ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund (A2EF) supports entrepreneurs and investors by connecting them with their peers and the community and provides a platform for them to give back to Washtenaw County through equity donations. A2EF is excited to recognize the leadership and generosity of Jen Baird, Kathleen Craig, Marianna Kerppola and Evan Ufer, in pledging 1% of their equity to the A2EF endowment fund at the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.
“Poisera's mission is to ensure no mother feels alone. And in many ways, A2EF provides that support and security for entrepreneurs by creating a supportive community,” said Marianna Kerppola, founder and CEO of Poisera.
Poisera, based in Ann Arbor, helps moms cultivate resilience in pregnancy and postpartum using a chatbot that delivers the right support at the right time. Poisera is available in the Apple Store and Google Play. For more information, visit: https://www.poisera.com/.
Also joining A2EF in making a pledge to the community, is Evan Ufer, Partner at Plymouth Growth. Plymouth Growth is a growth-stage venture capital firm investing in leading technology businesses locally and across the Midwest.
“I’m excited to be making a commitment to this great organization, as well as helping to support positive impact and inclusivity across the local entrepreneurial community,” said Evan Ufer. “It is critical that the local venture capital ecosystem participates in this growing culture of giving - especially in 2020 - and what a fantastic opportunity to do so by partnering with Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund, the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation and the leaders across both organizations.”
In addition to pledging 1% of their business success back to the community, Fifth Eye founder and CEO, Jen Baird and HT Mobile Apps (HTMA) founder and CEO, Kathleen Craig, will join the Steering Committee of A2EF to directly support the organization in developing programs and opportunities that create a stronger, more inclusive startup ecosystem. They round out a seven-person committee that includes Dug Song, Adrian Fortino, Doug Neal, Bhushan Kulkarni and Jeff Rinvelt.
“Having built several companies in the Ann Arbor area, I know the value of this community. It is my priority to contribute to the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and support other founders as well as ensure part of my business success translates to positive local impact. This is the mission of A2EF and I am excited to get more involved in supporting our community,” said Jen Baird.
Adding her perspective on joining A2EF, Kathleen Craig states, “Although I was born and raised in Ann Arbor, I did not realize how fortunate we are to have the entrepreneurial resources we do until starting my company. As I have grown HTMA and been connected to other ecosystems, I am very proud of the community we have and want to continue to give back and support further growth for my fellow present and future entrepreneurs.”
Fifth Eye Inc. is an Ann Arbor, Michigan start-up that is developing intuitive real-time clinical analytics based on physiologic waveforms to improve outcomes and reduce costs. Born in a hospital and taught by clinicians, Fifth Eye’s licensed technology from the University of Michigan is in the process of gaining FDA clearance for in-hospital continuous monitoring of patient clinical trajectory. For more information, please visit www.fiftheye.com.
Michigan-based HTMA is an innovative FinTech company serving banks and credit unions across the country to easily and cost-effectively introduce new services for attracting and retaining customers. HTMA offerings include Banker Jr., Member Jr., Hip Pocket and Plinqit, the first savings app of its kind that pays users for engaging with content through its patent-pending Build Skills™. For more information, visit www.htmobileapps.com.
Poisera, Plymouth Growth, Fifth Eye and HT Mobile Apps join a growing number of startup founders and venture investors who are committing portions of their future business success back to the community through the Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund. Launched in 2019, A2EF is a network of entrepreneurs and investors in Washtenaw County who have made a commitment of 1% of company equity, investment carry or annual profits back to the community. A2EF already has 22 pledged members.
About the Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Ann Arbor Entrepreneurs Fund (A2EF) was founded in 2019 to foster startup and community growth in Washtenaw County. A2EF serves as a platform for founder-to-founder peer exchange by offering unique programming opportunities that aid entrepreneurs in building their ventures while connecting them more closely with their community. The platform for A2EF is the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, a local nonprofit that stewards over $150 million in charitable assets, grants millions of dollars every year to Washtenaw County nonprofits, and can help interested entrepreneurs become effective community changemakers.
