Top 9 Michigan Angel Investors

The IT sector is Michigan'ssecond- biggest industry, with an average growth rate of15%. With around 100,000 workers in the tech industry, the state has produced over 8 unicorns and is supported by hundreds of active angel investors.

However, not all investors will see eye to eye on every idea. That's why it's important to filter the right names.

Thinking about how to do it?

Well, let us handle the job as we have researched and prepared the following list of topinvestors in Michigan funding IT startups.

Find Out The Top 9 Angel Investors in Michigan who Invest in IT Startups

Brian Rassel

• Contact: Brian Rassel | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors: Industrial Manufacturing, Manufacturing, Food and Beverage, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Transportation, Building Material, Energy, Real Estate, Renewable Energy, E-Commerce, Electronics, Customer Service
• Present In : Michigan
• Notable Investments : Pueblo Mechanical & Controls, Inc, GSM Outdoors, Albireo Energy, Atlantic Beverage Company, Pacific Shoring, Drake Automotive Group, Six Month Smiles

Funding startups since 2015, Brian Rassel is one of the most active angel investors in Michigan. He has a strong interest in supporting early-stage startups that are dealing with modern tech.

Rassel usually invests in startups at the seed and Series A stages. He selects these companies through fundraiser programs and social media. With over 25 investments in his portfolio, Brian Rassel often prefers startups that are led by experienced founders and can easily scale on an international level.

The investment range of Brain Rassel can range up to $500,000.

Kim Reed

• Focused Sectors : E-Commerce, Electronics, Customer Service, Innovation Management, IT Infrastructure, Lighting, Marketing, Outdoors, Computer, Information Technology, Automotive, Marketing Automation, Service Industry, Energy Efficiency, Energy Management, Health Care
• Present In : Detriot
• Notable Investments : Pepper and Play Nicely

Kim Reed is a notable angel investor based in Detroit. She focuses on startups in the sectors of industrial manufacturing, food and beverage, and IT. Kim often invests in startups during their seed and Series A stages and has a portfolio of over 10 companies.

She has been funding startups since the early 2010s and has worked with several firms, including Great Lakes Angels Fund and Ka-Zoo Angels. When making investments, Kim Reed prefers to fund startups that can promise profitability and have solid growth plans.

The average check size from Kim Reed lies between $100,000 to $500,000.

John Denison

• Focused Sectors : Software development, Website design, Mobile app development, Digital marketing, Data entry, Content writing, Graphic design, Virtual assistance, Social media management, E-commerce development Information Technology
• Present In : Michigan
• Notable Investments : Interstate Health Systems, Newtrul, and Optimal Dynamics

Having decades of experience in the startup industry, John Denison is a prominent name among the Michigan angel community. He has worked with many VC firms such as Dallas Venture Capital Group and Green Park & Golf Ventures, having over 50 individual investments.

When investing in businesses, John identifies profitable ventures that are at the early and seed stages. He usually invests through other VC firms or networking events and loves to invest in startups that are solving modern IT problems such as data security and cloud computing.

The investment range of John Denison lies between $100,000 to $1M.

Ashwin Puri

• Contact: Ashwin Puri | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors : Artificial Intelligence, Human Resources, Internet, Software, Staffing Agency, Aerospace, Drone Management, Drones, Geospatial, Government, Mapping Services, Women Founded, Automotive, Information Technology, Logistics, Manufacturing, Health Care, Hospital, Personal Health, Risk Management
• Present In: Michigan
• Notable Investments: Orbion Space Technology, PawnGuru.com, Assemble, Genomenon, American Mountain Co, Airspace Link, ardentCause

Known as one of the most active investors in Michigan, Ashwin Puri is also an individual angel investor who funds Michigan-based startups. He has founded several companies and also worked with firms such as Invest Detroit Ventures and First Midwest Group.

When investing in businesses. Ashwin Puri likes to support companies that are developing innovative technologies and can operate on an international level. He seeks out startups with a vision to become future unicorns and are being led by experienced founders.

The investment range of Ashwin Puri can range up to $1M.

Ren Carlton

• Contact: Ren Carlton | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors : Social Commerce, Enterprise Software, Social Media, Technology, Health and Wellness, Healthcare, Health Care Information Technology, Information Technology, Finance, Financial Services, Finance Technology, Personal Finance, FinTech, Personal Health, Mobile Health, Exercise
• Present In: Michigan
• Notable Investments:  Dynamic Advisory Solutions, Foxhound LLC, and Detroit Entrepreneur

Known as CPA and founder, Ren Carlton also invests in Michigan-based startups and has founded multiple successful businesses. Before becoming an investor, Carlton worked with Omega Accelerators and also founded a consulting firm that specialized in improving the financial performance of small to medium-sized companies.

Since then, Ren Carlton has always prioritized investing in startups that have strong growth potential and can easily scale. He focuses on B2B startups and invests in ventures with innovative products, having an addressable market of around $100M.

The investment range of Red Carlton lies between $50,000 to $500,000.

Scott Hauncher

• Contact: Scott Hauncher | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors : Industrial Manufacturing, Manufacturing, Food and Beverage, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Tech, Network security, Information security, Digital forensics, Semiconductor manufacturing, Hardware development, Robotics, Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things
• Present In : Michigan
• Notable Investments : ADD & DV8, Lab Crafters, Stay Online Corp., InterVision Systems, Direct Connect Logistix, Inc, and IQ Brands

Scott Hauncher is a seasoned angel investor, with a strong focus on early-stage startups. He usually invests in business services and industrial technology startups.

Like most individual investors in the state, Scott Hauncher also makes his startup investments through startup accelerators, incubators, and fundraiser events. He is also active on his social media profiles and looks for startups that can generate 2-4x ROI.

The investment range of Scott Hauncher can range up to $500,000.

Patti Glaza

• Contact : Patti Glaza | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors : Information Technology, Logistics, Manufacturing, Health Care, Hospital, Personal Health, Risk Management, Hispanic / Latinx Founded, Women-Led, Clinical Trials, SaaS, E-Commerce, Enterprise Software, Marketplace, Apps, Hunting, Service Industry, Developer Tools, Genetics, Medical
• Present In :
• Notable Investments : Workit Health, Mi Padrino, TurtleCell, Akadeum Life Sciences, Instore, Ripple Science, Tome, PeachWorks

Patti Glaza is also an individual investor and has been actively funding startups since 2014. She is the executive vice president and focuses on businesses that are dealing with market-leading products/services. She is known as one of the most active investors in Michigan and usually invests in IT startups by participating in fundraising/networking events.

The average check size of Patti Gaza is around $400,000.

Heather Madland

• Contact : Heather Madland | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors : Semiconductor manufacturing, Hardware development, Robotics, Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Cloud computing, Virtual reality, Augmented reality,  Environmental biotechnology, Industrial biotechnology, Cybersecurity consulting
• Present In : Michigan
• Notable Investments : Friendship Beverage, Lab Crafters, and IQ Bran

Ever since joining Huron Capital in 2013, Heather Madland has funded dozens of IT startups in Michigan. As an experienced investor, she funds startups at the earliest stages and invests in companies with a massive growth potential.

Heather Madland is also a mentor. She actively conducts public and private mentorship classes, guiding her portfolio companies whenthings don't go as per the plan.

The investment range of Heather Madland lies between $100,000 to $300,000.

Michael Ouyang

• Contact: Michael Ouyang | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors : Data Management, Data Analytics, Network security, Information security, Digital forensics, Threat Intelligence, Malware analysis, Cryptography
• Present In : Detriot
• Notable Investments : Pueblo Mechanical & Controls, GSM Outdoors, and Albireo Energy

Michael Ouyang is an active investor and has been funding startups since the early 2010s. He has a rich background in private equity and venture capital, having worked with several notable firms. He is currently a Principal at Neos Partners and served as a Vice President at Warren Equity Partners/Huron Capital Partners.

Startup founders can reach out to him through his LinkedIn profile or meet him through relevant networking events organized by Neos Partners. The average check size of Michael Ouyang lies between $200,000 to $1M.

Wrap-Up:

As we wrap up our discussion,   it's clear that the state is home to a vibrant and supportive ecosystem for tech entrepreneurs.

For startup founders, the key takeaway is this: building a successful IT startup requires more than just a great idea.  It’s aboutfinding the right partners who believe in your vision and can help you navigate the complexities of scaling a tech business.

The investors we've discussed are looking for

• Innovative Solutions
• Strong leadership
• A Clear Path to Market Dominance

If you’re prepared to bring those elements to the table, any investor will get ready to back your venture and help you turn your tech dreams into reality.