Investor profile
Wakestream Ventures
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Wakestream Ventures finds its motivation and inspiration from the Midwest's rich history in innovation, industrial design, manufacturing, and emerging technology. The firm considers itself an early-stage generalist fund, backing 'fascinating founders' working where physical products converge with the internet — spanning IoT, connected devices, vertical SaaS for legacy industries, medical devices, mobility, and industrial automation. Initial check sizes range from $150K–$500K, with follow-on commitments for 2nd and 3rd rounds up to $1.5M cumulative.
Notable quotes
“Driven by curiosity and a desire to empower and connect others, Rick founded Wakestream Ventures to help launch innovative startup companies through early-stage investments.”
“Wakestream Ventures wears the hat of early-stage financier and likes startups that take advantage of the Midwest expertise in manufacturing and global enterprise. Wakestream backs fascinating founders working where physical products converge with the internet.”
Recent investments
| Company | Round | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| webAI | Later Stage VC | — | 2025-12-19 |
| Scorbit | Seed | $5m | 2025-11-13 |
| Sunflower Labs | Series B | $16m | 2025-11-04 |
| Hydra Host | Seed | — | 2025-10-14 |
| Poppy | Series A | — | 2025-08-27 |
| ATLAS Space Operations | Series B | — | 2024-09-04 |
| CertifID | Seed | — | — |
| PlayVS | Seed | — | — |
| Orbion Space Technology | Series A | $9m | 2019-08-28 |
| Workit Health | Seed | $1m | 2016-08-09 |
Frequent co-investors
| VC firm | Deals together |
|---|---|
| Michigan Capital Network | 4 |
| Grand Ventures | 3 |
| Ann Arbor SPARK | 3 |
| Michigan Rise | 2 |
| Invest Detroit Ventures | 2 |
| Tappan Hill Ventures | 2 |
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