Michael Helmstetter, Ph.D., is the Founder, President, and CEO of Technology Acceleration Partners (TechAccel). See sector focus and contact routes.
Michael Helmstetter, Ph.D., is the Founder, President, and CEO of Technology Acceleration Partners (TechAccel), a venture development firm he co-founded in 2014 with Kansas State University and the Bicknell Family Holding Company after serving as former CEO of MRIGlobal. His investment thesis targets high-risk innovations in agriculture, animal health, and food ingredients, focusing on the Midwest region from the discovery stage through commercialization. TechAccel typically invests between $500,000 and $1 million per deal, aiming to fund six companies or technologies annually while often partnering with universities to advance licensing agreements. Notable portfolio companies include Benson Hill Biosystems, which secured a $7.3 million Series A round with TechAccel’s help, and a biopesticide technology licensed from Kansas State University that Helmstetter describes as a potential “game changer”. Helmstetter distinguishes his approach by coupling equity investment with funded science advancement to bridge the gap between academic research and market viability. He has publicly emphasized the importance of investing in innovations developed locally in the Mid
Every field above is read from the StartupFundraising investor directory — disclosed location, recorded investments and stated focus — and re-checked as filings arrive. Founders pair it with investors in Overland Park when building a target list.
Investors like Michael Helmstetter · Full investor directory · Investor access · Company funding database