Start Garden

Start Garden was founded on the ethic of finding fast, inexpensive ways to turn ideas into actions. They work to make accessible platforms to do just that, including their 5x5 Night monthly pitch competition. Start Garden opened investing $5,000 every week in a new business, until they shifted their strategy in 2015 with the 5x5 Night. Start Garden is based in Michigan and provides investment, and a space to work and connect.

In 2016, Start Garden's for-profit fund, called Wakestream, is separated into a unique entity in order to allow it to compete at higher levels and raise multi-million dollar rounds. Start Garden's main entrepreneurial ecosystem focus is re-organized into a not-for-profit called the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Initiative which Start Garden feels can be more effective without the obligation of being a venture capital fund. eMerge West Michigan is renamed Start Garden and continues to serve new startups and entrepreneurs in Michigan.