Sapna Patel

Sapna grew up with a passion for aerospace – she attended NASA Space Camp as a kid and dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She studied aerospace engineering and went on to work at the Boeing Company designing new airplanes and specializing in composite wing engineering and manufacturing.

After five years in industry, Sapna pivoted to business and attended the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. She first learned about venture capital through her participation on the Zell Lurie Commercialization Fund, a student-led, early-stage venture fund.

Upon graduation, Sapna joined AlixPartners, a specialty consulting firm focued on turnaround and restructuring, as part of the Aerospace, Defense, and Aviation team. She helped clients, who were major industry players, tackle some of their most pressing, near-term problems. Some of her engagements included the restructuring of a $20B defense corporation and supporting an aerospace manufacturer as they looked to divest some of their aerostructures plants in Europe.

After consulting, Sapna joined Michigan Capital Network Ventures as a Principal, focused on advanced manufacturing deal flow for early-stage companies and portfolio management. She also successfully led an effort to partner with the Office of Strategic Capital at the US Department of Defense, establishing a debt-leveraged critical technologies fund.

Sapna joined Material Impact in March 2026, where she leads portfolio and fund financial management for the firm.

Outside of work, Sapna enjoys spending time outdoors – whether it’s hiking a new trail, running races, or playing a round of golf.