MSU will host the statewide Innovate Michigan! Summit Sept. 4 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
The summit goes from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Economic developers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, scholars, students, community leaders and others are invited to share in recent ideas, tools, models and policies for bolstering Michigan’s economic growth.
The annual event continues the work supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce with the MSU Center for Community and Economic Development and the MSU EDA University Center for Regional Economic Innovation.
Funded by a five-year, $915,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, REI is growing a statewide virtual network to help generate new models, policies, and practices that will improve the economic future in Michigan.
REI supports the development and dissemination of innovative tools and strategies employed by professionals and entrepreneurs to use when implementing local, regional and statewide economic development.
The summit will present a summary of the past year’s work, with innovative speakers and presenters offering unique economic development strategies.
Topics range from understanding the skills gap to digital literacy and workforce development. University students who partner with REI on student-led, faculty-guided projects also will present their work.
The keynote speaker is Reverend Barry T. Randolph, leader of the Church of the Messiah and the Mt. Elliot Makerspace in Detroit. He is a community organizer and started the Messiah’s first Urban Garden Co-op.
More information, including registration details and speaker information, is available on REI’s website.