Grand Rapids, MI (Feb. 12, 2026) – Michigan Capital Network (MCN), a venture capital fund management firm and angel investing trade association, today announced that Capital Community Angels (CCA) has joined its statewide association. Additionally, Emily Sarata has been selected to serve as the new President of the MCN Angel Association.
“We have long regarded Michigan Capital Network and its angel association as an elite organization that shared many of the same principles and priorities that we focus on,” said Jeff McWherter, President of CCA. “We believe joining their statewide organization will help our members support a wider array of entrepreneurs throughout the state.”
Capital Community Angels joins Grand Angels, Ka-Zoo Angels, Woodward Angels and BlueWater Angels in the MCN Angel Association. It’s the largest and most influential angel investing group in Michigan. Each chapter operates independently but works together to identify, vet, and invest in early and mid-stage companies. The Association’s collective efforts will now be led by Emily Sarata, who has also taken on the role of Director of Engagement for all of MCN.
“I have had the pleasure of collaborating with the MCN angel groups over the past two years in my previous role with MCN,” said Sarata. “I’m thrilled to take on this new leadership appointment and work to spur more economic growth through angel investing.”
The MCN Angel Association targets early-stage, high-growth companies focusing on life sciences, technology, and manufacturing. It has more than 200 individual members, who have invested in more than 100 companies since being founded in 2004.
“Part of the reason Michigan Capital Network was established more than 20 years ago was to unite investors who can power the entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Paul D’Amato, CEO and Managing Director of MCN. “By adding Capital Community Angels to the association, and selecting Emily as the association president, we have further strengthened this premiere group and set a clear course for growth for our member-investors.”
MCN leaders discuss activities involving four portfolio companies,while outlining latest developments involving new Fund V
September 23, 2025
As a state steeped in the agri-business industry, Michigan is known for its bountiful harvests. Whether its berries, cherries and vegetables in the summer, or peaches, apples and pumpkins in the fall – farmers and foodies alike look forward to a good yield that comes from planning, perseverance, and patience.
The same can be said for the venture capital industry. And 2025 proved to be an especially bountiful year for member-investors with Michigan Capital Network (MCN), as several of its portfolio companies went through some form of acquisition or public stock offering (IPO). As you might expect, these transactions were the center of conversation at MCN’s annual Fall Fund Update event on September 10 at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.
“This has been a remarkable first eight months in 2025 and nationally we’re expecting to see even more activity through the end of the year,” said Paul D’Amato, MCN’s CEO and Managing Director. “We all know that the past three years have seen a lower level of M&A activity due to challenging economic conditions. While this has been frustrating in some ways, it also has allowed our portfolio companies to focus on growth and strengthening their position. We’re now seeing the fruits of that patience and perseverance.”
The biggest and most recent transaction was the majority acquisition of HistoSonics in early August by a group of new and existing investors, including K5 Global based in San Francisco, Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Expeditions, and Boston-based Wellington Management, for $2.25 billion. MCN was among several Michigan investors who started supporting HistoSonics after it spun out from the University of Michigan in 2009. HistoSonics patented the Edison Histotripsy System, an ultrasonic medical devices that destroy or shrink tumors through noninvasive methods. The technology brings new hope to people dealing with life threatening tumors.
Just a week earlier, Micro-LAM, another long-supported MCN portfolio company, was acquired by Chicago-based IDEX Corporation for $90 million. Micro-LAM is based in Portage and was a spin out from Western Michigan University in 2017. The company manufactures laser-assisted machining solutions, ultra-precision diamond tools, and custom optics. In a news release announcing the acquisition, Micro-LAM founder, Deepak Menon said: “Micro-LAM brings an innovative culture, a customer-driven mindset, and a best-in-class ability to solve complex problems with elegant solutions. IDEX brings powerful resources, global reach and operational expertise. Together we can scale faster, innovate deeper, and deliver greater value to the industries and customers who trust us to serve their needs.”
Blue talked about the importance of trust and support from the outside. “I give credit to the board and the investors for believing that we could get the job done. Now I look back and say it was that trust that gave us the ability to develop what physicians, healthcare systems, and patients wanted.”
Four other MCN portfolio companies also went through some form of ownership transition within the past 12 months. They include:
Opus Genetics, which was acquired in late 2024 by Ocuphire Pharma of Farmington Hills, Michigan, in an all-stock transaction, with a current market cap of $80MM. The North Carolina firm is credited with developing first-in-class retinal gene therapies for the treatment of inherited retinal diseases and therapies to treat patients with other retinal and refractive disorders.
Advanced Architectural Products, an Allegan-based company that manufactures advanced, high-performance building enclosure and continuous insulation systems, such as GreenGirt CMH™ and SMARTci®. The firm exited from its investor stock program by going through a company redemption earlier this year.
In July, Atlas Space Operations Inc., based in Traverse City, was acquired by the parent company of York Space Systems, a defense tech company based in Denver. Atlas Space, which was founded in 2015 by Corey Geer, Sean McDaniel, and Brad Bode, is a ground-based satellite communications firm startup with 30 employees. York specializes in spacecraft manufacturing, mission-ready satellite platforms, and integrating hardware and software to provide mission autonomy. The acquisition came about when York Space sought to acquire a partner to strengthen its communications capabilities, particularly for the Department of Defense’s Golden Dome project.
Also in July, Ambiq Micro, Inc., a University of Michigan spin out, went through a reverse merger and into a public stock offering on the New York Stock Exchange, raising $96 million. The Texas based company develops energy-efficient semiconductor solutions used for smart home applications like wearable devices, industrial machine use, health monitors, and augmented reality glasses. Ambiq Micro was founded in 2010 by Scott Hanson. He worked with UM professors Dennis Sylvester and David Blaauw to commercialize the technology.
”Each of these transactions demonstrate the impact of MCN,” said D’Amato. “Our team identifies promising start-ups, conducts the necessary due diligence, and then shares the investment opportunity with our members, who can then choose whether they want to support the future growth of these companies. This process often unfolds over many years, but as we’ve seen in recent months the outcomes are beneficial to all.”
The other hot topic at this year’s event was the first regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission for MCN’s new Fund V. The fund includes a public-private investment component involving the Small Business Administration and the Department of Defense. MCN was one of 16 companies selected late last year for inclusion in this first-ever matching commitment from the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC). The OSC goal is to encourage investment in tech areas that are critical for national security, specifically with early-stage companies in space technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy storage, semiconductors, autonomous systems, biotechnology, quantum computing, and advanced materials.
“2023 and 2024 required perseverance on the part of our portfolio companies and patience on the part of our investors,” said D’Amato. “At times, there was a sense of stagnation that was due to forces beyond our control. However, we focused on optimizing the performance of our portfolio companies and we can now see the results. We thank our members for their continued trust and support in our team, and we look forward to providing them outstanding service in the future.”
Grand Rapids, MI (Aug. 11, 2025) – Michigan Capital Network Ventures (MCN), one of the Midwest’s leading venture capital fund management and angel investing firms, and The National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC) Inc., a premier nonprofit supporting innovation in next-generation military mobility, robotics, and advanced technology, today announced a strategic partnership to catalyze innovation, investment, and commercialization of new dual-use technologies that can serve the defense and private industry sectors.
The MCN and NAMC collaboration will focus on creating new pathways for early- and growth-stage companies developing capabilities in the critical technology space to access capital, government funding opportunities, and strategic mentorship.
“The defense and mobility sectors are experiencing unprecedented innovation, but many breakthrough technologies struggle to cross the valley between R&D and commercialization,” said Paul D’Amato, CEO and Managing Director of Michigan Capital Network. “Our partnership with NAMC bridges that gap by connecting high-potential ventures with both capital and contracts. It’s a natural alignment of our mission to support scalable, impactful companies.”
In January, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced that Michigan Capital Network was among 17 fund management firms nationwide, and the only one in the Midwest, to be selected to participate in a new public-private investment program called the Small Business Investment Company Critical Technologies Initiative (SBICCT Initiative). The Initiative is a partnership between the DoD and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to strengthen U.S. national and economic security by attracting and scaling private investment into the DoD Critical Technology Areas (CTAs).
NAMC was founded in 2008, and its members represent over 550 organizations committed to fostering collaboration and advancing technologies that empower U.S. warfighters.
“NAMC’s strength lies in connecting innovators with the Department of Defense and other government partners to rapidly prototype and deploy mission-critical capabilities,” said Alissa Roath, Chief Executive Officer of NAMC. “Teaming with Michigan Capital Network enhances our ability to help small- and mid-sized businesses secure the funding and support the need to scale and serve our defense sector.”
The partnership includes key collaborative initiatives:
Investment Readiness Support: NAMC member companies will have direct access to MCN’s investment team for capital formation and fundraising strategy.
Tech Acceleration: Joint programming to help defense-focused and dual-use startups.
Venture & Government Engagement: Coordinate events and roundtables bringing together investors, DoD stakeholders, and innovators.
Pipeline Development: A shared commitment to identifying and accelerating promising early-stage technologies aligned with national security and critical technologies.
This partnership marks a significant step in strengthening the innovation ecosystem and supporting the U.S. defense modernization capabilities. Initial programming and collaboration will begin Fall 2025.
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About Michigan Capital Network
Michigan Capital Network Ventures (MCN) is one of Michigan’s largest venture fund management organizations. Through its venture funds and angel investor network, MCN invests capital, mentorship, and strategic guidance to innovative startups across life sciences, advanced manufacturing and software sectors.
About National Advanced Mobility Consortium The National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to foster member-driven innovations that ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and victory for the US and its partners across multi-domain security and defense operations. NAMC accelerates the development and deployment of advanced systems for the Department of Defense and manages one of the largest and most active Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) focused on ground and autonomous systems.
MCN Media Contact Tim Dye, Dye Communications tim@dyecommunications.com (616) 745-6329
NAMC Media Contact Casey Calvo, Marketing Manager caseyc@namconsortium.org (734) 251-0246
Ambiq Micro, an Austin-based semiconductor company, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO). The company specializes in ultra-low-power chips, aiming to reduce energy consumption in devices like wearables, healthcare monitors, smart home products, and industrial sensors. Ambiq’s chips have powered over 270 million devices to date, with a significant portion enabling on-device AI processing. You can read more details below.
