Michigan: High Technology Focus
No longer strictly focused on traditional manufacturing, Michigan has
emerged as a leader for technology based businesses in Life
Sciences, Advanced
Manufacturing and Information
Technology. These new businesses have grown alongside
and in support of the state’s strong manufacturing industry,
made possible in large part due to the tremendous investments over
several decades in research and education.
Michigan is taking the steps necessary to bring about a high tech
future and the future is now. A number of new initiatives are under
way to recruit and attract high tech employers and employees. In
fact, Michigan ranks 4th nationally for total employment in high
tech industries with 568,000 high tech workers including more than
70,000 in our automotive industry alone. The state’s centers
of commerce are being transformed into “technology clusters”
equipped with 21st century necessities such as teleconferencing
facilities, high speed telecommunications, training centers, university
research labs and business incubators. Business customers and corporate
decision makers are discovering the advantages of working and living
in Michigan.
4th Annual Investment and Commercialization Success Celebration
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) will recognize and celebrate successful entrepreneurial activities at the 4th Annual Investment and Commercialization Success Celebration event on September 24th at the Capitol Rotunda. MEDC is currently accepting nominations of companies that have contributed to successful technology transfer commercialization and entrepreneurial activities in the past year.
Emerging Tech Fund
The Emerging Technology Challenge Fund provides $1 million per year
in grant funds to help increase the number of development opportunities
that arise from the research and technology developed at Michigan
universities.
SmartZonessm
SmartZonessm are designed to stimulate the growth of
technology based businesses and jobs by creating recognized clusters
of new and emerging businesses, primarily focused on commercializing
ideas, patents and other opportunities surrounding university and
private research and development efforts.
Michigan Entrepreneurship Education Network
The Michigan Entrepreneurship Education Network (MEEN) is a program
supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC),
and sponsored by the University of Michigan Business School’s
Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial
Studies. MEEN is dedicated to the development and strengthening
of entrepreneurship education programs in Michigan’s traditional
degree-granting public universities. The intent is to create a partnership
with all of Michigan’s universities to help build their success
and reputation in entrepreneurial education, and, in turn, to enhance
the reputation of the state for entrepreneurial education.
NextEnergy
NextEnergy is a comprehensive economic development plan designed
to position Michigan as the world’s leading center for alternative
energy technology, research and development, education and manufacturing.
LinkMichigan
The LinkMichigan effort is working to transform Michigan's telecommunications
infrastructure into one of the most robust and advanced in the nation.
The four-step approach includes aggregating statewide telecommunication
purchases to create a high-speed backbone, implementing taxing and
permitting fairness, increasing access to information about the
telecommunication infrastructure that exists in Michigan, and providing
funds for regional telecommunication planning of last mile solutions.