Start Garden

Q: When was Start Garden last fund created?

Start Garden last fund was created/launched in 2012-04-30.

General contacts

Investor type

PE / VC

Founded

2012

AUM

$15 M

Location

Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

Investment Ticket

$0-1 m

Investment Stage

Seed Series A

Region of investment

North America

Investor profile last updated: 16 August, 2026

Profile

Start Garden is a support-focused community based in Grand Rapids, aimed at helping entrepreneurs succeed through pitch competitions and coworking spaces. It serves as a hub for networking with other entrepreneurs, providing access to resources, and offering a space for ideation and business growth.

The firm primarily supports various business stages through initiatives like The 100 and 5x5 Night, offering grants and venture investments among other resources. They concentrate on nurturing startups by facilitating connections to intellectual and commercial capital across Michigan.

Start Garden's notable initiatives include programs like The 100, which offers a variety of financial opportunities such as grants and shared revenue agreements to businesses, and 5x5 Night, known as Michigan’s open pitch competition where entrepreneurs can win $5,000 grants.

Industry

Consumer Services (B2C) Business Services (B2B) Fintech Real Estate HealthTech Technology

Start Garden Funds

Name	Type	Industry	Stage	Region	Size	AUM	Launch date
Garden Fund	Venture Capital (VC)	Business Services (B2B) Technology	Pre-seed Seed	North America	$5-10 m	$15 M	April 2012

Contacts

Name

Title

Social Networks

Darel Ross Co Executive Director

Co Executive Director

d•••@•••

Jorge Gonzalez Director

Director

j•••@•••

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Investment-team contacts for Start Garden — including verified work emails and LinkedIn profiles — are available to Private Equity List subscribers.
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Contacts sourced from the firm's website and LinkedIn, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Spot a stale contact, or none at all? Report it — we re-run that firm within 48h and get back to you.

FAQs about Start Garden

Is Start Garden a venture capital or private equity firm?

Start Garden is a venture capital and private equity firm. It backs companies at Seed and Series A, writing tickets of $0-1 m.

Where is Start Garden located?

Start Garden is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States.

When was Start Garden founded?

Start Garden was founded in 2012.

What sectors and industries does Start Garden invest in?

Start Garden invests in companies and startups in Consumer Services (B2C), Business Services (B2B), Fintech, Real Estate, HealthTech, Technology.

What is Start Garden geographical focus of investments?

Start Garden invests in companies and startups in North America.

At what stages of companies and startups does Start Garden typically invest in?

Start Garden invests in companies and startups at Seed, Series A.

What is the usual amount of Start Garden investment?

Start Garden usually invests $0-1 m on average.

What is the amount of assets of under management (AUM) for Start Garden?

Start Garden has around $15m assets under management.

When was Start Garden last fund created?

Start Garden last fund was created/launched in 2012-04-30

What are the contacts of Start Garden?

Start Garden can be reached through its website startgarden.com, its LinkedIn page and its X account. Its general enquiries address is [email protected]. Cold-mailing a general inbox rarely reaches a partner, so Private Equity List also lists the investment-team contacts for Start Garden — names, roles, verified work emails and LinkedIn profiles — available on a Pro plan from $129/month (see pricing). Contacts are sourced from the firm's website and LinkedIn and re-verified on a rolling cycle. Spot a stale contact, or none at all? Report it — we re-run that firm within 48h and get back to you.

Can I access Start Garden data via API or MCP?

Yes. Every field on this page — profile, funds, investment criteria, portfolio and investment-team contacts — is available programmatically through the Private Equity List REST API and MCP server, so AI assistants such as Claude and ChatGPT can query Start Garden directly instead of scraping this page. One subscription covers both the web app and machine access — see API & MCP.

When was the Start Garden profile last updated?

Private Equity List re-verifies investor profiles on a rolling cycle, pulling from the firm's own website and LinkedIn rather than a one-off import. This profile was last updated on 16 August, 2026. Something out of date here? Report it — we re-run that firm within 48h and get back to you.