There’s a place for everyone in entrepreneurship & innovation.

One of the Nation’s Top Universities for Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Attracting visionary students and researchers and empowering them to transform bold ideas into real-world ventures, U-M offers extensive resources, mentorship, and a dynamic community. Innovation thrives across every field—from research and engineering to healthcare, sustainability, business, the arts, and beyond—making U-M a powerhouse for breakthroughs, from medical inventions to sustainable technologies.

We believe entrepreneurship is about action

Experimenting, taking risks, failing forward, and transforming vision into value. Wherever you’re starting, here you’ll find the tools, networks, and resources to fuel your journey.

This Hub is your launchpad to discover your potential, shape your mindset, and connect with bold thinkers driving change on campus and beyond.

The passion and caliber of my peers, the thoughtful discussions, and the extremely well-organized events made ZLI programs a true highlight of my experience at Ross. ZLI represents excellence.

Simon Velez Giraldo

The EXCEL department not only provided me with financial support to raise my work to a higher professional standard, but also gave me invaluable field experience through professional work.

Adithya Sastry

The optiMize community is, above all else, a welcoming and encouraging place of learning. Through conversations with other fellows, facilitators, mentors, or full-time staff, I always felt I was learning a lot and connecting with many opportunities that could help me develop my initiative’s vision.

Madeleine Wren

An Ecosystem Built for Builders

Michigan’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation ecosystem is one of the nation’s most thriving, offering countless ways to explore opportunities, build connections, and develop your ideas with purpose.

Explore the Ecosystem
Success Story

Prototyped a Solution in a Design Lab

Jasmine arrived with only a rough sketch for a sustainability idea. Working in one of U-M’s prototyping labs, she learned how to build and test physical models, eventually creating a working proof-of-concept she showcased at a university innovation event.

Start here

Whether you have an idea or just curiosity, find your entry point into entrepreneurship and innovation at U-M.

FIND opportunities SEE UPCOMING events