TechTown Detroit

Big news! 🎉 Little Liberia, winner of the 2022 Comerica #HatchDetroit Contest by TechTown, has found a new home for its brick-and-mortar! The eatery is coming to Detroit’s East English Village this fall. After overcoming early roadblocks, owner and chef Ameneh Marhaba is bringing her Afro-fusion cuisine from pop-up to a permanent location on the ground floor of The Ribbon, located at 16530 E Warren Ave. 📍 The new brick-and-mortar space will feature seated dining, a full bar with cocktails and mocktails and a retail area for Little Liberia’s merch. We're excited for Little Liberia to enter its next chapter of being a vibrant culinary spot that celebrates food, culture and community! 🙌

Entrepreneurship is more than just launching businesses — it’s how we’re building Detroit’s future workforce. At TechTown Detroit, we’re proud to support students, small business owners and tech innovators as they gain the tools, mentorship and connections needed to build meaningful careers and stronger communities. This Giving Day, your support powers The Entrepreneurial Pipeline: Building the Workforce of Tomorrow. With your help, we can ensure Detroiters — regardless of background — have access to opportunity. Let’s invest in the people who are shaping what comes next. Join us in building a stronger, more inclusive future for Detroit’s workforce. 💚 Make your donation here: techtowndet.org/4jdQB4j

📢 If you're looking for a fresh new workspace to kick off your Q2, look no further! We have two Dedicated Traditional Desk Spaces available at TechTown. Enjoy private use of an L-shaped desk and locking filing cabinet. Each Dedicated Traditional Desk membership includes: 🔹 24/7 access 🔹 Free parking/bike racks 🔹 Free Wi-Fi 🔹 Access to meeting spaces, video conferencing and phone booth rooms 🔹 Premium concierge services provided by our Community Ambassadors 🔹 Notary public service 🔹 And any more perks! Your next coworking space is right at our headquarters. ✨ To inquire about these desk spaces, email us at coworking@techtowndetroit.org or call us at (313) 879-5250. We'd love to have you as part of the TechTown community! 🙌

The second annual Shine On Summit: Networking, Storytelling, Building Community is ONE week away, and we couldn’t be more excited to sponsor and host Shine & Rise's event on Wednesday, April 16, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., at TechTown Detroit. 👋 The Shine On Summit is all about advancing the ideas and perspectives of women and other underrepresented folks in tech, rooted in the belief that supporting and shining on each other sparks collective growth. 🤗 Throughout the summit, you’ll engage in lightning breakout talks and hear remarks from influential speakers, all addressing the theme: How do we design a meaningful future where we shine as individuals and rise together? 🔆 Get a head start on the day with Shine & Rise’s free coworking drop-in day, hosted by us! Drop by anytime between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a tour of the facility and the chance to work in our coworking space before the summit. 🏢 ➡️ RSVP now! https://lnkd.in/enw4xVMP

We’re thrilled to congratulate Nxt Level Fitness, a 2024 Retail Boot Camp and Start Studio alum, and Cafe Clark Detroit, a current Spring 2025 Retail Boot Camp cohort member, for being awarded a Motor City Match grant by the City of Detroit and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation! 🎉 Motor City Match continues to play a vital role in supporting Detroit-based businesses by providing resources and funding to entrepreneurs looking to open brick-and-mortar businesses across the city. We’re proud to see our TechTown community members grow and thrive with the help of programs like Motor City Match in the ecosystem! 🙌

TechTown Detroit would like to wish our community a happy Arab American Heritage Month! 🙌 We recognize and celebrate all the contributions that Arab Americans have made in Detroit and the region. Here at TechTown, we are committed to providing a safe, inclusive and collaborative environment for entrepreneurs, founders and innovators to thrive and contribute to an equitable economy. We're grateful for those who have trusted our programming, resources and space to help them grow! #ArabAmericanHeritageMonth

During our conversation last fall with Jonathan Peregrino — chef/owner of JP Makes and Bakes and a semifinalist of the 2023 Comerica #HatchDetroit Contest by TechTown — Peregrino shared how the exposure to a new network of people through Hatch Detroit and TechTown has helped him along his entrepreneurial journey. 🙌 Like Peregrino, the Contest could provide YOU with the resources and community needed to open your own retail storefront! 🌟 ⏰ Applications for the 2025 Contest have been EXTENDED to Sunday, April 6, at 11:59 p.m. This gives you the weekend to wrap up your business plan, and puts you one step closer to making your brick-and-mortar dreams a reality! ➡️ Apply today! hatchdetroit.com/apply/ Comerica Bank Wayne State University

It’s not always easy to see how individual donations make a difference at a place like TechTown. When you hear about millions in capital raised, it might feel like your gift won’t move the needle. But that capital goes directly to startups- it doesn’t fund the programs, coaching and spaces that make their success possible. That’s where you come in. TechTown is a nonprofit, and we rely on community support to keep our doors open and ensure every entrepreneur has access to the resources they need. We’re not just supporting businesses—we’re strengthening neighborhoods, creating jobs, and building a more vibrant city. Here’s what your donation makes possible: 🔹 $50 – A private meeting space for startups to connect with clients and funders 🔹 $100 – One-on-one coaching from an experienced business mentor 🔹 $250 – Expert-led workshops on customer discovery, sales, and growth strategies 🔹 $500 – A FREE vending opportunity + coaching for a budding retail entrepreneur This Spring Campaign is about funding the behind-the-scenes work that fuels entrepreneurship. Every gift, at any level, makes a difference. Will you help power the next great Detroit business? 📢 Donate today: https://lnkd.in/eTk5tiN

If you're a maker looking to break into wholesale or refine your strategy, don’t miss The Wholesaler's Playbook next week on Thursday, April 10! 👋 During this in-person workshop at TechTown Detroit, you'll gain the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in the wholesale market. You’ll learn how to: 🔹 Price your products for wholesale profitably 🔹 Balance operations while delivering great customer service 🔹 Create wholesale policies and professional line sheets 🔹 Find product placements and pitch to retailers effectively Our guest speaker, Holly Laginess, is a small business strategist at TechTown Detroit. Laginess has built a successful wholesale business, sold to retailers nationwide and is ready to share her expertise to help you increase revenue, reduce stress and grow with confidence! 🚀 ➡️ RSVP at techtowndet.org/4bVRJXn

🗣️ GREAT NEWS! The deadline to submit your application for the Comerica #HatchDetroit Contest has been extended to Sunday, April 6 at 11:59 p.m.! This extension gives you EXTRA TIME to finalize your business concept and submit your application for a chance to win $100,000 in startup funding, along with a package of in-kind services. 🙌 Hatch Detroit has helped more than 55 entrepreneurs open their storefronts, and you could be the next one! Past finalists have gone on to open thriving storefronts, revitalize neighborhoods, and make a lasting impact in the community. If you have a great business idea — or know someone who does — now's the time to apply. 🤩 Don’t miss this opportunity to turn your vision into reality. Apply now or share this link with someone you know who should: hatchdetroit.com/apply/ Comerica Bank Wayne State University