Mayor Mike Duggan today joined with Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) officials, City Council President Mary Sheffield, and startup ecosystem leaders announced the launch the first-of-its-kind Detroit Startup Fund. More than 200 members of Detroit’s tech community gathered at Newlab at Michigan Central to celebrate the announcement.

It may be summertime in Detroit, Michigan, but what brought the real heat was Global Citizen NOW: Detroit, which took place on July 10 and sparked fresh momentum for building sustainable cities where everyone can thrive. 

Cities are engines of economic growth, centers of innovation, and increasingly, the frontlines in the global fight against poverty. From Detroit to Dhaka, London to Lagos, urban centers face urgent questions about their futures and are making bold, long-term investments that will either reduce or reinforce inequality.

CBS News Detroit: Black Tech Saturdays leverages golf for business growth

Black Tech Saturdays has received a $1 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to grow its model.

The funding is the largest single grant out of $6.8 million that the MEDC allocates across 23 organizations as part of the Trusted Connector Grant program.

The Detroit-based tech meetup for creatives and entrepreneurs will use the funding to expand its operations. 

Johnnie and Alexa Turnage, co-founders of Black Tech Saturdays, are helping to increase African American representation and entrepreneurship in the tech industry. The initiative aims to close the racial wealth gap by empowering Black tech communities nationwide through training, workshops, and advocacy. In partnership with Michigan Central, Black Tech Saturdays hosts events at Newlab in Detroit.