Technology strategist Michael Carnevale built his business by pursuing the unknown, sparking the imagination and solving complex business challenges through mobile apps, websites, virtual reality experiences and smart objects. In business for more than a decade, the company works with a diverse client list, including Steelcase, Microsoft, Whirlpool, Amway and Lego, to create next-generation experiences that address their clients’ technology needs.
A West Michigan native with an innovative mind-set and a generous heart, Carnevale encourages his employees to embrace a spirit of generosity and community action. Over the years, philanthropy has become an important aspect of his company’s culture.
Carnevale is constantly searching for new ways to connect his professional passion for technology to causes that make a difference in people’s lives. Carnevale actively sought out local nonprofits that could benefit from his company’s expertise and financial support, and began a philanthropic partnership with the Institute.
“Nearly everyone has been affected by cancer in some way,” Carnevale said. “When my mother was diagnosed with a rare and malignant meningioma, it really became a personal mission to do something about it.”
Although Carnevale’s mother, a well-loved elementary school teacher in Grand Rapids, passed away in 2010, he thinks she would be proud of the organizations he supports in her honor. “The scientists at
Van Andel Institute are endlessly curious and committed to solving some of the world’s biggest health challenges, like cancer,” Carnevale said. “Everyone who works with me knows that the Institute represents the spirit of hope in West Michigan. As innovators in technology and as community members, we can’t think of a better cause to support.”
If you would like to donate to Van Andel Institute’s cancer research programs click here.