LOGISTICS
Detroit is the third-largest international gateway in the U.S. It provides access to the nation’s highway infrastructure, four Class I railroads and adjoining intermodal freight facilities, a marine port and a regional airport, all within its borders. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport offers 280 international flights weekly and 160 direct flights daily, ranks top 25 for cargo movement in North America and is consistently ranked one of the top international airports in the world.
TALENT
Detroit has access to a workforce that is highly skilled and highly motivated. Our region is known for the most concentrated engineering talent in the country and for producing top product design talent. Our workforce’s talent extends to other fields, including transportation and logistics, food processing, creative and information technology. Detroit firms have access to graduates from three major research institutions, in addition to another 12 public universities and nine community colleges.
SUPPLY CHAIN
Detroit is home to major corporations, spanning health care, automotive, food manufacturing, information technology, advertising and more. Employment has been trending upward, with the city experiencing a net 11,000 jobs increase since 2010. Both the city and state have established special programs to help connect companies to local suppliers.
INNOVATION
Because of the volume of patents generated in our region, Detroit became home to the first-ever regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2012. The University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University together draw $1.88 billion in federal academic research dollars to Michigan. The National Institutes of Health awarded more than $588.6 million in research grants to the Detroit region. Detroit has access to 375 automotive R&D centers, 120 of which are foreign-owned.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
Companies such as Shinola/Detroit LLC have chosen Detroit because they see that anything is possible here. Grassroots efforts have been joined, with more than 50 nonprofit organizations offering services to small businesses that range from business planning and strategy to real estate assistance, funding, co-working space and beyond. The New Economy Initiative has invested $72 million to build a network of support for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Detroit and the region.
QUALITY OF LIFE
There are many misperceptions about Detroit and the quality of life here that are disproven after a visit. Detroit is attracting retail investment from national retailers like Whole Foods Market and Meijer, as well as independent entrepreneurs on commercial strips. Detroit has a full set of cultural amenities, including a world-class art museum, historical museums, zoo, symphony, opera, a multitude of theatrical companies and four professional sports teams. Detroiters have access not only to hundreds of acres of parkland, the tenth-largest urban park in the United States and tens of miles of new greenway and biking systems, but also to Michigan’s vast natural amenities.
INCENTIVES
A wide range of tools is available to help new business investments in the city. To expand a business in the city of Detroit, contact: Detroit Economic Growth Corp. invest@degc.org or (313) 237-4630.
