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§ Private Profile · Traverse City, MI, USA
AI software platform enhancing business development for scientific organizations, facilitating research collaborations and funding.
Key people at FirstIgnite.
FirstIgnite was founded in 2019 by Chase Bonhag (Founder) and Cody Pawlowski (Founder).
FirstIgnite is a Traverse City, Michigan-based software company that develops an artificial intelligence platform to facilitate business development and commercial technology transfer for scientific organizations. The subscription-based software-as-a-service platform assists universities, hospitals, and national laboratories by matching academic research with industry partners, generating marketing materials, conducting market analysis, and identifying key corporate contacts to facilitate funding. The enterprise currently operates with a dedicated team of nine employees and has raised a total of $150,000 in early-stage venture funding, which includes backing from the Y Combinator Summer 2021 accelerator batch. FirstIgnite provides its business development tools to a global client base that includes prominent institutions and corporations such as Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins APL, Whirlpool, and Lotus Pharmaceuticals. The technology company was officially founded in 2019 by co-founders Chase Bonhag and Cody Pawlowski.
Key people at FirstIgnite.
FirstIgnite is an AI-powered business development platform designed specifically for scientific organizations such as universities, research institutions, and technology transfer offices. It automates the process of matching complex scientific research with relevant industry partners, significantly reducing the time needed to create marketing materials by 70% and increasing partnership outreach by 350%. The platform helps these organizations expand their networks, secure funding, and accelerate the commercialization of their innovations, thereby facilitating stronger university-industry collaborations and driving research impact[1][2][4].
Founded in 2019, FirstIgnite was created by Chase Bonhag and Cody Pawlowski. Chase brings experience as a former venture capital investor focused on university research and corporate innovation, while Cody, the CTO, has a background in startups and AI-driven social listening platforms. Their combined expertise shaped FirstIgnite’s mission to help scientific companies grow faster by leveraging AI to bridge the gap between research and market opportunities. The company gained early traction through its participation in Y Combinator’s Summer 2021 batch and has since grown to a team of around nine employees, focusing on university-industry collaboration tools[2].
FirstIgnite rides the growing trend of AI-driven business intelligence and automation, particularly in the scientific and research sectors where translating complex research into commercial opportunities is challenging. The timing is critical as universities and research institutions face increasing pressure to demonstrate impact and secure industry partnerships. Market forces such as the expansion of AI capabilities, the rise of open innovation, and the need for efficient commercialization pathways favor FirstIgnite’s approach. By enabling faster and more effective collaboration between academia and industry, FirstIgnite influences the broader ecosystem by accelerating innovation cycles and enhancing the economic impact of scientific research[1][2][4].
Looking ahead, FirstIgnite is well-positioned to deepen its impact by expanding its AI capabilities and broadening its user base within the scientific community. Trends such as increased AI adoption in research management and growing emphasis on university-industry partnerships will shape its growth trajectory. As the platform evolves, it may also integrate more advanced predictive analytics and personalized outreach features, further solidifying its role as a critical enabler of research commercialization. Its influence is likely to grow as scientific organizations increasingly rely on AI to unlock market opportunities and accelerate innovation diffusion[1][2][4].
FirstIgnite was founded in 2019 by Chase Bonhag (Founder) and Cody Pawlowski (Founder).
