Michigan Central

Visit Detroit's 2025 Annual Meeting is this week! Join us on Wednesday, January 29th as we celebrate Detroit and look ahead to the future. 📣 This year's event will take place at the iconic Michigan Central Station. No other building better symbolizes the past, present and future of Detroit and our region's groundbreaking global role in the history and future of mobility. 🌆🌎 Discover its stunning transformation and learn about its future impact on our community.  This year we are also incredibly excited to welcome Will Guidara and Josh Sirefman, two extraordinary leaders and keynote speakers who are reshaping their industries and the future of hospitality! Experience a day filled with networking, collaboration, celebration, and more from 9am-1:30pm. 🎉 Registration will be available on-site at Michigan Central. We look forward to seeing you there! 💯 Learn more about the event here: https://lnkd.in/epNF4BBX 📸 Michigan Central Station images by Nadir Ali in collaboration with Visit Detroit

We partnered with Ford Motor Company to celebrate the upcoming PBS docuseries "Great Migrations: A People on the Move," with an exclusive preview for the Detroit community at Michigan Central. The night kicked off with a curated historical exhibit highlighting Ford, Michigan Central, and Detroit's pivotal role in the Great Migration, followed by a preview of the series, which chronicles the transformative journey of Black Americans and their profound impact on national culture. This was then followed by a panel discussion with Executive Producer and series host Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and special guests. The evening wrapped up with a musical performance by the acclaimed Larry Callahan and the Selected of God Choir, featuring rising Motown artists Drey Skonie and Bea Tozzi. "Great Migrations: A People on the Move" premieres tonight on PBS at 9/8c.

Femology unveiled its new headquarters within Newlab at Michigan Central, creating a space that encourages innovation, collaboration, and the growth of female entrepreneurship in Detroit. Learn more about the partnership and how Femology and founder, Meagan Ward, are working to address the challenges female entrepreneurs face.

"There's something about the scale of what we're doing, the model of what we're doing,” said Josh Sirefman, CEO of Michigan Central. “I think it gives us a seat at the table to drive collaboration and bigger thinking around the region and around the state." #DPC25

Last week, Detroit’s innovation ecosystem—including TechTown Detroit, AutoHarvest Foundation, Michigan Central, and Newlab—gathered after the Detroit Auto Show to celebrate the city’s leadership in mobility innovation. Entrepreneurs, public officials, and auto industry leaders came together to highlight groundbreaking advancements and the collaborative efforts driving progress in the region. At the center of the event was HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud, the largest V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) network in the United States. This technology enhances road safety nationwide by enabling real-time communication between vehicles, infrastructure, and emergency responders. With its upcoming deployment across MI state vehicles and the city of Dearborn's 300-vehicle fleet, HAAS Alert is setting a new standard for creating safer roads and communities. Special thank you to our remarkable lineup of speakers: • Abdullah H. Hammoud, Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan • Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer of the State of Michigan • Chuck Simms, Detroit Executive Fire Commissioner • Bradley Wieferich, P.E., Director of MDOT • Ned Staebler, VP of Economic Development at Wayne State University & President of TechTown • Justin Onwenu, City of Detroit Director of Entrepreneurship & Economic Opportunity • Garlin Gilchrist II, Lt. Governor, State of Michigan • Cory James Hohs, CEO of HAAS Alert • jayson pankin, CEO of AutoHarvest Foundation And sponsors: • TechTown Detroit, Global Epicenter of Mobility (GEM) • AutoHarvest Foundation

The 2025 Detroit Policy Conference (DPC) brings together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, government officials, and industry disruptors to discuss how the Detroit region can stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving global innovation landscape. For this first time, this year’s conference will focus on the incredible momentum of our entrepreneurial ecosystem, highlighting innovation, technologies, and policy that will secure our competitive advantage as a region. DPC Event Details: 📅 Date: Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 ⏰ Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 📍 Location: MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit, MI 🎙️ Host: Detroit Regional Chamber Key Topics and Sessions: 💫 Creating a Thriving Innovation Economy: Uniting both cities to create a Midwest tech and talent hub. 🌟 Detroit-Ann Arbor Innovation Corridor: Leveraging the strengths of both cities to create a powerhouse for tech and talent in the Midwest. 💡 High-Tech and Manufacturing Innovation: How Detroit can pivot its manufacturing legacy toward mobility, AI, clean energy, and automation. 🎉 Investing in Startups: New funding models to scale emerging Michigan companies. 🎤 Featured Speakers and Panelists We are excited that a diverse array of leaders - including many from MFF - will share their expertise on building a competitive, sustainable, and inclusive innovation economy: Dug Song (MFF co-founder and co-chair) – Co-founder of Duo Security and President of Song Foundation. 🎵 Darren Riley (MFF member) – CEO of JustAir, leading efforts to create real-time air quality monitoring technology. 🍃 Lorne Groe – CEO of BlueConduit, a company using predictive analytics to improve water infrastructure. 💧 Michael Healander – CEO of Airspace Link, Inc., a company that is revolutionizing air traffic management for drones. ✇ Lisa McLaughlin (MFF advisory council) – Co-founder of Workit Health, providing telehealth addiction recovery solutions. 💪 Nia Batts (MFF advisory council)– COO of Union Heritage, a leader in equitable urban development. 🏙 Alexa Turnage and Johnnie Turnage (MFF member) – Founders of Black Tech Saturdays, a platform empowering Black innovators. 🚀 Rishi Moudgil – Executive Director of Michigan Founders Fund. 🎯 🤝 And so many of our other partners including: Ben Marchionna – Chief Innovation Officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. 📈 Chris Rizik – Managing Partner at Renaissance Venture Capital. 📊 Jessica Robinson – Co-founder and Partner at Assembly Ventures. 💸 Glenn Stevens, Executive Director, MichAuto at the Detroit Regional Chamber. 🌐 Lisa Lunsford, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, GS3 Global. 🌍 Ned Staebler, Vice President, Economic Development, Wayne State University; President and Chief Executive Officer, TechTown Detroit. 💻 Mary Culler, President, Ford Philanthropy; Chair, Michigan Central. 🏢 🔗 Register Now: https://lnkd.in/gNFT4pMx #DetroitPolicyConference #TechDetroit #MichiganInnovation

On Thursday, Ford Motor Company will host at Michigan Central Station a private sneak preview of the four-hour PBS docuseries, “Great Migrations: A People on the Move,” from Emmy-nominated executive producer Henry Louis Gates Jr. It premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 28. One of the special stories is about another multi-generational "Ford" family. Felicia Ford, 53, of Canton, Mich., is an engineer who works on vehicles including the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E now. Her grandfather, Roosevelt Ford, moved from Clinton, Miss. He started as a janitor and worked to become a skilled tradesman at the Ford Rouge plant. “Becoming a middle-class person back in the 1920s as an African American was pretty significant,” Felicia Ford said. “He was able to buy a house in Black Bottom and raise a huge family by any standard — 11 boys and one female who lived to adulthood.” H/T Phoebe Wall Howard

ICYMI: This morning at the Detroit Auto Show 2025, OMI Chief Tim Slusser joined fellow panelists Clare Braun (Michigan Central), Kevin Mull (Bedrock), and moderator Justine Johnson (State of Michigan, Michigan Economic Development Corporation) for “Accelerating Impact: Building Innovation Ecosystems through Strategic Partnerships,” presented by the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. Our mission? Get pilot projects into the hands of residents, gather vital community feedback, and introduce the next wave of innovation. Have a great idea? Reach out to us at mobility@detroitmi.gov or visit our website to learn more: https://lnkd.in/grigU7mZ #DetroitMobility #AutoShow2025 #InnovationForAll

NEXT MONTH! February 15th "The Belonging Blueprint: A Black History Month Innovation Summit! Calling All Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Dreamers! We’re thrilled to invite you to a groundbreaking one-day innovation summit, the result of months of collaboration and shared vision. This is more than an event – it’s a celebration of growth, creativity, and the power of community to shape the future. This summit is especially meaningful for us. Back in February 2023, Ashley M. Williams, Alexa Turnage, and I co-hosted Changing the Narrative with Michigan Founders Fund (MFF), a moment that forever changed the trajectory of our ecosystem. Together, we proved what’s possible when passion meets purpose. Now, we’re ready to take that spark and turn it into another evolution of our innovation community. But here’s the truth: we can’t do it alone. Every person in this ecosystem has a unique gift to bring to the table. Whether it’s your time, resources, or talents, your contribution matters. We’re co-creating this future together, and we need your help to make this summit seamless and unforgettable. Let’s come together to learn, grow, and celebrate the power of innovation. Join us as we write the next chapter in our journey – one where everyone belongs, and anything is possible. More details to come – stay tuned and let us know how you’d like to get involved! Tap in Below 👇👇👇👇👇 Event Registration: https://lnkd.in/g4GY9zDD Event Speaker/Volunteer/ Workshop Host Sign up: https://lnkd.in/gN_beYkS Event Partner/ Sponsor/ Vendor Sign up: https://lnkd.in/g6e9MABp Google Google Developers Group Google Code Next Think Technologies Clixie AI Compass Detroit NSBE Detroit Professionals DTE Energy Michigan Central Gilbert Family Foundation Rocket Community Fund De'Lon Dixon, M.A. Tim Moore Jenna Ritten (she/her) Rachel Francois #BlackTechSaturdays #keepgoing #togetherwecan #strongertogether #bridgethedivide #closethegap #blackintech #womenintech #latinxintech #diversityintech #blackexcellence #blackjoy #blacklove #youcaninmichigan #Michigan #Tech #GenerationalWealth #CommunityBuilding

We are honored to be Bloomberg’s Building Revival Story of 2024! The work of restoring The Station would not have been possible without the hard work of the 3,100 men and women who spent more than 1.3 million hours to bring back The Station’s original glory. Likewise, a huge shout-out to Detroit’s own Christman-Brinker and Quinn Evans of Ann Arbor, as well as all of the many subcontractors, for their efforts in reviving this irreplaceable Detroit landmark! If you would like to visit The Station, go to https://lnkd.in/giGYqPSc for information on tours, shopping hours and parking. Read the full Bloomberg article here: https://lnkd.in/d4Mb2fys