Students turn ideas into market-ready products at RID+I’s Venture Studio
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—A classroom at the Richmond Institute for Design and Innovation (RID+I) is blurring the line between education and entrepreneurship. The Venture Studio, an advanced course at the institute, is giving students a rare opportunity to refine product ideas and pitch them to real-world investors, all before graduation.
The course, led by adjunct professor of design practice Michael Seeley, builds on student work from the fall semester that culminated at the Inspired Home Show in Chicago. In the Venture Studio, students dig deeper into their concepts through the lens of desirability, feasibility, and viability which are essential pillars of product development. By semester’s end, students aren't just submitting final projects; they’re pitching consumer-ready innovations to panels of stakeholders, investors and local business leaders.
Design With a Purpose
The Venture Studio is a launchpad for big ideas. More than entrepreneurship or starting a business, venture building is about creating a completely new consumer solution. It’s about building the next big thing.
Casey Miller, a junior in the product design program, developed a compact dust and fume collector for home workshops. The project addresses a common problem in home workshops: dust and debris. "I'm basically taking a current existing technology and turning it into something that's an inch and a half tall, and I can put it on my desk."
Seeley emphasizes a consumer-first approach with this class. “We are desire-led,” he said. “We're solving consumer problems first, and then we are enhancing them with the feasibility and the viability [of the product].”
"I think we often get kind of narrowed in on the [design] process.” Miller emphasized the value of thinking outside of the box. “This class turns that on its head, focusing on why the product needs to exist and the opportunity it presents."
Innovation Meets Real-World Experience
The course blends self-driven projects with industry collaborations, offering students hands-on experience with corporate partners, startups, and even venture capitalists. Michael Seeley brings his years of experience empowering entrepreneurs to RID+I product design students, helping them take a deeper dive into validating whether their ideas are market ready. The students explore concepts like intellectual property, patent preparation, and venture investment.
Amelia Hall, another student in the program, is developing a wearable translation device. What began as a single earbud with a camera has evolved during this studio into a more user-friendly pendant and Bluetooth earbud system. "This class has helped us see more in depth what it's like to work in a corporate setting and understand the viability of our products,” Hall explained. “It's been invaluable in understanding where to place our products and really knowing our consumers."
Liz Skinner brought her project, Gleam, into the class. "Last semester for housewares, I designed Gleam, a handheld cordless steam cleaner that uses superheated steam to disinfect surfaces in just seconds. This semester, I focused on making sure it was viable engineering-wise, meeting with several professors from the engineering college to solidify the design."
Validating the Vision
Students recently participated in a Pitch Night sponsored by Startup Zoo. RID+I students were introduced to the startup ecosystem, preparing them to become familiar with the professional design world.
"The first time I pitched, I was quite honestly a little nervous,” said Miller. “But afterwards, there were so many people who came up to me and said, 'Oh my God, I want this.' It was really cool to see the impact and make those connections."
Skinner emphasized how this course has helped her to have the confidence to pitch her ideas. "If you don't believe in it, why would anybody else believe in it?"
Bringing It All Together
The product design program at RID+I is structured to immerse students in real-world experiences, bridging classroom theory with practical, professional application. By aligning academic work with industry needs, the program empowers students to refine their ideas into viable, market-ready solutions.
For many students, the Venture Studio has opened new avenues for growth and exploration. "Empathy for the user, manufacturing, marketing, and the environment is a really big point that Seeley drives,” reflected Skinner. “It's about creating meaningful connections with people you're presenting to and your users."
Seeley sees the studio as more than a course — it’s a catalyst for innovation and community impact. “We’re filtering the strongest ideas, amplifying the best ones, and turning them into viable products,” he said. “The ripple effect benefits not just the students, but the university and the wider community.”
Students cap off their semester with a Pitch Night. The event places them in front of investors, entrepreneurs and educators, offering a crash course in startup culture and venture building. The April 17 pitch competition was sponsored by RID+I and Liminal Group. The invitation list included community leaders from all sectors - academic, corporate, investors, startups, founders, entrepreneurs and city/community. The judges was an esteemed group of professionals : Sean McDowell - SVP Innovation and Sustainability, Miller Knoll; Bryce Porter - Director of Strategy & Business Development, Tekna inc.; Devon Hudson - Founder, Inventor & CEO, Tegriware; Carl Brown - Executive Director, Startup Zoo; Beth Houtrow - Director, The Kalamazoo Entrepreneur Network (Kzen). The judges focused on whether the consumer solution presented by the students from the Venture Studio was an investible opportunity.
Seeley sees the studio as more than a course — it’s a catalyst for innovation and community impact. “We’re filtering the strongest ideas, amplifying the best ones, and turning them into viable products,” he said. “The ripple effect benefits not just the students, but the university and the wider community.”
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