Revisiting SIC: Our Alumni Teams are Thriving
In 2012, optiMize had a vision of being a program where students at the University of Michigan could test out their ideas and explore their interests through their own self-directed projects. Twelve years later, we are the largest student-led social innovation program now supporting more than 1,000 students annually in their efforts as they ask themselves “why not me”. Because of you, we’ve been able to lean into our mission of cultivating a community where people can confidently pursue their visions for a more socially just and sustainable future. Because of your generous support, we have funded 303 startups of which 35% are still active. Below are just a few who are continuing to make significant progress and impact. We are so incredibly thankful for your support of our program and our students - we could not do this without you.
GoNanas
Annie and Morgan, the founders of GoNanas, posing together with their product.
Cohort 6, 2018
GoNanas is #notyournanas banana bread. We are a women-owned, vegan, gluten free, and allergen-friendly banana bread company at the forefront of the #1 comfort food trend. Even today, we often share the video of us receiving our first funding - a $9000 check from optiMize - that enabled us to open up our first commercial kitchen in Ann Arbor. optiMize helped us lay the foundation for what GoNanas is today. Even though the business has changed drastically, those first years were transformative. We've since received 2 rounds of funding from the University of Michigan as we continue to maintain our relationship with our Alma Mater and the place where GoNanas all began!
Carson, the founder of Old Time Surfcraft, looking at the framework for one of his wooden surf boards.
Old Time Surfcraft
Cohort 10, 2022
Thanks to the support, education and funding I received from the optiMize community, I was able to take my project to new levels. optiMize provided a framework for sustaining the work I was doing to build sustainable wooden surf boards and helped me learn how to include others to continue the project even after graduating from the University. I started with a few wooden surfboards built in my garage. Now, Old Time Surfcraft has grown into three new prototypes for Great Lakes surfboards and an evolving effort to communicate sustainability and support others in building sustainable watercraft.
Members of Paani working with children as part of their efforts to address Pakistan’s Water Crisis
Cohort 7, 2019
optiMize has been supporting our journey with Paani since 2017, when we were just a small student org building our mission to provide clean water to millions of people around the world. Since being funded by optiMize, we were nominated by optiMize and selected for the Clinton Global Initiative. We also received the Princess Diana Legacy Award from HRH William, Prince of Wales for providing 1 million villagers in Pakistan access to clean, healthy water. This award is considered the most prestigious accolade a young person can receive for their social action or humanitarian work and we are so honored to be able to do this work and with the support of optiMize.
Oshki
Oshki team cleaning up trash from the shoreline. There are 7 people in the photo picking up trash from the shoreline.
The back of an Oshki shirt. The shirt—listed as Ancient Sturgeon Performance Long-sleeve on the Oshki site—features three pictures of different parts of a Sturgeon with a red and green tint.
Cohort 7, 2019
optiMize transformed my Michigan experience for the better and allowed me to pursue Oshki at a level I did not believe was possible: from a passion project to a true small business. optiMize's generosity allowed me to speak with manufacturers that focused on custom apparel development and meet minimum order quantities I otherwise wouldn't have been able to reach. This paired with the extensive mentor network made optiMize a perfect match for the growth of Oshki.
A plot of seedlings planted by Refugee Gardens board members, volunteers, and Refugee Gardens’ founder to lay the framework for their flower garden.
Refugee Gardens
Cohort 7, 2019
optiMize played an indispensable role in bolstering the launch and sustainability of Refugee Garden Initiatives (RGI). Their generous funding provided the essential means for us to purchase supplies which were pivotal in kickstarting our initiative. What's more, they supported the creation of a poignant 30-minute documentary telling the compelling story of RGI, from its inception to completion, offering personal narratives from our clients on why the garden holds such profound importance for them and the community at large. Through our journey with optiMize, we have honed leadership skills, becoming more effective advocates for our cause. This experience has truly been life-changing, affording the opportunity of a lifetime to be an entrepreneur and feel confidently equipped to make a substantial difference in the world.
People performing music at the third edition of Àkójopò’s annual concert, Orin Tuntun, in 2023 at the Musical Society of Nigeria Center in Lagos. This concert was a tribute to Professor Bode Omojola.
Cohort 8, 2020
Daniel Kumapayi founded the Àkójọpọ̀ Music Foundation in 2020 to create accessible means for Nigerian musicians in Lagos. “When I founded Àkójọpọ̀, I was just a double bass major and music educator. As a musician I wanted to play music from my own culture, but there were just so many barriers.” Since 2023 Àkójọpọ̀ has rebranded itself, transforming a grassroots performing arts organization into a global Pan-African music and education center. More than just a digital sheet music store, this is a vibrant global community and educational center dedicated to Pan-African musical heritage and innovation.
Revolin Sports
Two members of the Revolin Sports team working to engineer their specialty pickle ball paddles.
Cohort 8, 2020
After receiving value mentorship, education and funding from the optiMize community, we were named a finalist in the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund, managed by InvestUp and got the opportunity to partner with the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund (MOIF). With funding from the MOIF and other key investor partners, Revolin Sports will continue to supply the rapidly growing pickleball players base with high-quality, Michigan-made pickleball equipment that improves performance and reduces environmental impact. Revolin Sports is also launching a new effort in 2025 to bring their patent-pending, advanced biomaterials like BioFLX™ and LavaFLX™ to other sports markets and to the marine and auto industries through Revolin Technologies™.