Stacey Feeley named executive director of 20Fathoms

20Fathoms has hired serial entrepreneur Stacey Feeley as executive director as the Traverse City incubator expands its role in Northern Michigan’s growing BlueTech sector. The move comes alongside a new water-tech accelerator with gener8tor aimed at helping early-stage founders prepare for pilots, commercialization and investment.

Why it matters: - Stacey Feeley brings more than 20 years of startup leadership to 20Fathoms at a time when the Traverse City nonprofit is expanding its programming and looking toward 2027 and beyond. - The hire comes as Northern Michigan positions itself for more growth in BlueTech, a sector tied to water infrastructure, monitoring, treatment, data and freshwater resilience. - 20Fathoms and gener8tor have also launched a new accelerator that could help early-stage founders move faster from idea to pilot to investment.

What happened: - 20Fathoms announced that Stacey Feeley has joined the Traverse City-based startup incubator and coworking space as executive director. - Feeley is a serial entrepreneur, strategist and founder with more than two decades of experience launching, scaling and leading purpose-driven companies. - Feeley previously co-founded and served as CEO of GoSili, Inc., a global consumer products brand anchored in Traverse City. - GoSili grew through strategic partnerships, multiple funding rounds and two acquisitions. - Ashley Sloat, chair of the 20Fathoms board, said Feeley has the experience needed to lead the community-anchored nonprofit during a period of growth.

The details: - Feeley said she understands the pressures of making hard decisions, bootstrapping a business and watching it grow, and she plans to bring that experience to 20Fathoms operations and its entrepreneur network. - Feeley grew up in Los Angeles but chose to build GoSili in Traverse City with her husband. - Feeley said she is committed to making Northern Michigan a place where the next generation of founders chooses to build. - Feeley also serves on the Advisory Circle of Boundless Futures Foundation, which provides financial and leadership resources for female founders using their businesses for growth and social impact. - The Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator will support early-stage companies working on water infrastructure, monitoring, treatment, data, freshwater resilience and other technologies that can be tested, piloted or applied in freshwater environments. - The accelerator uses individualized coaching and concierge programming to help founders sharpen commercialization strategies and prepare for future investment and growth. - 20Fathoms describes itself as the home of entrepreneurship and innovation in Northwest Michigan, serving all of Northwest Lower Michigan as a nonprofit startup incubator and resource center. - 20Fathoms works with entrepreneurs at all stages and industries, with a focus on technology companies. - Its programs include startup education, business coaching, connections, funding and general support.

Between the lines: - The appointment signals that 20Fathoms wants an operator who has built and sold a company, not just a nonprofit leader. - Feeley’s background in consumer products and fundraising could help the incubator deepen founder support as BlueTech and other startup activity grows in the region. - The partnership with gener8tor suggests 20Fathoms is leaning into outside expertise to scale its reach in a specialized industry.

What's next: - 20Fathoms is evolving its programming as it plans for 2027 and beyond. - The BlueTech accelerator is expected to continue supporting founders preparing for pilots, commercialization and investment opportunities. - Feeley will now lead day-to-day operations and help guide the nonprofit’s broader entrepreneurial network.

The bottom line: - 20Fathoms is betting that a founder with deep startup experience can help turn Traverse City’s BlueTech momentum into more companies, more investment and more growth in Northern Michigan.