LANSING, Mich. – To support early-stage education technology startups, the Michigan State University Research Foundation and Michigan Virtual have announced a strategic partnership to launch the 10-week intensive program, Conquer EdTech Accelerator powered by Michigan Virtual in Fall 2025.
“Michigan has a strong foundation in both education and innovation, and this accelerator will connect promising edtech startups with the resources, expertise, and support needed to drive meaningful impact in classrooms,” said Jamey Fitzpatrick, President and CEO at Michigan Virtual. “Through this partnership with MSU Research Foundation, we are strengthening Michigan’s position as a leader in education technology and supporting the next generation of edtech entrepreneurs.”
Too often, entrepreneurs face limited resources for scaling solutions for innovative K-12 education technology tools. By providing hands-on business training, mentorship, and milestone-based investment, the Conquer EdTech Accelerator fills a crucial gap in the development cycle of new education-focused businesses.
Participating startups will gain access to up to $20,000 in milestone-based investment from Red Cedar Ventures, as well as expert-led training in areas such as business formation, customer discovery, market analysis, intellectual property management, regulatory considerations, and federal grant opportunities. In addition to funding, teams will benefit from one-on-one mentorship, workspace, and connections to a network of industry experts and investors.
“The Conquer Accelerator program has a proven track record of developing high-growth startups, and expanding into the education technology sector is a natural next step,” said Tom Stewart, Director of Venture Programming at the MSU Research Foundation. “By leveraging Michigan Virtual’s deep expertise in K-12 education and our experience supporting emerging businesses, we are creating a program that will drive real innovation in edtech.”
The Conquer EdTech Accelerator expands MSU Research Foundation’s existing Conquer Accelerator Programs, which include similar entrepreneur support for the Health Tech, Finance and Insurance Tech, Research, and other early-stage startups across Michigan. The successful MSU Research Foundation Conquer Accelerator programs hold great promise for entrepreneurs with a $5 million portfolio in 2023, 78% still operating today, and an average $45 raised for every $1 invested.
The launch of the Conquer EdTech Accelerator reflects Michigan Virtual and MSU Research Foundation’s shared commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and advancing digital learning solutions. More details, including application information and program leadership, will be announced in the coming months. For details on the Conquer Edtech Accelerator, visit michiganvirtual.org/edtechcatalyst/conquer.
