TechTown was founded in 2000 by Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System and General Motors. In 2004, TechTown incorporated as a nonprofit and established its headquarters in a landmark 1927 Albert Kahn building just north of the Wayne State campus.
Originally founded to support tech-based spinoffs from the university, we soon realized that our incubation and acceleration strategies for tech companies could help strengthen neighborhood small businesses and commercial corridors across Detroit. Today, we offer a full suite of entrepreneurial services for tech and neighborhood businesses, with satellite offices across the city.
Our five-story building serves as an entrepreneurial hub, housing the TechTown administrative offices, our coworking community, meeting and event space, and numerous businesses working across sectors to drive progress in Detroit. TechTown works in close partnership with Wayne State’s Office of Economic Development, the university’s hub for catalyzing business activity in Midtown and across the Detroit region.
Driven by values of collaboration, excellence, accessibility, diversity and inclusion, and respect, TechTown opens doors to opportunity that strengthen our city, neighborhoods and economy.
Between 2007 and 2021, TechTown served more than 5,200 businesses at our Midtown hub and in neighborhoods across Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. These businesses created 2,183 jobs and leveraged more than $207 million in start-up capital.
Accenture
Bank of America
Comcast Business
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
DTE Energy Foundation
EY
Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation
Henry Ford Health System
Hudson-Webber Foundation
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Kresge Foundation
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Ned Staebler and Anne Staebler
New Economy Initiative
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
Rocket Community Fund
The Honorable Terri Lynn Land
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
U.S. Economic Development Administration
Walters Family Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
William Davidson Foundation
President, Wayne State University
Partner, PwC
System Vice President of Facilities & Support Services, Henry Ford Health System
Chief Business Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Finance & Business Operations, Wayne State University
Principal, Toyota AI Ventures
Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Invest Detroit
Executive Director, Detroit Future City
Vice President, Business Performance & Execution, Blue Care Network
Executive Director, Southwest Economic Solutions
President and CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Board of Governors, Wayne State University
Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Vice President, Leader of the Minority & Women Owned Business Initiative, Huntington Bank
Group Executive, Jobs, Economy, and Detroit at Work
Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, Henry Ford Health System Innovations
President and CEO, New Detroit, Inc.
President – Sales and Chief Operating Officer – Americas, Tata Technologies
Chief Executive Officer and Fund Manager,
Renaissance Venture Capital
Managing Director, Accenture
President and CEO, NextEnergy
Vice President, Siebert Williams Shank
Ex Officio
President and CEO, TechTown Detroit; Vice President for Economic Development, Wayne State University
Social Investment Officer, The Kresge Foundation
Clinical Professor of Law and
Director, Entrepreneurship Clinic, University of Michigan Law School; Board of Governors,
Wayne State University
Partner, Consulting at EY
Michigan Market Manager and Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
President and CEO, Walker-Miller Energy Services
Below is a select list of the numerous partners who help us deepen our impact:
ACCESS Growth Center, Amazon Web Services, Apple, Bank of America, Beaumont Health, Brightmoor Alliance, BUILD Institute, Challenge Detroit, City of Detroit, Comcast, Detroit Creative Corridor Center, Detroit Development Fund, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Detroit Future City, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Detroit USPTO, DukeEngage, Eastside Community Network, FedEx, General Electric, General Motors, Global Detroit, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Grand Circus, Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation, Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, Henry Ford Innovation Institute, IBM, Invest Detroit, Invest Michigan, Jefferson East, Inc., KYBBA, LEAR Corporation, Lifeline Consulting, Live6 Alliance, Macomb-OU INC, Michigan Small Business Development Center, Michigan Women’s Foundation, Microsoft, Midtown Detroit, Inc., Mobile Technology Association of Michigan, New Enterprise Forum, Oakland County Medical Mainstreet, Osborn Business Association, ProsperUS Detroit, Public Sector Consultants, SCORE Detroit, Southwest Detroit Business Association, TiE Detroit, University of Detroit-Mercy, University of Windsor, University Research Corridor, US Commercial Export Assistance Center, US Consulate General of Canada, US Small Business Administration, Venture For America, Village Capital, Wayne County Community College District, Wayne State University, WETech Alliance, Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation
For media inquiries, contact Kimberly Palter, kimberlypalter@wayne.edu. See TechTown’s press releases.
