eLab Ventures

eLab Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2012, with operations in both Ann Arbor, Michigan, and San Mateo, California. The firm focuses on investing in emerging technology markets, particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence, big data, and biotechnology. By bridging innovative entrepreneurial ecosystems outside of Silicon Valley, eLab Ventures aims to identify startups that demonstrate disruptive innovations, strong leadership, and capital-efficient business models capable of addressing substantial market needs. The firm is committed to nurturing transformative ideas by connecting entrepreneurs with the necessary capital and expertise to develop impactful companies.

Frederick Bolander

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Rick Bolander

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Paul Brown

Partner

Thomas Kinnear

Special Partner

Douglas Neal

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Bob Stefanski

Managing Director

Past deals in Michigan

MemryX

Series A in 2021
MemryX Inc. specializes in developing in-memory computing chips designed to enhance performance for data-intensive applications, surpassing traditional CPU and GPU architectures. The company has created the Memory Processing Unit (MPU), a large-scale, non-volatile in-memory compute processor specifically tailored for artificial intelligence, machine learning, edge computing, and big data. Utilizing a novel semiconductor storage technology known as resistive random-access memory (ReRAM), the MPU integrates memory and processing capabilities into cohesive memory-compute blocks. This innovative approach eliminates data movement bottlenecks, providing exceptional energy efficiency and computational density. Established in 2018 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, MemryX aims to optimize efficiency and flexibility in computing systems.

Traxen

Seed Round in 2021
Traxen is a developer of a cloud-based intelligent cruise control system aimed at enhancing driving efficiency and safety. The platform is designed to optimize fuel consumption by adjusting driving styles based on various factors, including weather, traffic, and road conditions. By considering the hours of service and time of arrival requirements, Traxen's technology not only helps drivers achieve significant cost savings on fuel but also contributes to lower insurance and training expenses. The company's innovations support safer driving practices, promoting a smarter approach to transportation while contributing to energy conservation and overall safety on the roads.

Refraction AI

Seed Round in 2021
Refraction AI, Inc., an autonomous delivery robot company, builds and deploys robotic platforms to provide goods delivery in urban areas. It offers The REV-1, a delivery robotic vehicle that picks up goods from restaurants, pharmacies, and grocery stores, and bring them directly to the customers’ house. Refraction AI, Inc. was founded in 2017 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Refraction AI

Funding Round in 2020
Refraction AI, Inc., an autonomous delivery robot company, builds and deploys robotic platforms to provide goods delivery in urban areas. It offers The REV-1, a delivery robotic vehicle that picks up goods from restaurants, pharmacies, and grocery stores, and bring them directly to the customers’ house. Refraction AI, Inc. was founded in 2017 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Voxel51

Seed Round in 2019
Voxel51 is an AI software company that enables computer vision data scientists to rapidly curate and experiment with their datasets in order to build higher performing machine learning systems.

MemryX

Seed Round in 2019
MemryX Inc. specializes in developing in-memory computing chips designed to enhance performance for data-intensive applications, surpassing traditional CPU and GPU architectures. The company has created the Memory Processing Unit (MPU), a large-scale, non-volatile in-memory compute processor specifically tailored for artificial intelligence, machine learning, edge computing, and big data. Utilizing a novel semiconductor storage technology known as resistive random-access memory (ReRAM), the MPU integrates memory and processing capabilities into cohesive memory-compute blocks. This innovative approach eliminates data movement bottlenecks, providing exceptional energy efficiency and computational density. Established in 2018 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, MemryX aims to optimize efficiency and flexibility in computing systems.

Refraction AI

Funding Round in 2019
Refraction AI, Inc., an autonomous delivery robot company, builds and deploys robotic platforms to provide goods delivery in urban areas. It offers The REV-1, a delivery robotic vehicle that picks up goods from restaurants, pharmacies, and grocery stores, and bring them directly to the customers’ house. Refraction AI, Inc. was founded in 2017 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Traxen

Seed Round in 2018
Traxen is a developer of a cloud-based intelligent cruise control system aimed at enhancing driving efficiency and safety. The platform is designed to optimize fuel consumption by adjusting driving styles based on various factors, including weather, traffic, and road conditions. By considering the hours of service and time of arrival requirements, Traxen's technology not only helps drivers achieve significant cost savings on fuel but also contributes to lower insurance and training expenses. The company's innovations support safer driving practices, promoting a smarter approach to transportation while contributing to energy conservation and overall safety on the roads.

Blue Medora

Series B in 2017
Blue Medora is pioneering total IT system insight without plugins. Its software easily connects system health and performance data--no matter its source--with the world’s leading monitoring and analytics platforms, breaking barriers to today’s IT challenges. Based in Grand Rapids, Mich, Blue Medora helps more than 350 customers to unlock Dimensional Data across their IT stack.

Blue Medora

Series B in 2016
Blue Medora is pioneering total IT system insight without plugins. Its software easily connects system health and performance data--no matter its source--with the world’s leading monitoring and analytics platforms, breaking barriers to today’s IT challenges. Based in Grand Rapids, Mich, Blue Medora helps more than 350 customers to unlock Dimensional Data across their IT stack.

Clinc

Seed Round in 2016
Clinc, Inc. is a company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence software applications, primarily focused on creating advanced conversational AI platforms. The technology enables enterprises to build sophisticated virtual assistants capable of understanding and responding to user input with a high degree of accuracy. Unlike traditional speech-to-text systems, Clinc's platform analyzes various factors such as wording, sentiment, intent, tone of voice, and contextual information to provide nuanced responses. This approach is powered by cutting-edge machine learning and deep neural networks, which allow the system to continually enhance its knowledge base with each interaction. Originally founded in 2015 as Clarity Lab Inc., Clinc serves multiple industries, including banking, automotive, gaming, and healthcare, and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Strata Oncology

Series A in 2016
Strata Oncology is a precision oncology company dedicated to transforming cancer care by expanding patient access to precision medicine clinical trials and accelerating drug approval. Strata's national precision oncology platform serves the needs of patients, providers and drug developers by providing a link from patient screening to streamlined enrollment in mutation-matched clinical trials. Follow us on Twitter @StrataOncology.

Clinc

Seed Round in 2015
Clinc, Inc. is a company that specializes in developing artificial intelligence software applications, primarily focused on creating advanced conversational AI platforms. The technology enables enterprises to build sophisticated virtual assistants capable of understanding and responding to user input with a high degree of accuracy. Unlike traditional speech-to-text systems, Clinc's platform analyzes various factors such as wording, sentiment, intent, tone of voice, and contextual information to provide nuanced responses. This approach is powered by cutting-edge machine learning and deep neural networks, which allow the system to continually enhance its knowledge base with each interaction. Originally founded in 2015 as Clarity Lab Inc., Clinc serves multiple industries, including banking, automotive, gaming, and healthcare, and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Akadeum Life Sciences

Seed Round in 2015
Akadeum Life Sciences is working on the problem of isolating mammalian and bacterial cells from complex mixtures. It creates the simplest bioseparation products and fundamentally change the way that isolating cells and other biological targets approached. The company currently uses microbubbles for applications in cell separation and other related areas. Akadeum Life Sciences was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.

Blue Medora

Series A in 2015
Blue Medora is pioneering total IT system insight without plugins. Its software easily connects system health and performance data--no matter its source--with the world’s leading monitoring and analytics platforms, breaking barriers to today’s IT challenges. Based in Grand Rapids, Mich, Blue Medora helps more than 350 customers to unlock Dimensional Data across their IT stack.

Akadeum Life Sciences

Seed Round in 2014
Akadeum Life Sciences is working on the problem of isolating mammalian and bacterial cells from complex mixtures. It creates the simplest bioseparation products and fundamentally change the way that isolating cells and other biological targets approached. The company currently uses microbubbles for applications in cell separation and other related areas. Akadeum Life Sciences was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.