Chris Holman catches up with Ara Topouzian, Executive Director, MVCA, (Michigan Venture Capital Association), Novi, MI.

Watch Ara and Chris discuss MVCA, venture capital, and the association's 20th anniversary in the YouTube video below: 

They discuss the recent news for the association and the venture capital sector. Then they talk about MVCA's 20th Anniversary.

Recently MVCA also shared this release:

GM Ventures Becomes Premier Sponsor of Michigan Venture Capital Association’s 20^th Anniversary
MVCA kicks off its 20^th year with new events and initiatives culminating in a celebration on September 29^th, 2022

Novi, Mich. – February 2022 – GM Ventures, the corporate venture capital firm of General Motors has agreed to be the premier sponsor of the Michigan Venture Capital Association’s (MVCA) 20th-anniversary celebration. In honor of this milestone, MVCA, the trade association for the venture capital and angel community is planning a wide range of activities and new programs ranging from the launch of a statewide venture capital internship program and 501c3 foundation to a series of events focused on networking and celebrating 20 years of venture activity in Michigan.

“This is an exciting year for MVCA. Celebrating 20 years of activity is important for Michigan as it demonstrates the strength and growth the venture community has achieved from humble beginnings. Having GM Ventures supporting our celebration demonstrates their commitment to helping us create and maintain a robust venture community,” said Ara Topouzian, Executive Director for MVCA.

GM Ventures strategically invests in startups that share GM’s vision of a world with zero emissions, zero crashes, and zero congestion, and connects them with the company’s extensive network of partnerships, iconic brands, technology talent, and manufacturing expertise to accelerate and commercialize innovations globally.

“Venture capital is crucial to the growth of future innovation and implementation of new technology at any enterprise,” said Kent Helfrich, President of GM Ventures. “Supporting startups enables us to expand and scale their technology throughout and beyond GM’s footprint, bringing industry-first advancements to market sooner, and to a larger network of customers.”

MVCA’s 20^th Anniversary celebration will feature several initiatives for the organization including:

• The launch of the Venture Capital Internship Program, a meaningful statewide internship program that will provide underrepresented college students an opportunity to become exposed to Michigan’s venture capital firms.
• A comprehensive Annual Research Report with more data on diversity, equity & inclusion, and the impact of startups in a vibrant Michigan ecosystem.
• A new website reflecting MVCA’s commitment to advocating, partnering, and connecting members.
• The launch of the Michigan Venture & Entrepreneurial Foundation to promote the growth of a strong and inclusive entrepreneurial and investment community in Michigan.
• Member networking events including the annual awards dinner held at Greenfield Village on September 29^th.

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