MEDC Presents: A Year of Firsts
Stefanie Pohl
Monday, December 16, 2024
From the NFL Draft in Detroit and the Mobility Conference to a new way of sharing Michiganders’ stories across the state, 2024 was a year of firsts for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the State of Michigan. As we reflect on the announcements, events and successes of the past year, we celebrate 2024 as a starting point for new growth and excitement in the year ahead. Join us as we reflect on...
The first NFL Draft in Detroit – and biggest in history
In April, the city of Detroit hosted the NFL Draft – and proceeded to shatter records while showcasing the excitement of Detroit’s revitalization for thousands of visitors. In total, the NFL Draft in Detroit welcomed a record-breaking 750,000 people and generated over $213 million in economic impact for the city.
With the Detroit Lions roaring and the city soaring, the NFL Draft let the rest of the world in on a little secret: Detroit is a gem. That momentum continues into the new year, with Detroit listed among Travel + Leisure’s 50 Best Places to Travel in 2025.
The state’s first Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer
At the Mackinac Policy Conference in May, Gov. Whitmer announced the State of Michigan’s first Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer, Ben Marchionna. In his role, Marchionna is tasked with helping to build a community of innovation and make Michigan a place where innovators and entrepreneurs feel seen and heard as they work together to drive our state forward. Looking toward the new year, Marchionna will continue to find ways to move Michigan into the future.
I’m excited to convene Michigan’s vibrant innovation stakeholders to help build an even more thriving ecosystem in our great state. We know entrepreneurship and innovation is key to growing Michigan’s economy, creating jobs across our state, and building a future with shared prosperity for all Michiganders.
The state’s first Mobility Conference and pitch competition
In October, Michigan held its inaugural Mobility Conference, welcoming 440 attendees with a waitlist of 75 additional people, demonstrating a strong interest in Michigan's mobility future. At the Mobility Conference, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced new initiatives to develop the mobility talent pipeline and support emerging companies, as well as the winners of the first PitchMI competition. This Shark Tank-style pitch competition invited innovators from across the state to submit applications for proposed solutions that address mobility and transportation challenges, with the winner receiving a $100,000 investment from the Growth Office. In the end, Detroit-based startup Civilized Cycles came out of the Shark Tank with the big prize.
“Detroit and Michigan have been such a great home for us both for manufacturing and our operations in general. Winning PitchMI is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. This funding will be instrumental in accelerating our mission to revolutionize urban cargo transportation.” -- Marc Liu, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Civilized Cycles
The Voices storytelling initiative
Michigan’s most important asset is its people. In January, the MEDC launched Voices, a storytelling initiative aimed at sharing the stories of Michiganders from across the state’s 83 counties. From Bugsy Sailor, the unofficial ambassador of the Upper Peninsula, to Nyshell Lawrence, a Lansing-area bookshop owner celebrating Black women authors, the subjects of our Voices stories reflect the diverse range of backgrounds, experiences and industries available in the state with at least one thing in common: a love of Michigan.
I love leaning into the role of Upper Peninsula Ambassador. I love teaching people about the U.P., answering all their questions, correcting everything they got wrong about the U.P. and have stepped into that role for a very long time now.
2024: A year of statewide impact
In addition to a year of firsts, 2024 also reflected the MEDC’s ongoing commitment to its Make It in Michigan economic development strategy with a focus on supporting its people, revitalizing its communities and attracting transformational projects.
From supporting small businesses in Michigan over 13,000 times to $11.1 billion leveraged in private investment, MEDC resources and services made a last impact statewide in FY2024:
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