Ann Arbor Spark Ceo Podcast

Originally recorded at SXSW 2026: Behind many of the world’s most transformative technologies is a research university. But turning discovery into a scalable company is still one of the hardest journeys in entrepreneurship. In this fireside chat, two founders who launched their companies out of the University of Michigan share the real founder-level story of navigating intellectual property, raising early capital, building teams, validating markets, and crossing the infamous “valley of death.” Moderated by a U-M innovation leader, the conversation explores what support structures matter most for first-time founders, how universities can accelerate (or unintentionally slow) a company’s trajectory, and the lessons learned for entrepreneurs, investors, and research institutions nationwide. Whether you’re commercializing research, scouting university deal flow, or building a startup rooted in deep tech or science, this session offers a rare look inside what it truly takes to go from lab bench to market.