INNOVATE® Detroit

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE® Detroit

Introducing INNOVATE® Detroit: Celebrating Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship in the Heart of Michigan.

INNOVATE® Detroit is a groundbreaking journey into the beating heart of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship that defines the state of Michigan. In this inaugural edition, we proudly present the inspiring stories of the thought leaders, visionaries, and groundbreaking innovators who are shaping the destiny of the region, reaffirming Detroit’s undeniable status as a thriving hub of progress.

A Beacon of Innovation: Detroit has long been a city synonymous with innovation, resilience, and the pioneering spirit. From the iconic automobile industry to groundbreaking advancements in technology, this city has continuously pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. INNOVATE® Detroit stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the city and its people to forge ahead, overcoming challenges, and transforming them into opportunities.

The Creative Capital: Creativity is woven into the fabric of Detroit’s identity. From music that has transcended generations to architectural marvels that grace the skyline, Detroit is a haven for those who dare to dream and create. INNOVATE® Detroit showcases the brilliant minds behind the city’s artistic, cultural, and creative renaissance, illuminating the path forward for those who wish to leave their mark on the world.

A Thriving Ecosystem: Entrepreneurship flourishes in the bustling landscape of Detroit, where a robust ecosystem supports the growth of startups, established businesses, and daring visionaries. INNOVATE® Detroit introduces you to the luminaries who are not only shaping their industries but are also fostering an environment where innovation and collaboration flourish, propelling the region onto the global stage.

A Collective Vision: This book is more than a collection of stories; it’s a testament to the collective vision that is driving Detroit towards an exciting future. It’s an invitation to join the ranks of the dreamers, the doers, and the disruptors who believe that innovation can change the world. INNOVATE® Detroit is a celebration of the city’s rich history and an exploration of the boundless possibilities that lie ahead.

As you turn the pages of INNOVATE® Detroit, prepare to be inspired by the incredible tales of resilience, ingenuity, and the unwavering spirit of Detroit. We invite you to join us on this remarkable journey as we pay homage to the innovators who are shaping Detroit’s destiny, proving that from the Motor City to the world, innovation knows no bounds.

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

SNIFFER ROBOTICS

Reaching New Heights Through Environmental Innovation

Sniffer Robotics has quickly become an industry leader in the environmental technology sector. The company develops unique solutions and provides crucial emissions monitoring services to the waste, biogas, and renewable natural gas industries. Their mission is clear: to detect and mitigate methane emissions to help protect our environment. Surface emissions...

Electric Outdoors

Building Sustainable Off-Grid Camping Systems for a New Era of Outdoor Adventure

Based in Detroit, Michigan, and founded in 2023, clean tech startup Electric Outdoors is on a path to transform off-grid camping and sustainability in the outdoors. Its mission is driven by what the company has identified as a huge gap in the current outdoor recreation market: Connected glamping in remote...

Menace Media

A Movement of Creativity, Community, and Change

Menace Media was born in the heart of Detroit, a city built on resilience, creativity, and cultural revolution. More than just a media company, Menace Media is a movement—a platform designed to uplift, empower, and unite creatives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. What started as a passion project among friends has grown...

Prince Concepts

Transforming Space, Elevating Detroit

Prince Concepts isn’t simply in the business of real estate—it’s in the business of transformation. Led by visionary developer Philip Kafka, this firm is rewriting the rules of urban development, turning overlooked spaces into thriving, purpose-driven communities. With a philosophy that values space as a living, breathing entity rather than...

HEXAGON CREATIVE

ELEVATING DIGITAL PRESENCE -Hexagon Creative’s Web Design and Branding Services

Hexagon Creative, a visionary in digital product development, extends its prowess to offer exceptional web design and branding services. Recognizing the pivotal role of an impactful online presence in today’s digital landscape, Hexagon Creative brings innovation, creativity, and a commitment to excellence to the realms of web design and branding....

HRPro/BenePro

Exceptional Client Service And Innovation.

Throughout its almost 35-year history, two things have defined HRPro/BenePro – exceptional client service and innovation. Among its earlier innovations: While it is difficult to imagine a market without any of these, HRPro/BenePro helped create new categories when they first dived into them. More recently, they have been focused on...

Duolingo

Duolingo's Detroit Journey: From Gunner to Hobbes and Animated Innovation.

In Detroit, two motion design studios were making waves in the animation world: Gunner, known for its bold illustration and character animation, and Hobbes, a leader in product-driven animation. The companies earned reputations for creativity and emotional intelligence, collaborating with high-profile clients for years. However, everything changed when Duolingo—the world’s...

ITC HOLDINGS CORP.

Transmission is Key to Unlocking Our Energy Future

From electric vehicles to renewable energy, the world is looking at electricity in a new way, and ITC is focused on building and maintaining a power grid that can handle it all. The path to a highly connected, advanced society in which vehicles and infrastructure talk to each other, drones...

Driven

Ending legal debt traps with smart payments

In the U.S., over 11 million people havehad their driver’s licenses suspendeddue to unpaid fines. This isn’t just aninconvenience – it’s a direct hit to financialstability. Losing the ability to drive meanslosing access to jobs, education, andessential services. In cities like Detroit,where public transit is unreliable, asuspended license can mean...

MUSIC HALL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Shaping Detroit’s Cultural and Educational Future

For nearly a century, the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts has been a cornerstone of Detroit’s artistic and cultural community. Founded in 1928 by visionary philanthropist Matilda Rausch Dodge Wilson, Music Hall has played a pivotal role in enriching Detroit with performances and educational programs that reflect the...

MENLO INNOVATIONS

RETURNING JOY TO TECHNOLOGY!

Welcome to Menlo Innovations, a custom software design & development firm whose mission, since its founding in 2001, is to end human suffering in the world as it relates to technology.® Menlo’s primary goal has always been to return joy to technology, for the business sponsors who pay for it...

Plug and Play Detroit

Driving the Future of Mobility

A city synonymous with automotive innovation, Plug and Play’s Detroit operation is making waves with its groundbreaking approach to mobility. As a global leader in fostering innovation, Plug and Play has established itself as a critical player in the tech ecosystem. However, in Detroit, the organization is doing more than...

RIVET WORK, INC

Scheduling and moving labor across construction projects sounds simple. But in reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s a never-ending process that’s nigh impossible to do accurately, efficiently and indefinitely. To make this less of a hurdle, RIVET Work Inc. (RIVET) created a Workforce Management platform tailor-made for...

Detroit Opera

Setting the Scene for Opera's Future

Over the last half-century, Detroit Opera—formerly Michigan Opera Theatre—has become a deeply rooted cultural force in a city of innovation and diverse perspectives, presenting programs that resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds while positively impacting the local economy. Appointed as the company’s second-ever Artistic Director in 2020, Yuval...

Detroit Venture Partners

Shaping the Future of Tech in Detroit and Beyond

Founded in 2010 by Dan Gilbert, the visionary behind Rocket Companies and Rocket Mortgage, Detroit Venture Partners (DVP) is at the forefront of Detroit’s entrepreneurial renaissance. Gilbert’s leadership in reshaping industries through his companies extends seamlessly into DVP, a venture capital firm committed to investing in bold entrepreneurs and game-changing...

GENOMENON-Simplifying complex genetic data into actionable insights

Simplifying complex genetic data into actionable insights

Genomenon is a leading genomic intelligence company dedicated to improving the quality of patients’ lives by uncovering the genomic drivers of genetic disease and cancer. Blending the power of AI with genomic expertise, Genomenon simplifi es complex genetic data into actionable insights for patient diagnosis and precision medicine development. With...

SOUTHWEST DETROIT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (SDBA)

Powering Progress, Building Legacy

Since 1957, the Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) has been the backbone of economic development in one of Detroit’s most dynamic and culturally rich areas. With a steadfast commitment to championing local businesses, revitalizing infrastructure, and fostering a thriving community, SDBA has evolved into a powerhouse for equitable economic growth...

LIVAQ

Building the Future of Electric Off-Road, Empowering Adventure

Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, Livaq is redefining the off-road vehicle industry with an innovative all-electric approach. As the first company solely dedicated to electric off-road vehicles (ORVs), Livaq is driving a critical shift away from traditional gas-powered machines and toward a cleaner, more efficient future. The company’s mission is to...

InvestNext

Fostering Growth and Potential

InvestNext is on a mission to transform how investment firms raise and manage real estate investment capital. Founded in 2016 by Michael Gisi, Kevin Heras, and Matthew Attou, this Detroit startup was conceived to revolutionize how the industry operates. What they’ve created democratizes real estate investing and empowers investors to...

Newlab

Building the Future of Sustainable Mobility at Michigan Central

Newlab is a global network of purpose-built innovation hubs that accelerates climate and deep tech time-to-market. Newlab provides startups with physical infrastructure, direct investment opportunities, and pilot partnerships to drive meaningful commercialization outcomes and economic development in energy, materials, and mobility. Newlab established its Detroit home in 2023 to enable...

POCKETNEST

Financial Wellness for the Next Generation

Many people think having a “financial plan” means having a budget, a retirement savings account, and maybe a small cash reserve. But, those basic financials are only scratching the surface and exclude some key details like estate documents, saving strategies, or debt elimination plans. With that popular—and lacking—mindset, it’s perhaps...

Centrepolis Accelerator

Empowering Hardtech Startups & Strengthening Domestic Manufacturing

Centrepolis Accelerator @ LTU is committed to strengthening supply chain resiliency to drive economic growth and innovation in Michigan. It offers hardtech startups and small to medium-sized manufacturers access to product development services and tailored funding solutions, ensuring they have the resources needed to scale and succeed. Centrepolis Accelerator @LTU’s...

DCI MARKETING

FOSTERS A CULTURE OF INNOVATION FOCUSED ON INVENTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR LEADING AUTOMOTIVE AND LIFESTYLE BRANDS, MAJOR RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS

Even in its earliest history, DCI Marketing was focused on brand-building. Originally known as ColorPrint Products Printing, the company built a name for itself producing window signage for shoe stores. But new opportunities with Cadillac and Harley-Davidson propelled DCI Marketing forward, establishing it as not only an innovative design firm,...

TREMEC

A Tier 1 Supplier Continuously Innovating and Elevating Performance

TREMEC is a leading manufacturer of high-performance, highly engineered propulsion and driveline systems, subsystems, and componentry supporting conventional, hybrid, and fully electrified vehicles. TREMEC is agile and vertically integrated focusing on niche and moderate-volume applications across abroad spectrum of sectors including passenger car, commercial truck, vocational truck, off-highway heavy-duty, off-road...

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The Publisher

Aaron Cohen

Born and raised in Metro Detroit, it is the honor of my career to bring INNOVATE® Detroit to life. There’s something different about this city. It’s an attitude – a never-ending mission to turn lofty aspirations into reality. To build the world we wish to experience. A spirit of innovation. I’ve been fortunate to witness... click to read more

The Publisher

Aaron Cohen

Born and raised in Metro Detroit, it is the honor of my career to bring INNOVATE® Detroit to life. There’s something different about this city. It’s an attitude – a never-ending mission to turn lofty aspirations into reality. To build the world we wish to experience. A spirit of innovation. I’ve been fortunate to witness... click to read more

Other Ecosystems