driven startup programs and venture investment. Comparable as an established accelerator and seed-investor ecosystem player, though not university-affiliated and broader in scope than CFE's programs.
- National Science Foundation I-Corps (national program): The federal I-Corps program that CFE's Great Lakes I-Corps Hub is part of. Comparable as the broader national customer-discovery training ecosystem and a key partnership for CFE, though at a national-program scale rather than a single university.
Others
- Zell Lurie Institute (University of Michigan Ross): Sister U-M unit providing business-school-focused entrepreneurial advising and the Michigan Business Challenge. Listed as a core CFE partner with complementary scope (business-school focus vs. CFE's cross-university curriculum); considered an ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MINTS social profiles
Digital presenceMINTS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MINTS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
MINTS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MINTS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments11 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MINTS
What does MINTS do?
MINTS is a $25 million University of Michigan venture-fund initiative that supports commercialization through the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE). Its core offerings are educational: 30+ open-enrollment ENTR courses, a 12-credit Graduate Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the year-long Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP), the Perot Jain TechLab Series (PJTL), and venture support programs including the NSF I-Corps customer discovery program, the Michigan Biomedical Venture Fund (MBVF) for life-science startups, and the Fuel program providing up to $25,000 per month to student ventures.
Is MINTS a public or private company?
MINTS is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was MINTS founded?
MINTS was founded in 2008.
Where is MINTS based?
MINTS is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does MINTS make money?
One revenue line is on record: educational Institution Funding.
Who are MINTS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Harvard Innovation Labs (i-lab), MIT Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, UC Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship / SkyDeck, Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), Cornell Entrepreneurship at Johnson, Wharton Entrepreneurship (Penn) and Princeton Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education. Broad incumbents are Techstars and National Science Foundation I-Corps (national program). Zell Lurie Institute (University of Michigan Ross) is listed as an others.
Does MINTS have an API?
No public API is recorded for MINTS.
What industry is MINTS in?
MINTS's product category is Higher Education Entrepreneurship Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAKAK, Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics. Its NAICS code is 611310.