Ann Arbor SPARK Entrepreneur Boot Camp: A Launchpad for Startups

Turning a great idea into a thriving business isn’t easy. Ann Arbor SPARK’s Entrepreneur Boot Camp is designed to make that journey smoother, faster, and more effective. This seven-week program equips early-stage, high-tech startups with the tools to refine their business models, sharpen their pitches, and gain real market insights. Using the Lean Startup methodology, founders test their ideas, pivot when necessary, and work alongside experienced mentors to increase their chances of success.

For entrepreneurs seeking structure, expert guidance, and a supportive community, Boot Camp provides a strong foundation to launch and grow a business.

Image courtesy of Ann Arbor SPARK

Who Can Participate?

Ann Arbor SPARK’s entrepreneurial services team supports technology-related, early-stage companies located in the City of Ann Arbor and the City of Ypsilanti with less than $5 million in revenue or capital raised. One of its flagship programs, Boot Camp, is designed specifically for early-stage, high-tech entrepreneurs who are ready to validate their ideas and build a solid business foundation. With only 12 teams accepted per cohort, the selection process is intentionally competitive. Entrepreneurs are chosen based on their stage of readiness, coachability, and ability to take feedback and apply it — ensuring that participants are positioned to make meaningful progress throughout the program.

What’s the Time Commitment?

Held over seven weeks twice a year, Boot Camp blends structured learning with hands-on application. It begins with an intensive half-day session where founders dive into key concepts and refine their business ideas. Weekly three-hour sessions offer a chance to collaborate with mentors, gain real-world feedback, and tackle challenges in a supportive environment.

But the real work happens outside of these meetings. Founders dedicate additional time each week to customer discovery, business model refinement, and market testing. The program requires commitment, but the payoff is worth it — participants leave with a clearer vision, a stronger strategy, and the confidence to take their startup to the next level.

Turning Ideas Into Sustainable Businesses

For many founders, the biggest challenge isn’t just having a great idea — it’s figuring out how to turn that idea into a sustainable business. Boot Camp provides the knowledge, tools, and network to do just that.

Throughout the program, participants develop a stronger business foundation, learning how to refine their value proposition and test their assumptions in real-world scenarios. The structured process helps founders improve their product-market fit by leveraging customer feedback and making necessary adjustments.

One of the most valuable aspects of Boot Camp is the focus on pitching. Founders leave the program with a concise, compelling elevator pitch that clearly communicates the value of their business — an essential skill for securing funding and building partnerships.

Beyond the technical skills, Boot Camp also provides a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors. The connections made during the program often last well beyond the seven weeks, providing ongoing support and collaboration opportunities.

The experience culminates in an in-person pitch competition, where founders showcase their businesses and have the chance to win investment funding. For many, this is the first major step in launching their startup to the next level. This year’s event takes place on April 16 in Ann Arbor: Reserve your spot here.

Denovo Fertility: A Startup Born From Boot Camp

For Jessica Preston, founder of Denovo Fertility, entrepreneurship was a deeply personal journey. After nearly two decades as a physician assistant specializing in OB/GYN and functional medicine, she saw firsthand the gaps in fertility care. Denovo Fertility was created to provide a tech-enabled, holistic approach to helping couples conceive — without immediately resorting to expensive and invasive medical procedures.

When Preston launched her company, she knew she needed more than just medical expertise — she needed a solid foundation in business strategy. That’s when she found SPARK’s Boot Camp.

“I wanted a solid foundation because I didn’t know anything about business or how this was going to work,” Preston said. “I got so much more out of it than I expected.”

One of the most challenging — and rewarding — aspects of Boot Camp was customer discovery. Preston conducted nearly 100 interviews with medical providers and potential customers to better understand the needs of the market. The process gave her invaluable insights into how to refine her offering and reach the right audience.

Beyond the structured learning and mentorship, Boot Camp gave Preston the confidence to pitch her company to investors. That work paid off when she won SPARK’s Pitch Competition in October 2022, earning her recognition, new connections, and business accelerator funding.

Since completing the program, Denovo Fertility has grown significantly. The company has expanded from one flagship program to five fertility programs, making its services more accessible to a wider range of patients. Preston also became the resident fertility expert on Houston’s Vital Signs television show and later launched her own show, The New Health. Through accelerator partnerships with Henry Ford Health Innovations and MSU Research Foundation, Denovo Fertility continues to scale, hiring a full team and launching larger cohorts to serve more couples.

“SPARK helped me turn my vision into reality. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”

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Groundspeed: How SPARK Helped this Startup Secure Millions in Funding

Jeff Mason, CEO of Tropolis, is another founder who benefited from Boot Camp. Before launching his current venture, he co-founded Groundspeed Analytics, an insurtech company that raised over $60 million in venture capital and was acquired in 2023.

Mason participated in SPARK’s Boot Camp in 2015 while preparing to launch Groundspeed. Despite having an MBA from the University of Michigan and years of experience in the corporate world, he quickly realized that starting a company required a different set of skills.

“One thing SPARK Boot Camp forces you to do is pitch your idea to people who may or may not be interested in what you have to say,” Mason said. “You have to tighten your pitch to the point where people truly understand the value of what you’re building.”

Mason credits Boot Camp for helping him refine Groundspeed’s messaging, which ultimately played a huge role in the company’s success. The feedback and coaching he received prepared him to pitch investors, leading to multiple rounds of venture capital funding. But Boot Camp wasn’t just about learning how to pitch — it was about building a network. Mason found immense value in the startup community within the program, forming lasting friendships with other founders facing similar challenges.

“I built long-lasting friendships from that experience. The other entrepreneurs, the conversations outside of the sessions — there was a real sense of community. We were all going through the same struggles together.” 

After successfully selling Groundspeed in 2023, Mason launched Tropolis in early 2024. And while he’s no longer in Boot Camp, the lessons he learned continue to shape his approach to business. “I wouldn’t have Tropolis without Groundspeed. And honestly, I don’t think Groundspeed would have reached the level it did without SPARK.”

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Is SPARK’s Boot Camp Right for You?

For early-stage founders looking for expert guidance, real-world validation, and a supportive startup community, SPARK’s Entrepreneur Boot Camp is an opportunity to take your business to the next level. It’s a challenging program that pushes entrepreneurs to refine their ideas, test their assumptions, and build a strong foundation for growth. But for those who are ready to put in the work, the experience is invaluable.

If you’re serious about launching or growing your startup, SPARK’s Boot Camp might be the next step. Learn more and apply for the next cohort.