Topic Archive: Interviews

Detroit-based luxury cannabis startup, Pleasantrees, announced a successful Series A funding round, raising $6.4 million in preparation for the launch of their retail arm.  The design-driven brand's newfound financial backing came from a group of 64 local and international investors.  With plans to open 12 medical marijuana provisioning centers acr[...]

Plymouth-based electric truck manufacture, Rivian, secured $350 million in investments this week, making it the company's third public investment of 2019. Cox Automotive is behind the company's most recent fiscal stimulus, joining Amazon and Ford Motor Company as recent investors. While it was not disclosed how much equity Cox would receive, the Ri[...]

In the race for accessible and modern mobility, a local startup is on a mission to improve the way the world moves. Meet Argo AI. With a self-proclaimed focus to provide affordable transportation to underserved urban communities, Argo AI has attracted the attention and support of some of the auto industry's biggest players.  In 2017, Argo AI receiv[...]

There's a longstanding rumor that hangs heavy over the startup community. The word 'startup' alone insinuates endless hours spent cramped in an office, tolling away long after 5pm, accompanied by nothing but an open-floorplan and the heavy odor of burnout. Not only is it false, but extremely ineffective.  For those old enough to remember, the start[...]

Starting a business is hard, but successfully growing one is harder. Detroit entrepreneurs are cut from a cloth woven thick with ambition, innovation and tenacity—and I'm sure you're no different. And while our community is lush with startups, many experience the difficulties of finding, attracting and hiring talent. Sound familiar? Growing your te[...]

There are less than 300 hundred worldwide, making them incredibly rare and highly coveted. More elusive than the latest Jordan drop or a pair of Beyonce tickets, there’s an elite group that brings not just cash, but also allure. Cue the unicorns (no, not the glittering horned ponies with majestic abilities from your childhood). We’re talking about [...]

Mary Kramer is the co-founder of Detroit Homecoming, a three-day, invite-only event where Detroit expats return to the city, get inspired, and imagine new ways to rebuild and reinvest in the city that made them. We were lucky enough to catch up with Mary to learn more about the story behind the event. This year Detroit Homecoming is taking place fr[...]

Helping purpose-driven people find purpose-driven startups is at the heart of all we do. (Hence: “regarding purpose,” or, re:purpose). So when we saw that the cover story for the July/August 2018 issue of the Harvard Business Review was about turning purpose into performance, we were delighted. The article defines purpose at work like this: “A high[...]

When WeWork launched in 2010, they wanted to build more than beautifully designed shared office spaces for startups and small businesses. Rather, they were on a mission to build a community where entrepreneurs and creators could thrive together; to create a world where people work to make a life, not just a living. To call that mission a success wo[...]

“Startups have to get their product into the market as fast as possible to compete.” This comes from Jamie Hamilton, the Vice President of Engineering for one of the nation’s top mortgage lending firms, and a man who’s spent the last two decades building a reputation for leading meaningful change in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments. In our [...]