Michael Wicks is a passionate engineer, startup co-founder, innovator, and venture builder. Currently, he is the Program Manager for the 1842 Studio, a Alloy Partners Venture Studio, dedicated to launching mission-driven startups that can be a force for good in the world. Michael has been the CEO of two early-stage startups, and he continues to serve on the Board of Directors for one of them.

Before joining Alloy Partners, Michael was the Director of Venture Design and Development at the University of Notre Dame's IDEA Center, where he launched new ventures with strategic partners and provided portfolio support for ND's Venture Capital fund startups. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, where he is also an adjunct professor in Computer Science and Engineering.

What motivates Michael to get up early in the morning is the opportunity to work on startups that can be a force for good in the world. His background is as unique as it is impressive; he used to be a rocket scientist.