PlanetM and Plug and Play Partner for Mobility Matchmaking Event

Global innovation platform to hold first Detroit Summit on July 11; media registration available

DETROIT– July 2, 2018 — Representatives from Michigan’s mobility ecosystem – including 40 startups, 60 corporate entities and educational institutions from across the state – will come together on Wednesday, July 11 at Little Caesars Arena for a first-of-its-kind Detroit Summit featuring a day of pitches, exhibits, demos and one-on-one meetings.

The event is being hosted by Plug and Play – the world’s largest global innovation platform – in partnership with PlanetM and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Detroit was a natural choice for an event, given the city’s reputation as a leader in transportation innovation.

“We are very excited to partner with PlanetM. Detroit remains the home of technology advances in the mobility space, and it is an obvious destination to expand Plug and Play’s global presence. We hope to bridge the gap between the software of Silicon Valley and the hardware of Detroit,” said Sobhan Khani, Vice President of Mobility at Plug and Play.

This event is structured to provide each participant a curated experience that focuses on making connections in the mobility space. Startups will have opportunities to exhibit, present and demo for corporate attendees looking to explore and learn more about emerging technologies.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to work with Plug and Play to showcase Michigan’s robust mobility ecosystem,” said Trevor Pawl, Group Vice President of PlanetM. “From startups to automakers, the work being done in Michigan is leading today’s transportation revolution and putting Detroit at the epicenter of mobility innovation, testing and deployment.”

Plug and Play has a worldwide presence working with startups, corporations and investors to aid in growth. Startup accelerator matchmaking events, such as this program, make introductions that help both parties thrive through investment, pilots, acquisitions and mutual growth. Plug and Play also has Silicon Valley VC partners that can lead to investment.

The pitch competition will include 16 Plug and Play startups as well as several local companies including:

• May Mobility - self-driving microtransit service makes short-distance travel safe, convenient, and personal, allowing people to move effortlessly around the areas where they live and work.
• Lookingbus - LookingBus is an orientation system for the blind that uses proprietary hardware to facilitate communication between blind pedestrians and bus drivers.

Additionally, several Michigan universities, including Michigan Tech, Wayne State University and the University of Michigan, will have an opportunity to pitch both projects and programs to corporate representatives in attendance. Other PlanetM partners, including The American Center for Mobility and Kettering University, will be also presenting throughout the day. Representatives from Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Pure Michigan Business Connect, all programs at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, will also be participating in the event.

Visit https://planetm.connect.space/pnpsummit for more information and to register. Press registration is free to all credentialed media.

About PlanetM

PlanetM is a partnership of mobility organizations, communities, educational institutions, research and development, and government agencies working together to develop and deploy the mobility technologies driving the future. Available to any mobility-focused company or investor, PlanetM is also a no-cost, concierge service that connects startups to Michigan’s automotive ecosystem — the people, places and resources dedicated to the evolution of transportation mobility. Michigan has always been the leader of the automotive industry, and as vehicle and transportation technologies continue to evolve in amazing ways, Michigan is continuing to lead the way. Visit PlanetM.com to learn more.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 20 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With more 6,000 startups and 220 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. We provide active investments with 200 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and host more than 700 networking events per year. Companies in our community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, PayPal, SoundHound, and Zoosk. For more information, visit http://plugandplaytechcenter.com.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.