Detroit is awakening in the midst of a remarkable transformation. For more than a century it was defined by its industrial past. But today, the motor city has become a magnet for innovation, investment, and entrepreneurial energy. A surge of entrepreneurial investment, venture cap funding, a wave of new business creation, and the revitalization of key districts have made Detroit one of the most exciting places to build something new.
AIMCLEAR thrives in environments where ideas are being shaped, tested, and brought to market by ambitious founders and bold thinkers. That’s why our expanded presence in Detroit was a strategic move to become even more embedded in an innovative business ecosystem. Headquartered in Duluth and Saint Paul, Minnesota, AIMCLEAR is deeply rooted in the Great Lakes region. Our Detroit team codifies our Midwest footprint, seated at the epicenter of Detroit’s dynamic entrepreneurial business community.
Detroit’s Entrepreneurial Renaissance
To ignore Detroit’s resurgence would be a mistake. Billions of dollars in infrastructure and business investment are redefining the city physically and thematically. Big money is fueling a thriving ecosystem of startups, accelerators, and co-working spaces, which also draws top talent.
This momentum is further bolstered by a convergence of factors:
- Major enterprises alongside scrappy startups – From Ford’s innovation hub at Michigan Central to Rocket Companies’ fintech dominance, Detroit is home to global players working alongside emerging startups in AI, mobility, digital commerce, and more.
- A growing venture capital scene – Firms like Detroit Venture Partners and Invest Detroit are backing early-stage companies, creating a pipeline of opportunities for new business formation.
- A culture of resilience and reinvention – Detroit’s entrepreneurial mindset is rooted in reinvention. Whether in tech, advanced manufacturing, or retail, the city is driven by a relentless energy to build and scale.
Close to the Bone
AIMCLEAR operates best when we’re alongside others driving innovation with raw spirit—where entrepreneurs are solving real problems and businesses are scaling. Detroit’s startup ecosystem is a powerful mix of ambition, ingenuity, and grit, making it a natural place for our company to expand and grow. TechTown Detroit, where AIMCLEAR maintains office space, is a hub for startups, technologists, and business leaders shaping the future. The innovative players operating and backing this incubator include Ned Staebler, TechTown CEO, and financial backers ranging from Beringea, Renaissance Venture Capital, and Invest Detroit (ID Ventures) to the Gilbert Family Foundation, Henry Ford Health System, JP Morgan Chase, the Kresge Foundation, and numerous others.
The roster of people and organizations that support TechTown and its internal team of innovative leaders lead to a unique and powerful place where the next great ideas are being curated.
“Innovation thrives in ecosystems where businesses—whether selling medical devices, gourmet dinners, or custom-designed jeans—are supported equitably, given access to capital, and positioned to scale.” – Ned Staebler, as quoted in Authority Magazine (Oct. 2020)
Locating in one incubator in an on-the-move city like Detroit isn’t enough. AIMCLEAR has memberships across multiple premier incubator spaces and business organizations, including BasBlue, The Detroit Regional chamber, Adcraft Detroit, Inforum, TogetHER in Digital, and the AWA Foundation. These relationships create lasting connections into different networks, industries, and ideas. The city’s ecosystem is fluid, so tapping into its full potential means we have to move with it.
Mission Detroit: A Vision for Collaboration
Detroit is filled with builders, problem-solvers, and visionaries, and AIMCLEAR is here to collaborate, exchange ideas, and help innovative companies amplify their work. The most powerful opportunities emerge through proximity, conversation, and shared ambition.
Mission Detroit is an ongoing journey. It’s about engaging with the entrepreneurial community, contributing to the momentum of reshaping the city, and working alongside some of the brightest minds in tech, mobility, and emerging industries. The future of business in Detroit is being built right now, and AIMCLEAR is here to be part of it.
Collaboration also extends to community involvement. Our Detroit team gives of their time, talent, and individual passions to improve the lives of the people who make up the community. Through extraordinary relationships, we’ve focused extensively on helping children–Detroit’s next generation of innovators and doers–to remove barriers to their academic successes.
- InnovatED313 – our team worked with this great organization to improve their web presence and spotlight exceptional work bringing STEAM education to more kids.
- One Step Forward – providing books, school supplies, and more to more than 150 eager young students
- Detroit Public Schools Advisory Council, which gives us a pathway to support families, students, and teachers. For example, we facilitated the donation and installation of a washer and dryer in a public school to give low-income families access to free clothes washing, removing barriers to school attendance.
We know that this type of roll-up-the-sleeves approach brings life-changing improvements for our fellow community members.
Detroit’s Future is Being Built Now
Detroit isn’t just a comeback story—it’s a blueprint for the future of American innovation. The mix of world-class enterprises, thriving startups, and a culture of resilience makes it a place where new ideas take root and grow.
AIMCLEAR is here to work alongside the city’s best and brightest, to be in the rooms where industries evolve, and to help shape what’s next.
This is Mission Detroit—and it’s just getting started.
