Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund invests in outdoor recreation

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – An InvestUP project is funding outdoor recreation in Michigan.

The Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund has announced its first recipients.

Mullybox is a subscription service that delivers boxes of golfing supplies every three months. It’s based in the Eastern Lower Peninsula.

It has received $100,000 from the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund.

CEO Drew Amato said this money can be a game-changer for smaller businesses.

“As a startup company, there’s a lot of uncertainty. There’s a lot of risks, a lot of challenges,” Amato said.

InvestUP and the MEDC started the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund earlier this year.

InvestUP CEO Marty Fittante explained the money is used to help Michigan-based startups in outdoor recreation.

“There’s a real opportunity here,” Fittante said. “Not only for those entrepreneurs and innovators in the Upper Peninsula but to give us a chance to show off to innovators and entrepreneurs from around the state how sophisticated we are and what the opportunity in the Upper Peninsula can look like.”

Recipients can receive $50,000 to $250,000 from the program.

Fittante said an advisory board determines where the money goes.

Mullybox was one of three recipients. The other two are Grounded, which is developing modular, electric camping vans, and Revolin, which is creating a sustainable way to play pickleball.

Amato said Mullybox is looking forward to using the money to expand.

“We are doing wholesale where we’re going to start selling these boxes into major retailers all over the country,” Amato said.

Fittante encourages any start-up companies focusing on outdoor recreation to look into this fund.