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Southwest Michigan First
http://www.southwestmichiganfirst.com/Last activity: 29.10.2025
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Southwest Michigan First is an organization of privately funded economic development advisors who act as the catalyst for economic growth in Southwest Michigan. Founded in 1999 on the principle that the most powerful force for change is a job, the organization works to create jobs across all industries throughout the eight counties that make up the Southwest Michigan Region.
Southwest Michigan First’s unique model of philanthropy and capitalism is internationally recognized from Melbourne to Vancouver for its innovation in economic development. Looking to expand, locate or start something new? Our team and services are focused on connecting community capital to respond to our customers’ needs, wants and desires to generate meaningful results.
Community driven, Southwest Michigan First is committed to company growth, government and education alignment, acceleration of its vibrant core communities, talent development and communication of its regional advantages.
Southwest Michigan First’s unique model of philanthropy and capitalism is internationally recognized from Melbourne to Vancouver for its innovation in economic development. Looking to expand, locate or start something new? Our team and services are focused on connecting community capital to respond to our customers’ needs, wants and desires to generate meaningful results.
Community driven, Southwest Michigan First is committed to company growth, government and education alignment, acceleration of its vibrant core communities, talent development and communication of its regional advantages.
Overview
Location
United States, Michigan, Kalamazoo
Employees
11-50
Founded date
1999
Mentions in press and media 16
| Date | Title | Description |
| Sign up to see | Sign up to see | Sign up to see |
| Jul 22, 2014 | MoneyTree Reports $121M in MI Venture Deals Last Quarter | Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter LinkedIn Email Reprints Venture Capital investors had a very active second quarter of 2014, according to the latest MoneyTree report. VCs invested almost $13 billion in 1,114 U.S. startups during the... |
| Oct 17, 2012 | Tolera Therapeutics Closes $5.5M Series B-3 Financing | Tolera Therapeutics Inc., a Kalamazoo, Michigan-based biotechnology company focusing on the development of immunotherapeutics directed at the transplantation, autoimmune and oncology markets, has closed its $5.5m Series B-3 financing. The r... |
| May 7, 2012 | Monteris Medical Raises $9M in Funding | Monteris Medical Inc., a Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada-based medical device company dedicated to the development of innovative MRI guided, laser-based cancer treatments, has raised $9m in funding. The round was led by Business Development Bank... |
| Jan 13, 2012 | Axonia Medical Raises $1 Million in Seed Financing | Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter LinkedIn Email Reprints [Corrected 1/16/12, 1:20 p.m. See below.] When Xconomy’s biotech editor Luke Timmerman first wrote about Axonia Medical in January 2011, he wondered if the Kalamazoo, MI-based... |
| Jan 4, 2012 | Biotech startup puts new spin on regenerative medicine for nervous system repair | “There’s not a well-established market or standard of care for peripheral nervous system injuries, and a number of injuries with large lesions or that are close to the spinal cord can’t be treated right now,” he said. The startup company’s ... |
| Apr 13, 2011 | Michigan lifescience venture fund raises $15M; seeks another $35M | The goal is to look at companies nationwide and locally, but to invest in companies that have major operations in southwest Michigan. That focus is apparent even in the name of the fund; SWMF stands for Southwest Michigan First. The fund is... |
| Jun 22, 2010 | Monteris Medical drums up $3.4 million for brain tumor laser treatment | By Brandon Glenn Monteris Medical Inc. raised $3.4 million in an equity round for a device that enables minimally invasive laser surgery for brain tumors, according to a regulatory filing. Monteris hopes to stretch the funding round to abou... |
| Jun 22, 2010 | Monteris Medical raises $3.4M for brain surgery device | The AutoLITT combines three technologies: a laser-induced thermal therapy, real-time MRI heat monitoring and minimally invasive MRI-guided surgical procedures. Monteris plans to use the capital to fund its sales operations, Duncan said. The... |
| Jun 7, 2010 | Tolera Therapeutics gets $4M for organ transplant rejection drug | Tolera also plans to clinically investigate the drug’s ability to fight other autoimmune disorders, such as Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, Herrmann said. Those trials could start in about a year. The company may raise another $2 mi... |
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FAQ about Southwest Michigan First
When was Southwest Michigan First founded?
Southwest Michigan First was founded in 1999.
What has the press written about Southwest Michigan First?
Parsers VC has collected 16 articles mentioning Southwest Michigan First, among them “MoneyTree Reports $121M in MI Venture Deals Last Quarter” (Jul 22, 2014) and “Tolera Therapeutics Closes $5.5M Series B-3 Financing” (Oct 17, 2012).
Is Southwest Michigan First still active?
Yes, Southwest Michigan First is active; its latest activity on Parsers VC dates from Oct 29, 2025.