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In 1913, Detroit was the birthplace of the world’s first moving assembly line, a breakthrough that didn’t just revitalize the auto industry but also transformed global manufacturing forever. That innovation, led by Ford Motor Company, laid the foundation for mass production as we know it, proving that when Detroit builds, the world takes note.

photo credit: Ford Motor Co.

Today we are building on that legacy. At Michigan Central, we’re developing the next era of innovation across our sprawling 30-acre campus in the heart of Detroit. Here you’ll find companies working on micromobility solutions, drone deployments, autonomous vehicle technology, sustainable transit solutions, and other initiatives that have the goal of shaping the future of transportation in urban living. Anchored by our venture partner Newlab, this ecosystem has become a powerful launchpad for startups and entrepreneurs who are using advanced technologies to address some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today.

photo credit: Orange Sparkle Ball

By combining Detroit’s industrial heritage with world-class facilities, a future-focused talent pipeline, and a collaborative startup environment led by Newlab, we’re creating a model for urban industrial innovation that is built to last and built to grow.

A Unique and Supportive Ecosystem 

Michigan Central is a nationally-recognized hub where startups, industry leaders, and public partners come together to design, test, build, and deploy real solutions.

Since we opened our doors in 2023, we’ve listened and learned a lot from our innovator community—which includes nearly 240 companies. Emerging technologies—like drones, electrification platforms, robotics, and micromobility—are fast-changing industries. New trends emerge. Regulations shift. Markets expand and contract.

The new generation of mobility and industrial technology requires something different. It demands speed and flexibility over sheer volume. It requires the ability to iterate quickly and produce in smaller quantities. It needs agile manufacturing to succeed.

Together with Newlab, we give startups the tools they need to move ideas from prototype to production under one roof. Michigan Central companies have access to infrastructure, network and space to scale like:

  • 18,000 square feet of advanced prototyping and fabrication facilities with 3D printers, CNC machines, welding bays, and flexible assembly space in Newlab at Michigan Central

  • 4-square mile Transportation Innovation Zone which offers streamlined permitting for test deployments such as connected and autonomous vehicles, delivery robots, and more

  • 3-mile Advanced Aerial Innovation Region which supports the deployment of drone technology in an urban environment

  • Nearly 30 venture capital firms co-located at Michigan Central, providing startups with access to funding, allowing them to test their technology and bring it to market

And, in addition to 8 acres of Michigan Central’s nearby industrial-zoned real estate that can potentially be activated for manufacturing, Newlab recently announced the launch of “The 23rd,” a 380,000-square-foot manufacturing campus just west of the Michigan Central district in which they will have a dedicated space.

This environment gives innovators the ability to move from concept to commercialization without leaving Detroit. To date, 40% of our startups have relocated to Michigan Central from outside Michigan, with more than 10% coming internationally.

Startups like Lincode Labs, Peer Robotics and Sharrow Marine chose to move to or open locations in Detroit and set up shop here because Michigan Central and Newlab make it possible to design, iterate, and scale within a supportive environment.

Others have stayed or expanded production from here. Detroit-based company Boaz Bikes has more control over manufacturing quality in a city that truly understands the complexities of urban transportation – resulting in faster turnarounds and the agility to integrate improvements on the fly.

Detroit Is Where It’s At

photo credit: Jason Keen

The city has the key ingredients for America’s industrial renaissance: legacy industrial know-how, pro-innovation and pro-manufacturing policies, optimal real estate zoning and costs, and an ongoing city revitalization to reassert Detroit as the driver of innovation, culture and economic prosperity that are core to the city’s long-standing identity as a leader of invention and industrialism.

Detroit is already evolving into a national mecca for innovation. In the past few years alone, the region has welcomed hundreds of new technology and manufacturing operations, drawn by Detroit’s unique combination of affordable industrial space, pro-business policies, and deep manufacturing expertise. From advanced battery production and electric vehicles to micromobility, drones, and robotics, Detroit has become a proving ground for next-generation solutions. Major investments from both public and private sectors have accelerated this transformation, fueling new research centers, production facilities, and partnerships with universities. This surge of activity isn’t hypothetical—it’s happening now, and it’s positioning Detroit as the place where ambitious founders and industry leaders come to build what’s next.

Joining Us in Building What Comes Next

The next era of American manufacturing is taking shape right here and we invite you to be a part of it. Along with ecosystem partner Newlab, we are setting a new standard for how Detroit and other cities can lead the industrial future, offering access to resources like venture capital, logistics infrastructure, engineering support, and workforce development.

When you choose Michigan Central, you’re not just getting desk space—you’re joining a community of builders, investors, and entrepreneurs working to redefine what the future can be.

Let’s build it together.