Our Story
Startup Garage Beginnings
“A letter from our founder”
Hi! My name is Jon, and I often find myself sharing where the Startup Garage began…
Back in 2013 - 2021, I had the opportunity to found and operate a tech company focused on serving the Church.
I deeply enjoyed the work of building a product that magnified the impact of the Church while simultaneously being a part of an incredible team where we all sought to lead with Biblical principles.
After exiting the company in 2021, I found myself longing to help other Christ-centered founders start companies of their own that were run with Biblical principles being core to their operation. With this passion, I approached my alma mater,
Calvin University, and with their incredible support, we were able to help launch the Startup Garage.
Team at Breeze, the tech company focused on serving the Church
PitchUp Event at Calvin University Fall 2024
The first couple of years we designed and experimented with what the program should look like within the walls of Calvin University. We found mentors, speakers, ran competitions, provided funding, and learned a lot. And after fine-tuning the model, the Startup Garage in partnership with Calvin pivoted to provide the Startup Garage both to other universities as well as to working professionals, adjusting it as needed to fit the context.
Our goal was to help Christ-centered founders go further, faster, by connecting them to the right people and resources.
And at its heart, here’s why we’re doing this. Too many people see a division between the Church and business. Many see businesses as capitalistic machines that exploit people and strive to maximize profit at all costs. And unfortunately, in many cases, this perspective is accurate.
In contrast, I want to expand the number of businesses that are run in a redemptive way - businesses that are the manifestation of the Gospel in company form. Businesses that deeply value customers, employees, products, and financial viability. I want to close the gap between business and the Church, demonstrating how businesses can be run in Christ-centered ways.
Businesses should reflect God’s redemptive plan in the same way that the lives of followers of Jesus do.
In short, I’m doing this to integrate God’s Kingdom into companies.
We’d love to connect with you to hear how we can serve or partner with you - reach out anytime!
- Jon VerLee
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Jon VerLee
FOUNDER / BOARD CHAIR
LINKEDINJon VerLee brings a deep passion for the earliest moments of entrepreneurship, especially when an idea becomes real through a founder’s very first dollar earned.
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Zach Booker
CARLEW CAPITAL
LINKEDINZach Booker believes entrepreneurship is about becoming who God created you to be and brings a strong heart for community, personal growth, and purpose‑driven leadership.
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Ben Ipema
CLARITY FINANCIAL
LINKEDINBen Ipema is passionate about empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs by sharing wisdom, lessons learned, and a collaborative spirit.
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Dave Johnson
NATIONAL CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION
LINKEDINDave Johnson walks alongside founders through meaningful, relational, small‑group learning environments and models humility through lifelong learning.
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Jeshua Lauka
LIGHTSTONE LAW
LINKEDINJeshua Lauka is committed to meeting entrepreneurs at the very beginning of their journey while strengthening Startup Garage through servant leadership and corporate governance expertise.
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Fallon McMurray
GRACE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
LINKEDINFallon McMurray is dedicated to equipping college students to explore the intersection of faith and entrepreneurship and inspiring future founders to step into their calling.
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Dana Roefer
FAITH DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR
LINKEDINDana Roefer brings a heart for strengthening the ecosystem of faith‑driven businesses and advancing organizations built on a Biblical foundation.
Insight from our BOARD
“In today’s fast-paced business world, many entrepreneurs struggle to align their faith with their ventures, leaving them feeling isolated and unsure of how to lead with biblical principles. Our non-profit incubator exists to equip and empower Christ-centered entrepreneurs with the mentorship, resources, and community they need to build businesses that honor God and create lasting impact. Through faith-driven coaching, practical training, and a supportive network, we help entrepreneurs grow ventures that serve people, steward resources wisely, and advance the Kingdom.”
What’s Next for Startup Garage?
Since its start in 2022 at Calvin University, the vision of Startup Garage was to expand to help Christ-centered founders from all over execute their businesses further and faster by connecting them to the right people and resources.
Over the past few years, there’s so much that the leadership of Startup Garage has learned at Calvin University, from finding mentors and speakers to running competitions, providing funding, and more. After fine-tuning the model at Calvin University, Startup Garage, in partnership with Calvin University, has recently pivoted to provide the Startup Garage program both to other universities and to working professionals, adjusting it as needed to fit the context.
“The goal is to expand the number of businesses that are run in a redemptive way—businesses that are the manifestation of the Gospel in company form and that deeply deeply value customers, employees, products, and financial viability.”
The heart of Startup Garage is to develop businesses at the intersection of faith and entrepreneurship. We believe that businesses have a beautiful opportunity to reflect God’s redemptive plan in the same way that the lives of Jesus’s followers do.