Top Michigan Fintech Angel Investors in 2026
Michigan fintech founders can start with eight investors, most of them partners at Detroit-based venture firms: Detroit Venture Partners (Haemi Kim, Kate Hernandez, Jared Stasik, Jake Cohen and Gabe Karp), Ludlow Ventures (Jonathon Triest), Fontinalis Partners (Dan Ratliff) and Assembly Ventures (Chris Thomas). Angel Match lists 550+ investors in Michigan, including 170+ in Detroit, and 35,000+ fintech investors worldwide.
Michigan was once known mainly for the auto industry, but it has quietly become a growing fintech hub too. The Detroit Regional Partnership reports that financial services jobs in the Detroit region grew 20% over five years, the fifth-highest rate among large U.S. metros, and lists Detroit as the No. 4 emerging fintech hub among U.S. metros. It also puts venture capital invested in Michigan at $1.4 billion in 2023, and notes that Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage, two of the largest U.S. mortgage lenders, are both headquartered in the Detroit region.
Let's move on to the Michigan investors whose profiles include fintech, financial services or insurance. For a wider list, see our guide to angel investors in Michigan.
Which Investors in Michigan Fund Fintech Startups?
| Investor | Focused Sectors | Notable Investments | Funding Stages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haemi Kim | Accounting, Banking, FinTech, SaaS, B2B, Enterprise Software, Human Resources, Insurance | Bloomscape, hiredMYway.com, UpTo | Seed, Series A |
| Kate Hernandez | FinTech, SaaS, Digital Media, Sports, AI, Content, Broadcasting, Video | Reach influence, Airspace Link, Marxent, FamilyTech, Flud, Rockbot | Seed, Early |
| Chris Thomas | Logistics, Marketplace, Advertising, Consulting, Freight Service, AI, Financial Services, Insurance | Buddy's Pizza, QuickPay, Zagster, Streetline, Masabi, SQLstream | Seed, Early |
| Jared Stasik | FinTech, SaaS, B2B, Human Resources, Aerospace, Drone Management, Mapping Services, Geospatial | Guardhat Technologies, Digital Onboarding, Instore, Cargo | Seed, Early |
| Jake Cohen | FinTech, SaaS, Digital Media, Small Businesses, Financial Services, Industrial Automation, Wearables | StockX, Quikly, Dwolla, Chalkfly, Opsmatic, iRule, Waymark, Autobooks | Seed, Early |
| Jonathon Triest | E-Commerce Platforms, Marketplace, AI, Cloud Infrastructure, Consumer Internet, Gaming/eSports, Social Networks | StockX, Chalkfly, Honey, Density | Seed, Early |
| Gabe Karp | Analytics, Big Data, Retail Tech, SaaS, Marketplace, Financial Services, InsurTech, FinTech | Bloomscape, hiredMYway.com, UpTo, Guardhat Technologies | Seed, Series A |
| Dan Ratliff | Freight Service, Logistics, AI, Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, Robotics, Collaboration, Sensor Tech | Unfolded | Seed, Early |
Haemi Kim
- Contact: Haemi Kim, CPA | LinkedIn
- Focused Sectors: Accounting, Banking, Financial Services, FinTech, Payments, SaaS, Software, Digital Marketing, Small and Medium Businesses, B2B, Enterprise Software, Human Resources, Insurance, Life Insurance
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: Bloomscape, hiredMYway.com, UpTo
Kim is the Director of Finance at Detroit Venture Partners (DVP), a Detroit-based firm that backs seed and early-stage technology companies. Angel Match tags Kim's focus as fintech, banking, accounting and insurance at the seed and Series A stages.
Kate Hernandez
- Focused Sectors: FinTech, Payments, SaaS, Software, Digital Marketing, Small and Medium Businesses, B2B, Enterprise Software, Artificial Intelligence, Broadcasting, Content, Digital Media, Sports, Video
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: reach | influence, Airspace Link, Marxent, FamilyTech, Flud, Rockbot
Kate Hernandez is a venture partner at Detroit Venture Partners. She previously worked at DVP as a principal, where she handled portfolio management, direct deals and board seats. She is also a board member at Covertree, a manufactured-home insurance company.
Chris Thomas
- Contact: Chris Thomas | LinkedIn
- Focused Sectors: Logistics, Marketplace, Transportation, Advertising, Consulting, Enterprise Software, Information Technology, Marketing, Freight Service, Artificial Intelligence, Financial Services, Insurance, InsurTech
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: Buddy's Pizza, QuickPay, Zagster, Streetline, Relay Rides, Masabi, Synovia Solutions, SQLstream, NanoC
Chris Thomas is a co-founder and partner at Assembly Ventures, a Detroit and Berlin fund that invests in early-stage mobility companies. He previously co-founded Fontinalis Partners, a mobility-focused venture firm, and he is also a co-owner of Buddy's Pizza and an angel investor.
Jared Stasik
- Contact: Jared Stasik | LinkedIn
- Focused Sectors: FinTech, Payments, SaaS, Software, Digital Marketing, Small and Medium Businesses, B2B, Enterprise Software, Human Resources, Insurance, Life Insurance, Aerospace, Drone Management, Drones, Geospatial, Government, Mapping Services
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: Guardhat Technologies, Digital Onboarding, Instore, Campless, Miso Media, Onboard (Onboard.io), Cargo, StyleCaster, SpiritShop.com
Jared Stasik is a partner at Detroit Venture Partners. He previously served as DVP's vice president, overseeing fund management, operations and finances, and before that he spent five years as a consultant at ZS Associates, a global sales and marketing consulting firm.
Jake Cohen
- Focused Sectors: FinTech, Payments, SaaS, Software, Digital Marketing, Small and Medium Businesses, B2B, Accounting, Banking, Financial Services, Enterprise Software, Human Resources, Insurance, Life Insurance, Aerospace, Drone Management
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: StockX, Quikly, Dwolla, Chalkfly, velos, Opsmatic, FarmLogs, iRule, Waymark, PriorAuthNow, Autobooks, WSC Sports, AYAH, GINKGOTREE, Sift, BoostUp
Jake Cohen is a partner at Detroit Venture Partners, which he joined at the fund's inception in November 2010. Before DVP, he led technology investments for the Wolverine Venture Fund at the University of Michigan, and he has served on the boards of DVP portfolio companies including StockX.
Jonathon Triest
- Contact: Jonathon Triest | LinkedIn
- Focused Sectors: E-Commerce, E-Commerce Platforms, Marketplace, Sales, Shoes, AI, Cloud Infrastructure, Consumer Internet, FinTech, Gaming/eSports, Marketplaces, Media/Content, Messaging, Smb Software, Social Networks, Social media
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: StockX, Chalkfly, Honey, Density
Jonathon Triest is the founder and managing partner of Ludlow Ventures, a Detroit-based seed-stage firm. Ludlow was an early investor in Honey, which PayPal agreed to buy for about $4 billion in late 2019, and it also backed StockX. The firm takes a founder-first, sector-agnostic approach rather than following set themes.
Triest is also a mentor at technology accelerators such as The Brandery and Highway 1, which can matter when a startup heads in an unplanned direction.
Gabe Karp
- Contact: Gabe Karp | LinkedIn
- Focused Sectors: Analytics, Big Data, Information Services, Retail Technology, SaaS, Software, Logistics, Marketplace, Financial Services, Insurance, InsurTech, Fintech
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: Bloomscape, hiredMYway.com, UpTo, Guardhat Technologies, Digital Onboarding, Instore, Campless, Cargo, StyleCaster
Gabe Karp is a partner at Detroit Venture Partners and sits on the boards of several DVP portfolio companies. He spent the first decade of his career as a trial lawyer, then became executive vice president and general counsel of ePrize, an interactive promotions company, before moving into venture capital.
Dan Ratliff
- Contact: Dan Ratliff | LinkedIn
- Focused Sectors: Analytics, Freight Service, Logistics, SaaS, Transportation, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Financial Services, Insurance, InsurTech, Drones, Robotics, Automotive, Autonomous Vehicles, Women Founded, Collaboration, Software, Electronics, Hardware, Manufacturing, Sensor
- Present In: Michigan
- Notable Investments: Unfolded
Dan Ratliff is a partner at Fontinalis Partners, a mobility-focused venture firm with offices in Detroit and Boston. He joined Fontinalis in 2014 after starting his career in investment banking, and he was promoted to partner in June 2023.
Where Should Michigan Fintech Founders Start?
Most of the investors above are based in Detroit, so start with the ones whose stage and sectors match your startup. Then use Angel Match's Michigan investor list, the Detroit filter and the fintech filter to build a longer list. You can also compare these names with our lists of angel investors in Detroit and Michigan VC firms that fund software startups.
If you're ready to raise for your fintech startup, begin with the investors above whose focus and stage line up with yours.
Frequently Asked Questions About Michigan Fintech Investors
Which investors fund fintech startups in Michigan?
This page lists eight Michigan-based investors whose Angel Match profiles include fintech, financial services or insurance: Haemi Kim, Kate Hernandez, Jared Stasik, Jake Cohen and Gabe Karp of Detroit Venture Partners, Jonathon Triest of Ludlow Ventures, Dan Ratliff of Fontinalis Partners, and Chris Thomas of Assembly Ventures.
How many investors does Angel Match list in Michigan?
Angel Match lists 550+ investors based in Michigan, including 170+ in Detroit. Across the full database, 35,000+ investors are tagged to fintech. You can filter by state, city, market, stage and investor type to narrow the list to investors who match your startup.
How much venture capital does Michigan attract?
The Detroit Regional Partnership reports $1.4 billion in venture capital investment in Michigan in 2023. It also reports that financial services jobs in the Detroit region grew 20% over five years, the fifth-highest rate among large U.S. metros.
What stages do these Michigan fintech investors back?
In Angel Match's database, all eight investors are tagged to seed or early-stage rounds, and Haemi Kim and Gabe Karp are also tagged to Series A. Detroit Venture Partners describes itself as backing seed and early-stage technology companies, so seed and early-stage founders are the most natural fit.
How should I approach Michigan fintech investors?
Lead with traction and explain why your product fits the investor's sectors and past investments, which are listed above. Keep the first email short and ask for a specific 20-minute call. Angel Match's investor outreach email generator can draft a first version for you to personalize.
