Today we're thrilled to welcome Pete Martin, founder turned ecosystem architect who's driving Michigan's startup renaissance. From co-founding data security company Alter and scaling through Series B, to returning home to Michigan and discovering a thriving tech scene he never knew existed, Pete shares his journey and vision for the state's entrepreneurial future.

Now at MSU Research Foundation, Pete is building infrastructure to connect founders, track ecosystem growth, and change the perception of what's possible in Michigan.

Key Topics Covered:

• Pete's founder journey from Wall Street to data security startup Alter

• The serendipitous discovery of Michigan's startup ecosystem through Michigan Tech Week

• Why distribution and storytelling are the new competitive advantage in the AI era

• Building Michigan Founders Fund's statewide network and the 1% pledge

• Launching the first Michigan startup job board to connect talent with opportunities

• Creating data infrastructure to measure and showcase Michigan's innovation economy

• Major wins: Duo Security, OneStream, Lineage Logistics, Our Next Energy

• The coming Midwest podcast network and why centralized content distribution matters

• Why Michigan isn't making a comeback - it's already here

Links:

Michigan Founders Fund: https://michiganfoundersfund.com/

Michigan Tech Week: https://michigantechweek.com/

MSU Research Foundation: https://msuresearchfoundation.org/

The Flannel Rocket (podcast network): https://theflannelrocket.com/

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