University of Montana Griz Seed Fund

Launched in 2024, the University of Montana Startup Studio returns this year with an even bigger mission: provide seed funding to UM students to help move their ideas to the next stage of market value. Through the new Griz Seed Fund, student teams can apply for up to $1,000 to take a next step toward testing their business.

Thank you to the Folley Family Foundation and Connor Folley for their support, and to Dean Suzanne Tilleman, Ph.D. and Associate Dean Isho Tama-Sweet of the The University of Montana – College of Business for their invaluable input and inspiration into this next stage of development of the UM Startup Studio.

Innovation is a long, uncertain process, but it always starts with an idea. The goal of the Griz Seed Fund is to help support and grow this idea into something more. For one team, that might mean building a first prototype. For another, it might mean putting a product in front of customers and finding out if they’d actually pay for it (turns out, that’s the tough part). Others might use the fund to generate initial revenue, the best indication of true market value. And it will all happen within the UM Startup Studio, providing a weekly cohort workshop model to support these young entrepreneurs as they move toward establishing market value.

I should probably also mention the most exciting part: UM students will help decide which student teams get funded through the official activation of Grizzly Ventures (https://lnkd.in/gm9NxWEf). GV was launched by University of Montana MBA Program graduate John Caleb Harman in 2024 as part of the Startup Studio kickoff (apologies to John for the two year timeline to get this launched–but remember that innovation is a process!). UM students will work alongside mentors to review applications and budgets and weigh what each team could learn or accomplish with the funding. Also SUPER excited to work with Harmen Steele Ph.D. and the University of Montana Office of Research and Creative Scholarship to further develop these programs on the UM campus!

If you’re a UM student with an idea you’re ready to test, or would like to join Grizzly Ventures to learn more about supporting and selecting student startups for funding, message me here or email me at [email protected] for details.