Startup Garage
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Startup Garage does
Startup Garage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit faith-driven entrepreneurial incubator founded in 2022 at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It serves early-stage, typically pre-revenue, faith-driven founders - primarily students at partner universities and West Michigan working professionals - through a three-layer pathway: the Launchpad (weekly events, fireside chats, workshops, pitch competitions, office hours), Connections (1:1 virtual coaching with vetted volunteer coaches, a curated resources library, event recommendations, and partner discounts), and The Forge (small groups of 6-8 founders meeting monthly with vetted leaders). All services are provided free of charge to founders, with no tuition, membership fees, or hidden costs. The organization is funded entirely by donations and grants from mission-aligned partners including National Christian Foundation Michigan, Calvin University, Grace Christian University, Faith Driven Entrepreneur, Truth at Work, Inspire Generosity, Know Honesty, City Innovations, Tekton, MWest Challenge, Macatawa Bank, and others. It operates with a small core staff of roughly five employees plus a seven-person Board of Directors chaired by founder Jon VerLee, who previously founded and exited the church-focused tech company Breeze in 2021.
The underlying operating model is community-led and event-driven rather than technology-mediated: there is no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no API, and no disclosed software products. Distribution runs through university campuses (Calvin University and Grace Christian University host on-site programming), virtual coaching, and partner referrals. The company surfaces named portfolio outcomes (Kickback with 690+ App Store users, Mosaic school management software serving 4,000+ students and 1,400+ staff, BiliRoo with a patent-pending medical device for neonatal jaundice) primarily as founder-success evidence rather than revenue-generating assets. Go-to-market is donor- and partner-driven, with strategic partnerships providing mentor pipelines, prize funding, and outreach channels. The business model is structurally freemium: free to founders, monetized (in a nonprofit sense) through philanthropic contributions, which creates a funder-concentration risk rather than a customer-concentration risk.
Startup Garage firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Startup Garage
- Legal name
- Startup Garage
- Website
- https://startupgarage.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Startup Garage industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Entrepreneurial Incubator
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Professional Organizations (81392)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)
Keywords
Where Startup Garage is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Startup Garage business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Startup Garage operates entirely on donations and grants from mission-aligned partners. The organization states it relies on 'radical generosity from mission-aligned partners' to keep all events, coaching, and small groups free for early-stage entrepreneurs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Free | Free access to all services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Startup Garage product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Startup Garage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Christ-centered entrepreneurial incubator founded in 2022 at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It supports early-stage, ideator-stage, pre-revenue founders through a three-layer pathway: Launchpad events, 1:1 connections (coaching, resources, recommendations, and partner discounts), and The Forge (small groups of 6-8 founders). All services are provided free of charge.
Product overview
Startup Garage is a nonprofit faith-driven entrepreneurial incubator offering a three-layer pathway: The Launchpad (events including weekly gatherings, workshops, pitch competitions), Connections (1:1 coaching, curated resources, recommendations, and partner discounts), and The Forge (small group communities of 6-8 founders with vetted leaders). Additional offerings include a Student Founders program spotlighting faith-driven student entrepreneurs, a Mentors & Speakers Network, a Volunteer Program for practitioners to give back, and free resources including guides, worksheets, and curated recommendations. Everything is offered completely free to early-stage, ideator-stage, and pre-revenue founders. The organization partners with Calvin University, Grace Christian University, National Christian Foundation Michigan, and other strategic partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Forge: Small groups of 6-8 founders walking together with vetted group leaders, described as the heart of the Startup Garage pathway where transformation happens and faith and work become one whole thing.
Products and services
- Launchpad Events
- 1:1 Founder Connections (Coaching & Resources)
- The Forge Small Groups
Quantifiable outcome
- 690+ users on App Store for Kickback startup
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Startup Garage
Customer profileNamed customers24 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Startup Garage technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Startup Garage partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Christian Foundation MichigancoreStrategic partnership to expand Startup Garage's mission of equipping early-stage faith-centered founders. NCF Michigan provides mentorship resources, peer coaching, and connection to a broad network of Christian business leaders, impact investing foundations, and faith-driven entrepreneur cohorts.
- Calvin UniversitycoreOriginal founding partner. Startup Garage began as a program at Calvin University in 2022. Continues to host PitchUp events, student founder programs, and collaborative initiatives.
- Faith Driven EntrepreneurcoreStrategic partner organization focused on faith-driven entrepreneurship. Dana Roefer from Faith Driven Entrepreneur serves on Startup Garage's Board of Directors.
- Grace Christian UniversityminorPartner university hosting Startup Garage workshops. Fallon McMurray from Grace Christian University serves on Startup Garage's Board of Directors. Hosted 'Turning Vision Into Venture' workshop in February 2026.
- Truth at WorkminorStrategic partner organization supporting faith-driven business community.
- Inspire GenerosityminorStrategic partner focused on generosity and giving, aligned with Startup Garage's mission.
- Know HonestyminorStrategic partner. Ken Bogard from Know Honesty is listed as a mentor/speaker. Chris Cowling from Know Honesty also serves as an executive coach.
- City InnovationsminorStrategic partner. Josh Barker, CEO & Managing Partner of City Innovations, serves as Forge Lead and Board member of Startup Garage.
- TektonminorStrategic partner supporting Startup Garage ecosystem.
- MWest ChallengeminorRegional startup competition/challenge partner in the West Michigan ecosystem.
- West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of CommerceminorPartner organization supporting diverse entrepreneurship in West Michigan.
- ManifestminorPartner organization in the Startup Garage ecosystem.
- Founder's Best FriendminorPartner organization supporting founders in the Startup Garage ecosystem.
- Gingras GlobalminorPartner organization in the Startup Garage ecosystem.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Startup Garage competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Grand Angels: West Michigan-based angel investor network supporting early-stage companies in the region. Comparable geographic ecosystem and founder-stage focus, though Grand Angels provides capital while Startup Garage provides community/mentorship rather than funding.
- Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce: Regional business support organization serving Grand Rapids-area entrepreneurs with networking, events, and advocacy. Operates in the same West Michigan geography and serves overlapping small-business founders, though secular and broader in scope than Startup Garage's faith-driven niche.
Others
- Lightstone (Sponsor Network): Faith-driven entrepreneur network and fund supporting Christian-led ventures. Comparable faith-driven audience; board member Jeshua Lauka is from Lightstone Law, evidencing direct ecosystem overlap. Functions more as a sponsor/fund than a direct program delivery competitor.
Direct peers
- Praxis: Faith-driven startup accelerator focused on redemptive entrepreneurship, providing mentorship, capital, and community to Christian founders. Comparable in mission, founder-stage focus, and faith-centered positioning, though Praxis operates with venture-fund mechanics alongside the accelerator.
- Faith Driven Entrepreneur: Faith-driven entrepreneurship organization serving Christian founders through content, events, and cohorts. Highly comparable mission and target audience; Dana Roefer from FDE serves on Startup Garage's board, evidencing close ecosystem overlap.
Broad incumbents
- C12 Business Forums: National Christian peer-advisory and business leadership organization serving Christian CEOs and business owners. Comparable faith-driven, business-support mission but oriented toward operating business leaders rather than early-stage founders; provides broader business community context Startup Garage founders often join.
Emerging players
- 1776 (Startup Community Network): Startup community and accelerator network supporting founders across multiple U.S. cities through programs, events, and corporate partnerships. Comparable community-led founder support model and event-driven GTM motion, though secular and broader in thematic positioning.
- Halftime Institute: Faith-based organization helping professionals transition into second-half-of-life purpose-driven work, often entrepreneurship. Comparable faith-driven audience and entrepreneurial pathway framing, though Halftime focuses on later career transitions rather than student or early-stage founders.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Startup Garage social profiles
Digital presenceStartup Garage financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Startup Garage leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Startup Garage funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Startup Garage 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 Startup Garage
What does Startup Garage do?
Startup Garage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Christ-centered entrepreneurial incubator founded in 2022 at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It supports early-stage, ideator-stage, pre-revenue founders through a three-layer pathway: Launchpad events, 1:1 connections (coaching, resources, recommendations, and partner discounts), and The Forge (small groups of 6-8 founders). All services are provided free of charge.
Is Startup Garage a public or private company?
Startup Garage is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Startup Garage founded?
Startup Garage was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Startup Garage based?
Startup Garage is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does Startup Garage make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are Startup Garage's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Grand Angels and Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. Lightstone (Sponsor Network) is listed as an others. Direct peers are Praxis and Faith Driven Entrepreneur. C12 Business Forums is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are 1776 (Startup Community Network) and Halftime Institute.
Does Startup Garage have an API?
No public API is recorded for Startup Garage.
What industry is Startup Garage in?
Startup Garage's product category is Nonprofit Entrepreneurial Incubator. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAC, Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics. Its NAICS code is 813410.