Your idea is the beginning.

Mentors, network, rigor, speed–we give you everything Michigan's ecosystem has to offer to scale from concept to market leader. You're not just joining an accelerator. You're joining a legacy of builders who transform industries.

Mentors, network, rigor, speed–we give you everything Michigan's ecosystem has to offer to scale from concept to market leader. You're not just joining an accelerator. You're joining a legacy of builders who transform industries.

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The Desai Advantage

Kickoff Immersion

Over this in-person week-long immersion, we align on what winning looks like and set the foundation for the next four months of focused work together. You'll connect deeply with your cohort, interns, and Desai staff.

Sustained Mentorship

Weekly check-ins with the same mentors for the entire program. They know your business, your challenges, and your trajectory. This isn't a rotating cast of advisors–they’re founders who have been there, committed to your success.

Dedicated Talent

Imagine having an instant team of engineers, designers, and operators with no overhead. We recruit, manage, and pay ten world-class students to execute business, design, and technical projects that move the needle for your company.

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Program Details

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Kickoff Immersion
June 1–June 5
Ann Arbor, MI

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Program Residency
June 8-September 30
Hybrid

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Demo @ Michigan Innovation Reunion
Fall 2026 (TBD)
Ann Arbor, MI

What Desai alumni say about the program

  • A woman with long blonde hair wearing a yellow blouse, standing next to a white wooden post in front of a red barn.

    “They understood my chaos and somehow delivered exactly what I needed- the growth and relationships that followed were next-level."

    Kim Gamez
    Mi Padrino

  • A professional man with short black hair and a white dress shirt standing with arms crossed in a modern office setting.

    "The discipline, structure, and lifelong community from the University of Michigan’s Desai Accelerator were foundational to XRAY’s early success, and the value of being part of this network continues long after graduation. XRAY simply would not be where it is today without unwavering support that the Desai Accelerator poured into us from day one."

    Shams Juma
    XRAY Commerce

  • Headshot of a young woman with black hair, smiling.

    "What really changed my thinking of how to run my business was the dedicated, long-term mentorship I received from Desai. Having weekly meetings with the same mentors was incredibly helpful. They really knew the ins and outs of my business, so the feedback and advice were much more impactful because of it!"

    Natalie Fang
    Nochi

  • "The Desai Accelerator was so critical to Revolin's launch and early growth because it surrounded my founding team, who had very little experience, with mentors, interns, capital and a cohort of supportive peers to help us get through the challenge and tactics of launching a business and product. "

    Hugh Davis
    Revolin Sports

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Your Desai Team

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  • Managing Director

    Angela is responsible for the execution and development of Desai’s business acceleration program, including mentoring and counseling startups and selecting and managing investments. She works closely with the region’s business communities for the benefit of not only the participating startups but also the broader entrepreneurial landscape. Her areas of expertise include storytelling, design thinking, human-centered design, customer discovery, strategic planning, creative leadership, and innovation narratives. Angela earned the Foundations in Creative Leadership, Leading for Creativity, Cultivating Creative Collaboration and Storytelling for Influence certifications from IDEO and previously held the Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Investment Management Analyst certifications. Angela earned a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Design Methods (now Master of Science in Strategic Design Leadership) from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology.

  • Program Manager

    Katia Kassof supports the execution and development of the Desai Accelerator program, including managing the elite student internship program. She serves as project manager for work submitted by participant startups that is executed by internal and external multidisciplinary teams. Prior to joining Desai, Katia worked as a Program Coordinator at the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies where she managed the Dare to Dream Grant program for student startups and coordinated additional student programs that fostered innovation and entrepreneurship. Katia earned an MBA from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Michigan State University, with minors in Bioethics and Health Promotion.

  • Entrepreneur-In-Residence

    Satish Malnaik is a technology and venture creation enthusiast driven by a passion for innovation. He is CEO and co-founder of NextServices, leading a global team delivering a cloud health technology platform and knowledge-based revenue cycle services.

    Satish is an experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and health care industry. He leads Innovation in Digital Health Strategy, AI/ML/Automation, EHRs, Revenue Cycle Management, and Health Data. He is skilled in Management, Healthcare Management, Digital Health, Business Development, and Startup Innovation.

    Satish is an executive advisor and development professional with a MBA and focus in Business Strategy from University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business and an MS in Engineering from the University of Toledo.

  • Entrepreneur-In-Residence

    Danny Ellis is a two-time University of Michigan Aerospace Engineering graduate who co-founded SkySpecs in 2012 and served as CEO until early 2025. Under Danny's leadership, SkySpecs revolutionized wind turbine blade inspection by utilizing custom-built autonomous drones and data management platform to prioritize predictive maintenance. Danny led fundraising efforts, raising mover than $120m in venture capital and private equity and brought together three European acquisitions to create the market leader in wind farm asset management. Danny is an Endeavor Entrepreneur (2017) and Techstars alum (2015).

    Today, Danny advises emerging tech ventures with a focus on renewable energy, robotics, automation, and data analytics. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife and three daughters.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We believe the greatest innovations emerge when analytical thinking meets entrepreneurial courage. Our approach combines the methodical precision of academic research with the rapid iteration of startup culture, creating an environment where breakthrough technologies and business models can flourish.

    Our Three Pillars of Excellence:

    Intellectual Capital: Access to cutting-edge research, faculty expertise, and academic resources that fuel innovation

    Network Amplification: Tap into Michigan's 630,000+ alumni across every industry and continent

    Systematic Growth: Our data-driven methodology combines academic rigor with startup agility

  • Yes, one of the founders must be an upcoming graduate or alumnus of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor to apply.

  • To qualify for the Desai Accelerator, your venture must meet these criteria:

    • Founded or co-founded by at least one University of Michigan-Ann Arbor alumnus

    • Early-stage tech-enabled startup with validated concept

    • Scalable business model with significant market opportunity

    • Full-time team commitment to the program for its entire duration

  • We prefer applicants that have completed rigorous customer discovery, have a working MVP or beta version of your product, early customer traction, and market validation.

  • Our 2026 startup accelerator program will run from June 1-September 30, 2026.

  • It is challenging to build a scalable startup alone, so we strongly encourage teams of at least two people with a cross-disciplinary skill set.

  • You must be in person, in Ann Arbor, MI, for the first week of the program, June 1-June 5, 2026. Otherwise, you can attend remotely until the 1.5-day Michigan Innovation Reunion event in Fall 2026 (TBD).

  • If the founder(s) will graduate before the start of the program, we encourage you to apply. If not, please consider the Desai student internship.

    There are a lot of additional great resources for student entrepreneurs through the University of Michigan for like the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurship.

  • Applications for the 2026 program are now closed. We will open applications for the 2027 program in late 2026.

Consideration timeline:

Application deadline: Sunday, February 8, 2026

First round interviews: early March

Second round interviews: late March–early April

Offers extended: mid-late April

Program Term: June 1–September 30, 2026

In-Person Requirement: June 1 – June 5, 2026 (F/T)

2026 Applicant Info

Applications for the 2026 cohort are now closed.