MEDC welcomes Forbes 30 Under 30 to Michigan

Forbes white paper released highlighting future of mobility and Michigan’s leadership next generation transportation

LANSING, Mich. – Over the next several days, up to 9,000 young leaders, founders, investors and creators from around the world will be experiencing Detroit firsthand, participating in Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit taking place at the Masonic Temple. As a supporting sponsor of the event, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) will be highlighting Michigan’s business climate, mobility leadership and quality of life onsite at the event, as well as releasing a new Forbes Insights study to better understand how the nature of mobility is changing leadership and business strategies.

Current speakers include nationally-recognized leaders like Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, Palmer Luckey, Steve Case, Heidi Zak, Yael Aflalo and many more. Forbes’ exclusive pitch day will match young founders with top venture capitalists across various industries.

“Detroit is a premier example of what can happen when entrepreneurs, investors, elected officials and entertainers come together to address challenges, create partnerships and reimagine a city’s role on the world stage,” said Jeff Mason, CEO of MEDC. “Entrepreneurship is in our DNA here in Michigan, and whether its leading the next revolution in transportation through our mobility initiatives to growing a thriving high-tech startup ecosystem in the state, Michigan – and Detroit – is the perfect place to bring the next generation of makers, and doers, together.”

As part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 lineup, Trevor Pawl, senior vice president of business innovation at MEDC, will moderate the Innovation Breakout panel titled “Innovation Outside Silicon Valley.” Panelists include Lisa Falzone, cofounder and CEO of Athena Security, Adam Ghetti, founder and chief evangelist of Ionic Security and Josh Luber, founder of StockX.

MEDC will also host networking opportunities for attendees and invite participants to discover “Your State in Our State,” teaming up with Detroit-based Aura Aura participants can have their aura read, while learning more about opportunities to live, work and play in Michigan.

Michigan is at the forefront of the mobility revolution, and to better understand how the nature of mobility is changing leadership and business strategies, MEDC has also commissioned a Forbes Insights study. A white paper that details those findings, “Paving the Way: How Leading Businesses are Shaping the Future of Transportation & Mobility,” will be released today.

The survey gathered opinions from more than 500 executives nationwide in a range of industries, with three-quarters saying we are seeing a revolution in transportation and that those advances will profoundly impact society. In addition, companies recognize that investments in transportation and mobility are essential to their growth: Sixty-nine percent agree they must increase these investments to stay competitive. To prepare for such a future, executives say that partnership is essential: seventy-two percent agree it is vital to collaborate, particularly through public-private partnerships. The white paper will be used to educate audiences on how the mobility revolution will impact business.

To download a copy of “Paving the Way: How Leading Businesses are Shaping the future of Transportation & Mobility,” visit https://www.forbes.com/forbes-insights/our-work/paving_the_way_future_of_transportation/

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.