Startup Garage

Connecting and equipping faith-driven entrepreneurs through supportive cohorts, practical resources & expert mentorship.

08/18/2026

Dana Roefer never planned to start a school.
While working in project management at a web design firm, she formed a close relationship with a client, the founder of Journey Academy, and found herself drawn to a different vision for education: one built on real-life skills, individualized pace, and hands-on learning, the kind of schooling she'd wished for as a student herself. When the chance came to bring the Academy to Grand Rapids, Dana and her husband Matt said yes, bootstrapping the school themselves.
What began with seven students in a borrowed classroom has since grown into a thriving Christ-centered, Montessori-based school, and inspired three more locations across West Michigan. Dana's story is a reminder that saying "yes" to God doesn't come with a five-year plan, but it plants seeds only He can grow.

08/04/2026

Join us for Coffee & Connections: Startup Garage Open Hours - a casual, come-and-go meet-up for entrepreneurs, founders, creatives, and anyone curious about the startup space.

Grab a cup (on us), meet fellow founders, and get a feel for the local startup community. Whether you're just starting to dream something up or already deep in the build, there's a seat at the table for you.

Wednesday, August 12, from 8 - 10 am, at Wildroast in Grandville.
RSVP through the link in our bio. See you there.

08/03/2026

Ben Moes spent years on a traditional corporate path, deliberately steering clear of service-based work - in his words, "your product is people," and selling services felt like a never-ending job interview. Then COVID hit.
As employee #1 at a venture-backed startup, he watched the funding disappear and found himself suddenly out of work. Consulting to make ends meet slowly turned into something more, but the early days of building alone brought a challenge Ben hadn't expected: loneliness, and a season of feeling directionless.
It was time spent in prayer that finally surfaced his "why", not just to build products, but to build people, and to help others chase their own entrepreneurial dreams. That conviction became Moetion Technologies, a company still driven today by the belief that growing people and growing a business go hand in hand.

07/28/2026

Need a more compelling elevator pitch? Want your team on the same page?

Join us for a hands-on session on Strategic Vision Mapping with Dayna Beal, a Strategic Growth Guide who's worked with organizations from startups to Fortune 500.

You'll leave with an initial vision map for your own business: why you exist, what makes you unique, what you do, who you serve, and where you're headed.

Free, as always. Link in bio to register.

07/23/2026

Congratulations to these founders! Ten Startup Garage founders were just named 2026 Start Garden 100 semi-finalists, out of hundreds of submissions from across West Michigan.

Diala Ajaero, Ephraim Dykstra, Nathan Gaston, Ethan Han, Lee Horning, Mike Luyckx, Sebastian Madlangbayan, Alexis Rocha, Josh Ross, and Amy Stratbucker - we're cheering you on!

This is what redemptive entrepreneurship looks like: real ideas, real risk, and a community that shows up to build something that lasts.

07/21/2026

Mya Stone is the founder of Stone Capital Partners, where she guides business owners through the mergers and acquisitions process - work she sees as far more than a transaction. Her path started with a pivot: leaving law school at Harvard for business, then learning the entrepreneurial ropes firsthand as a founder and later through the humbling discovery that her drive was better suited to building than to working for someone else.
That experience shaped her core belief, that a deal's success rests less on the numbers and more on the character, communication, and trust between buyer and seller. As a redemptive entrepreneur, Mya brings that same conviction to every conversation she has with founders: business is ultimately about people, and done well, it can transform more than a balance sheet.

07/17/2026

Every great story has a hero, a guide, and an obstacle. In your business, guess who's the hero? Not you.

Yesterday, Kris Mathis broke down how the best brands write their story: the customer struggling with a real problem, and the business quietly playing the guide. The takeaway that stuck: write your log line, one to two sentences, including the customer + problem + your plan + the outcome, and the rest of your marketing gets a lot easier to write.

07/07/2026

Most entrepreneurs have a great product, but struggle to communicate why it matters.

Kris Mathis is hosting a live marketing and branding intensive for entrepreneurs and business owners who are ready to get clear on their message, connect with the right audience, and start seeing real traction in their business.

Come ready to do the work and leave with a brand strategy you can put into action right away. See you there!

01/12/2026

Our 2025 Year in Review & Impact Report is now live on our blog, highlighting the stories, milestones, and community that continue to shape our work along with a look at how we’re stewarding what’s been entrusted to us.

If you’ve partnered with us, supported our mission, or are curious about what we’re building together, we’d love for you to take a look.

👉 Read the full Year in Review & Impact Report here: https://www.startupgarage.org/sg-blog/2025-year-in-review-amp-impact-report

Thank you for being part of the journey, we’re excited for what’s ahead!

01/09/2026

As we reflect on 2025, we’re incredibly grateful for the leaders and speakers who shared their time, wisdom, and experience with the Startup Garage community this past year.

Your willingness to show up, tell the real story, share your faith, and pour into founders made a lasting impact—and we are better because of it. Thank you for partnering with us to equip and encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs.

We’re excited to share our 2025 Year in Review & Impact Report, highlighting the stories, growth, and community made possible through partnerships like yours.

👉 View the full report here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q8NTGQSmYhRqOvEfw13-qw6ehLoQZYCb/view?usp=drive_link

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1810 E Beltline Avenue SE
Grand Rapids, MI
49546

Website

https://startupgarage.org/

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