The Chris Rizik papers document the lifespan of the Ann Arbor, Michigan based venture capital fund Ardesta. This collection includes legal documents, strategic planning notes, and materials presenting the company to various stakeholder groups. Prominent topics include Ardesta's interest in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and the creation of a campus to house Ardesta-funded start-ups.
Born to Mike and Matilda Rizik in 1960, Chris Rizik grew up in the Flint, MI area. He briefly worked at the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in Detroit after receiving his BA in accounting from Michigan State University in 1982. During his time at Coopers & Lybrand he met and worked alongside Rick Snyder, who later became Governor of Michigan. Rizik later entered the University of Michigan's law program, from which he graduated with a JD in 1986. Combining his interests in business and law, Rizik joined Dickinson Wright PLLC, where he became senior partner by the late 1990s.
Through working at Dickinson Wright in 1997, Rizik was reintroduced to Rick Snyder. Over the course of two years, Rizik provided legal counsel to Snyder on the formation of the Ann Arbor-based venture capital fund Avalon Investments Inc. By 1999, Rizik's work with Avalon became substantial enough that he decided to leave Dickinson Wright to join the fund full-time. The following year, Snyder and Rizik partnered with the president of MEMS Technology, Inc., Steve Johns, to form the Ann Arbor-based venture capital fund Ardesta, LLC. Focusing on "Small Tech," the development of nanotechnology and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), Rizik, Snyder, and Johns created Ardesta to bring lab research in the field, namely research from universities, into the market. Ardesta's portfolio companies focused on communications, life sciences, energy, and environmental safety technologies. Of particular note is the licensing agreement formed between Ardesta and the University of Michigan, which resulted in funding for tech development at the Ann Arbor-based companies Sensicore and Discera. Ardesta also created a campus to support its startups as part of its business model.
During Rizik's time at Ardesta, he acted as Senior Vice President of Operations and a member of the Board. In 2008, Rizik left these roles with the company to start Renaissance Venture Capital Fund (now Renaissance Venture Capital). With an interest in local tech development, Renaissance Venture Capital Fund was built as a fund of funds to drive investments from venture capital efforts across the country towards Michigan's business community. As of 2022, Rizik is the managing partner and CEO of Renaissance Venture Capital.
Alongside his venture capital work, Rizik has actively participated in a variety of organizations, including as the chairman of the Detroit-based energy non-profit NextEnergy from 2006 to 2011. In recent years, Rizik has collaborated on several development initiatives at the University of Michigan, such as the Accelerate Blue Fund and the National Advisory Board for the school's Innovation Partnerships unit. For his contributions to Michigan's business community, Rizik has been recognized multiple times, including as one of Crain's Detroit Business "40 Under 40" in 2000 and as the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.
