Richard DeVos III

Rick DeVos is an entrepreneur and investor. In 2009 he created ArtPrize, a simple social experiment designed to see if artists and the public could engage each other in a new way. The scale and energy of the event launched it into debates all over the art world, from urban planning circles to the global press. In 2012 Rick founded Start Garden, a unique venture seed fund that invests in early stage companies and strives to build Michigan’s startup ecosystem. In 2016 Start Garden reorganized to form the Entrepreneur Ecosystem, Start Garden Foundation, and the for-profit fund Wakestream Ventures. Rick is the Founder and CEO of Wakestream Ventures, an early stage fund with investments ranging from $100K to $1.5M. Rick graduated from Calvin College in 2004. He lives in Ada, Michigan with his wife Melissa, and their children Clara, Sloane, Remington and Richard. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for ArtPrize, the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the Grand Rapids Economic Club.