We did it! Thank you, from all of us at optiMize, for the generosity you demonstrate on a daily basis and especially on days like today.

Even though Giving Tuesday is over, you can continue to support optiMize. Visit our main online giving site.

Help us fund students changing the world!

An immersive experience among a thriving startup community is pivotal for new entrepreneurs. That’s why optiMize is seeking help to fund memberships at Bamboo Ann Arbor, an off-site collaboration space for startups, for our anticipated 32 students enrolled in our 2026 Summer Fellowship Program.

This 8-week program supports students from optiMize’s Social Innovation Challenge who are selected to receive funding and support to launch their ventures. We offer an advanced curriculum for our early entrepreneurs with engaging workshops and guest speakers in a space right in the center of an entrepreneurial hub.

WHY GIVE?

optiMize helps students of all ages and majors turn ideas into impact. We are the largest student-led social innovation incubator in the country.

We create a supportive community for students to build skills, pursue passions, and take action to create impact—whether that means starting a company, creating a student org, collaborating with an existing organization, launching a creative project, or developing an activist effort.

Access to Bamboo Ann Arbor provides a space for students to immerse themselves in a community, working alongside other start-ups. The space itself has become central to economic growth in the state. They offer weekly pitch and networking events that are a catalyst for students to grow their confidence and belief in their ventures.


The Regents of the University of Michigan has 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt status. Federal tax ID number: 38-6006309