ANN ARBOR SPARK

BUSINESS INCUBATOR/ACCELERATOR SERVICES SPARK CREATES LONG-TERM REGIONAL PROSPERITY BY ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF START-UPS AND EARLY-STAGE COMPANIES THROUGH SUPPORT BY OFFERING DIRECT AND CONSULTANT SERVICES. SPARK CREATES A PLACE WHERE EARLY-STAGE COMPANIES CAN CONDUCT BUSINESS AT AFFORDABLE RATES AND CAN CO-LOCATE WITH OTHER ENTREPRENEURS AND IN THE ECO-SYSTEM. SPARK OFFERS THOSE COMPANIES EDUCATIONAL AND NETWORKING EVENTS IN THE INCUBATOR SPACE. WE CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM WHEREBY START-UPS CAN CONNECT EASILY WITH RESOURCES THEY NEED AT EARLY STAGES TO LAUNCH AND ESTABLISH, THUS ATTRACTING START-UPS TO THIS REGION. THIS SUPPORTS GROWTH IN THE COMPANIES THEMSELVES, THE DIRECT SUPPORT SERVICES, AND THE REGION'S ECONOMY, CREATING A VIRTUOUS CYCLE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH. SPARK IS PART OF THE AWARD-WINNING GLOBAL EPICENTER OF MOBILITY (GEM) PROGRAM, ADMINISTERING THE ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE (EIR) COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM. SPARK'S EAST OFFICE LED A FEDERAL GRANT FOR THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT COVID IMPACT, HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMPANIES. IN 2023 SPARK ASSISTED 400 INNOVATION START-UPS WHICH CURRENTLY EMPLOY 1,046 FTE. SPARK NURTURED 102 INCUBATOR TENANTS. SPARK EAST PROVIDED 112.9K IN GRANTS TO COVID IMPACTED, HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED SMALL BUSINESSES.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (EXPANSION, ATTRACTION, RETENTION) SPARK MAXIMIZES POTENTIAL JOBS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE REGION AND HELPS GROW THE REGION'S GDP THROUGH THE RETENTION AND EXPANSION OF ESTABLISHED DRIVING INDUSTRY COMPANIES AND THE TARGETED ATTRACTION DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY OF SIMILAR COMPANIES THAT FIT THE REGION'S IDENTIFIED CLUSTERS. THIS IS DONE BY REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES TO DETERMINE THEIR NEEDS, MAKING KEY BUSINESS INTRODUCTIONS, ASSISTING WITH SITE SELECTION, COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, AND ASSISTING COMPANIES IN WORKING WITH LOCAL ACADEMIC PARTNERS TO COMMUNICATE TALENT NEEDS. THIS YEAR THE MAJOR COMPANIES SPARK SUPPORTED ARE: - MI-HQ: (DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT) - ACQUIRED AND RENOVATED THE EASTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS BUILDING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICINE AS AN ANCHOR TENANT - TOYOTA: (INTERNATIONAL R&D FACILITY) TO ESTABLISH A 48M BATTERY LAB, WHICH WILL AID THE DEVELOPMENT OF BATTERIES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN THE US. - MI FAME MICHIGAN CHAPTER: (FEDERATION FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EDUCATION) - PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO GRADUATE DEBT FREE AND FILLING IN A SKILLS GAP IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR. IN 2023, WITH 23 SUCCESSFUL COMPANY GROWTH PROJECTS, THE TEAM FACILITATED NEW INVESTMENT COMMITMENTS TOTALING MORE THAN 208 MILLION. THESE PROJECTS LED TO THE CREATION OF 516 NEW JOBS AND THE RETENTION OF OVER 363 EXISTING ONES, THEREBY STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL WORKFORCE.