Innovate Marquette SmartZone (Innovate Marquette) released its Impact Report, covering fiscal year 2025 (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025). The report shares milestones from its startup clients, economic impact from the year and since inception and highlights critical public-private partnerships and community events.
In FY25, Innovate Marquette:
- Helped startups secure $3.2 million in follow-on funding
- Supported 21 new clients (startups or entrepreneurs)
- Helped 11 new businesses take flight
- Facilitated successful business outcomes, resulting in 53 new jobs
Follow-on funding refers to additional investments received by a company after initial funds are raised to support operations research, development and other expenses. Follow-on funding comes from angel investors, grant funding, loans and community resources.
“A future-ready economy will benefit us all,” said Joe Thiel, CEO of Innovate Marquette. “We’ve been fortunate enough to work with partners across public and private sectors and incredible startups to build business infrastructure over the years, positioning Marquette as a magnet for tech entrepreneurs across the Midwest and beyond.”
In FY25, Innovate Marquette supported startups like SwimSmart Technology, Syncurrent, Myconaut, Invivus Technologies, Authsnap, Superior Genomics, TerraHike Outdoors, Quickie Tech, United Way of Marquette County, and others. Innovate Marquette has additionally supported outdoor-focused innovation from teams like Electric Outdoors, Livaq, HSI Relax Release and others.
Innovate Marquette offers valuable resources to innovators, entrepreneurs and business owners in the Marquette area. They support technology-based innovations, new business ventures, new job creation and existing business expansion by leveraging our local and state-wide network to bring funding, workforce talent and a collaborative mindset to the Marquette entrepreneurial ecosystem and beyond.
The impact report is available for free download on the Innovate Marquette website: https://innovatemarquette.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Impact-Report-FY2025-Website.pdf