DATE ANNOUNCED FOR DETROIT HOMECOMING XI
SEPT. 18-20, 2024
Detroit Homecoming is a celebration of the city, inviting former residents home for three days to learn, network and explore.
We’re planning for 2024! Save the date for September 18-20 in your calendars.
Check out these videos from our 10th anniversary.
Want to learn more? Get on our list:
Email homecoming@crain.com
DETROIT HOMECOMING PILLARS
What to Expect at Detroit Homecoming XI
Detroit Homecoming celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2023. Our team never dreamed the initiative would live beyond three years. But at the urging of ardent supporters Mayor Mike Duggan and Host Committee member Dan Gilbert, we began planning for the longer term in 2016. And by 2023, we produced a more formal review of the actual return on the significant philanthropic investment in the initiative over the last decade. Between an impact report led by JFM Associates and interviews conducted by Crain’s Detroit Business on the 10 most significant Homecoming-inspired investments, we reported an overall impact of more than $1 billion in Homecoming-inspired investments and philanthropic contributions, with some longer term projects – the Henry Ford Health System/Detroit Pistons partnership and Stephen Ross’s commitment to the UM innovation center still under way.
We are recruiting speakers to fit program themes and identifying experiences for attendees; in 2023, we had 52 speakers over three days. Two of them – Isiah Thomas and KEM – announced they would be returning to live in metro Detroit. Our experiences last year included eight tours or immersions across 23 venues. We anticipate a similar scope in 2024.
Highlighted program features this year:
- Immigration as a path to population growth. Detroit was built on immigrants – from abroad and from the South. What
- How climate migration may benefit the city and the state. Veteran investor Roger Ehrenberg will discuss his investment thesis for Michigan and for Detroit – and what both need to do to benefit from what many predict will surge as many Americans seek an escape from weather extremes and heat.
- What do Detroit’s young people want and expect in K-12 education in the city? A member of Skillman Foundation’s President’s Youth Council will interview Detroit schools chief Anthony Vitti and a couple of Skillman’s visionary awardees will talk about their vision for the future.
- The array of investment-worth companies based in the city continues to grow. Because our alumni survey indicates interest in direct investment, we plan to invite up to 5 company founders to make a pitch on-stage on Friday, Sept. 20. Accredited investors – expats and invited Midwest guests from family offices and High Net Worth individuals – will have a chance to register on an Expat-founded platform, Austin-based Microventures, to make small investments. InvestDetroit, the Centropolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University and other partners are identifying the best companies for this exercise. In addition, we’ll showcase a handful of other companies. And that afternoon, we’re arranging for
- Retaining talent is a key objective for Gov. Whitmer’s Grow Michigan Together initiative; working with MEDC and our university partners, we’re inviting recent college graduates and upper class members to attend Friday’s session to see the excitement around new companies, technology and innovation in their own back yard.
And so much more!
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