Detroit Homecoming 2025

Keynote for Detroit Homecoming 2025

1. Startup Detroit:  From Legacy to Launchpad 
4. THE CITY THAT REINVENTS ITSELF
5. Secret History of Michigan Popular History of Michigan 1850 – 1950s Ice Stoves Blues & Jazz Cereal & Food Processing Furniture Cars Beer Unions Middle class 1960 – 1970s Motown & Soul Funk & Rock Pizza Anti-war movement Labor & Black Power Oil crisis & Unemployment 1980s Japanese auto industry disruption Punk Techno More pizza 1990s NAFTA Internet startups Hip-hop 2000s Life sciences Advanced manufacturing Mortgages Tanks & aerospace Chemicals Military computing Time-shared computing Remote sensing Complex systems Automotive R&D Computer vision Artificial intelligence Birth of the Internet Industrial automation & robotics Internet protocols & governance Cybersecurity Gaming AI for Defense Dilla Time More networking & cybersecurity Fintech Enterprise SaaS Supply chain & Logistics Semiconductor Robotics Energy & Climate Tech
6. THESE ARE THE TIMES TO GROW OUR SOULS – Grace Lee Boggs
7. Frontier Tech in Detroit Region 🧠 Intelligent Systems 🧬 Health Innovation 🏗 Reindustrialization 🚗 Future Cities & Mobility Software-first innovation driving automation, autonomy, & security Human-centered breakthroughs in science, health, and care Next-gen tools for building and powering the future Transforming how we move, live, and connect in cities • AI & Machine Learning • Robotics & Automation • Cybersecurity & Defense • Biotech & Life Sciences • Healthcare Tech • Digital Health & MedTech • Adv. Manufacturing • Materials Science • Clean Energy • Mobility & Transportation • Smart Infrastructure • Urban Tech
8. 1 Startup Genome Global Startup Ecosystem Report, 2022 2 Pitchbook Global VC Ecosystem Rankings report, 2023  DETROIT IS AMERICA’S NEXT   GREAT STARTUP HUB  Ranked as the 2nd emerging startup ecosystem globally in 2022, metro Detroit (incl. Ann Arbor) is home to over 1500 startups 1 $4 billion in venture capital was invested in Detroit startups from 2017 to 2023 2 FOUNDERS ARE THE FLYWHEEL — when they stay, grow, and give back, the ecosystem compounds
10. Sept 2018 $2.4B Nov 2020 $1.4B Jan 2021 $6B Apr 2021 $6B Apr 2021 $3.8B Jan 2022 $3.5B May 2022 $23B Feb 2023 $1.2B Jul 2024 $30B Oct 2024 $1.2B Dec 2024 $10.6B Aug 2025 $2.3B Grand Rapids Novi Ann Arbor Plymouth Rochester Ann Arbor Detroit Livonia Troy Novi Ann Arbor Houghton
11. Sept 2018 $2.4B Nov 2020 $1.4B Jan 2021 $6B Apr 2021 $6B Apr 2021 $3.8B Jan 2022 $3.5B May 2022 $23B Feb 2023 $1.2B Jul 2024 $30B Oct 2024 $1.2B Dec 2024 $10.6B Aug 2025 $2.3B Grand Rapids Novi Ann Arbor Plymouth Rochester Ann Arbor Detroit Livonia Troy Novi Ann Arbor Houghton California California
12. U-M is #8 in VC-Backed Founders (undergrad, 2004) PitchBook Universities: Top 100 colleges ranked by startup founders: https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/pitchbook-university-rankings
13. But Only 3 of 46 U-M Unicorns Are In Michigan
14. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN CENTER FOR INNOVATION (2027) HENRY FORD HEALTH + MSU FUTURE OF HEALTH (2027) BEDROCK GRATIOT INNOVATION DISTRICT (2027?) WSU HEALTH SCIENCES RESEARCH BUILDING (2027)
15. Bedrock Gratiot Innovation District UM Center for Innovation Michigan Central WSU Health Sciences Research Building OUTPOSTS OF INNOVATION Henry Ford + MSU Future of Health & TechTown
16. UM Center for Innovation Michigan Central The Mothership City Bus Lines D2A2 Bus QLine Streetcar Rosa Parks Transit Center DAX Bus People Mover NEED BRIDGES Henry Ford + MSU Future of Health & TechTown Bedrock Gratiot Innovation District WSU Health Sciences Research Building Chroma
17. DIA Woodward Ave CONNECTING PEOPLE & PLACE DOWNTOWN MIDTOWN NORTH END Grand Blvd Fisher 21 Lofts Oak and Reel Vault of Midnight Submerge Records Olympia Skateshop Baobab Fare Sepia Coffee Ford Piquette Museum SYNECDOCHE Mothership Tech Town Medical Center Chinatown Ford Field LCA UMCI WSU Gratiot Site Cass Ave N MILWAUKEE JUNCTION
18. LITTLE VILLAGE & THE SHEPHERD ANCHOR DETROIT DURFEE INNOVATION CENTER CHINATOWN CULTURE & COMMUNITY
19. Matt Temkin’s residential rental business in Detroit was humming along for its first five years. Since 2015, Temkin and his partners — who went on to found Greatwater Opportunity Capital — had steadily built a portfolio of about 2,200 residential rental units. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The cost of construction and property insurance skyrocketed. Rent collections faltered as tenants failed to pay. Now, Temkin said his rental business in Detroit is in danger of collapse. “We have 131 units that are in imminent danger of foreclosure,” Temkin said. “In 10 years of doing this, we had never missed mortgage payments until right now.” Greatwater isn’t alone. Four landlords managing thousands of units told Outlier Media it’s become nearly impossible to run a profitable residential rental business in the city. “If there are significant unknowns … many owners are just going to give up on (Detroit),” said David Alade, CEO of development firm Century Partners. “We’re going to lose a lot of good owners, and we’re going to lose a lot of good properties.”
20. Investing In Startups, Building Communities • 500.co Funds 1-3 (2010-15, $160M, ~1250 companies, ~60 countries) ◦ 70% fail (50% fail fast, 20% fail slow) = 900 co's x 5 ppl = 4,000 jobs for 1-2 yrs ◦ 20% small co's: 10-50 ppl = 250 co's x 20 ppl = 5,000 jobs for 3+ yrs ◦ 8% medium co's: 50-500 ppl = 100 co's x 200 ppl = 20,000 jobs for 5+ yrs ◦ 2% unicorn/IPO: 500-2500 ppl = 25 co's x 1000 ppl = 25,000 jobs for 10+ yrs ◦ Result: 50,000+ jobs, $1B+ commercial + residential real estate utilization • Detroit Startup Economy MVP: $50-100M budget, 250–500 companies ◦ $25–50M: Fund of funds (5–10 funds x 50 co's) ◦ $10–20M: Commercial building(s) for 100–500 ppl ◦ $10–20M: Residential building(s) for 100–500 ppl ◦ $5–10M:Traditional debt lending for 10–50 co's ◦ Goal: 10–25,000+ jobs, $100-500M commercial + residential RE utilization
22. Next-Gen Family Office & Institutional LPs
23. Catalytic Capital at Work $100K $3.3M $25K $1.2M $1.4M $20M $25K $50K $50K $2.1M $50K $3.7M
24. Ann Arbor Detroit Royal Oak Grand Rapids
27. INNOVATION IS COLLECTIVE
28. FREAKS GEEKS JOCKS
29. Reindustrialize, Recess Conference
30. DETROIT IS BIG ENOUGH TO MATTER IN THE WORLD… AND SMALL ENOUGH FOR YOU TO MATTER IN IT – Jeanette Pierce