Detroit is a city built on grit, resilience, and reinvention. As the national economy accelerates toward a future powered by innovation and technology, Detroit’s Black business community must not only keep up — we must lead. The next wave of economic transformation is already here, driven by breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, clean energy, health tech, blockchain, and more. Yet, Black businesses remain underrepresented in these fastmoving sectors.
This year’s theme, “Detroit Future Proof: Innovation, Tech & The Next Black Economy,” is a call to action — and a spotlight. While national conversations around inclusive innovation are growing louder, Detroiters are already doing the work. From STEMdriven startups in co-working hubs to tech entrepreneurs building scalable platforms, Black Detroiters are quietly crafting the blueprint for the next Black economy.
At the Michigan Chronicle, we know the power of storytelling. This special edition showcases the innovators, creators, and visionaries reshaping Detroit’s future and the obstacles they still face regarding access to capital, mentorship, and exposure. We’ll explore what’s working, where the gaps remain, and how we build infrastructure that makes Detroit a national model for inclusive, tech-forward business growth.
Detroit’s future isn’t coming. It’s already here, and we are building it.
Stay innovative. Stay focused.
Hiram E. Jackson Publisher, Michigan Chronicle Chief Executive Officer, Real Times Media
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Tech Economy Black to the Future:
Meet the Visionaries Reimagining Detroit’s
OBy Ebony JJ Curry SENIOR REPORTER
n the west side of Detroit, under the shadow of aging utility poles and blocks lined with promise and grit, Deana Neely walks into a home needing power. Not the political kind, not metaphorical. Literal power. The kind that lights a room, fuels opportunity, and—when placed in the right hands—sparks a movement.
Neely owns Detroit Voltage, a Black woman-owned electrical contracting company building more than circuits. She’s rewriting access. Her company has installed over 1,000 electric vehicle chargers across Michigan. For her, it isn’t about catching up with the clean energy trend—it’s about making sure Black Detroiters aren’t left out of the infrastructure shaping the next economy.
“Too often, our communities are the last to benefit from innovation. I’m here to shift that,” Neely said. She grew up in Detroit and built her company in 2015 with a mission to provide both service and education. Whether it’s training apprentices or leading conversations about the energy transition, Neely stays rooted in Detroit’s needs while positioning her company in a global conversation around clean energy.
Her work intersects with Darren Riley, another visionary rooted in tech, health equity, and survival. Riley co-founded Just Air after watching his father battle respiratory issues in Grand Rapids. He later developed asthma himself, which pushed him to ask a question that many policy makers overlook: Why are Black neighborhoods hit hardest by environmental injustice?
Just Air uses air-quality sensors to monitor pollution levels at the hyperlocal level—block by block. The technology gives communities data they’ve never had access to and the power to organize with facts behind them. Riley said, “We are building tools to advocate for ourselves. This is about health. This is about dignity.”
Just Air has already been deployed in more than 20 neighborhoods across Michigan, Alabama, and Georgia. In Detroit, the system tracks pollution in areas surrounding industrial corridors where residents have long complained about asthma, heart disease, and a lack of accountability.
Michael Polk adds another crucial layer to the story. He’s the founder of Stock Pal, a fintech platform teaching financial literacy through culturally relevant content. Where traditional stock trading apps feel disconnected, Stock Pal speaks to users in their language—Detroit slang included—and fo-
cuses on creating generational wealth.
Polk calls Stock Pal a movement. “We’re teaching folks how to build portfolios, not just pay bills,” he said. The platform allows users to simulate trades, learn from curated financial news, and build confidence in investing without feeling judged or shut out.
Polk grew up seeing the barriers. He talks about the lack of wealth conversations in Black households not as a moral failing, but because of systemic exclusion. His app, now used by thousands of Detroiters, is a reclamation tool—a way to put the keys of the economy in the hands of those locked out for too long.
These three founders are not anomalies. They are evidence of what happens when Black innovation is resourced, trusted, and centered. Their work spans energy, health, and finance, but each project asks the same question: What does futureproofing look like for Black Detroit?
For Neely, it means building skills in clean energy that young Detroiters can use to secure careers and start businesses. She hires local, trains on the job, and collaborates with state-level EV initiatives to ensure representation.
For Riley, it means turning technology into activism. He meets with community groups and local governments, urging them to act on the data Just Air provides. The work becomes political when the right to breathe clean air turns into a community’s collective demand.
For Polk, futureproofing is about ownership. He refuses to let Black families be last in line when markets shift, or new technologies emerge. Stock Pal offers more than lessons—it delivers agency.
This kind of leadership redefines tech innovation. It doesn’t show up wearing hoodies in Silicon Valley. It shows up with steel-toe boots in Brightmoor, laptops in classrooms,
and data sensors on street poles. It’s the kind of innovation that knows the smell of burned rubber from factories near schools. The kind that remembers block club meetings and church announcements as core parts of business strategy.
Detroit’s tech scene doesn’t always get the national spotlight, but it holds something deeper than hype. It holds the spirit of survival and a refusal to be erased. These founders are building systems that don’t ask permission to exist—they create spaces where others can thrive.
Black Detroiters have long lived at the intersections of extraction and erasure. From housing to health, energy to economics, the pattern is familiar. These innovators understand that. They’re not responding to a trend. They’re responding to a history.
That’s why their ventures matter. They don’t only aim to scale—they aim to root. They want Detroit to rise, not through gentrified promises or investment fads, but through strategies shaped by lived experience and cultural fluency.
Neely’s EV charger installs, Riley’s air quality monitors, and Polk’s financial education platform all work toward the same goal: a Detroit where Black futures are protected, profitable, and powerful. Their ventures are blueprints for what happens when tech doesn’t just extract data from our communities—it responds to our truths.
These aren’t just businesses. These are legacies in motion.
From Storefronts to Startups:
How Detroit’s Black Entrepreneurs Are Going Digital
By Ebony JJ Curry SENIOR REPORTER
Tucked between Grand River and Livernois, a new kind of hustle pulses through Detroit’s streets. The block still carries the spirit of Motown and the rhythm of barbershop talk, but now there’s a tech upgrade flowing right through the veins of the city’s Blackowned storefronts. Old cash registers have given way to card readers and contactless payments. Walk-ins now meet booking apps. And if you ask the right folks, they’ll tell you: survival means adaptation, but Black excellence means innovation.
These are not just Detroit businesses. These are cultural anchors, cornerstones of neighborhoods that have survived redlining, freeway displacement, and economic decline. But surviving the next chapter means something different. It means going digital without losing the soul.
Melissa Butler didn’t wait for the world to catch up to her vision. She built The Lip Bar out of frustration,
tired of beauty standards that didn’t include women who looked like her. Born and raised in Detroit, she opened the brand’s flagship store downtown but quickly saw that a physical
“Our community deserves access, regardless of where they live,” Butler said. “Technology
Through an online storefront, The Lip Bar now ships across the country, carrying shades designed for melanin-rich skin right to doorsteps that might otherwise never see a Black-owned beauty brand in their local mall. But this isn’t just about e-commerce—it’s about equity. It’s about owning the distribution channel and not waiting for retail chains to recognize the value of Black products.
Then there’s Ten Nail Bar, co-founded by Kelli Coleman and Anika Jackson, who saw a gap and filled it. A luxury nail bar for professionals who wanted more than the typical experience, but also one that moved with the times.
“Everything is digital now,” Jackson explained. “You book your seat. You pick your service. You’re on a schedule.”
Their business model blends the glam of self-care with the ease of automation. Clients book appointments online, eliminating wait times and paper signins. That shift wasn’t just convenient. It helped Ten Nail Bar weather the pandemic’s unpredictable waves. While many brick-and-mortar businesses struggled to maintain clientele, Ten Nail Bar used tech to deepen relationships with existing customers and attract new ones who craved ease, safety, and structure.
But the journey hasn’t been smooth. Digital transformation isn’t just about software. It’s about mindset, access, and sometimes, resources that too often skip
over Black communities.
“Black business owners are often the last to get capital,” Butler added. “We have to be twice as creative to get the same tools.”
The Lip Bar’s tech stack—e-commerce, CRM platforms, digital marketing—is part of what helps them punch above their weight. But those tools cost. They require training. And they demand a level of bandwidth that not every entrepreneur has at the jump.
That’s where community and collaboration come into play. Detroit’s ecosystem of Black entrepreneurs has leaned on each other to learn the game behind the game. Workshops, peer-led digital marketing classes, and collective resource-sharing have kept many businesses afloat through unstable times.
Fixins Soul Kitchen, another rising star in Detroit’s Black food scene, found a digital lane that brought the soul to the screen. With dishes that honor Southern roots and an interior that salutes Black excellence from wall to plate, Fixins took another critical step— meeting customers where they are, digitally.
“Being on DoorDash opened us up to a whole new clientele,” a Fixins team member shared. “Folks who maybe hadn’t heard of us before saw us online, placed that first order, and now they’re regulars.”
That kind of visibility matters. Food has always been a connector in Black communities. But now, the connector includes a smartphone screen, a delivery app, and a strong social media presence.
None of this is accidental. These entrepreneurs are intentional about building scalable businesses. They’re not only serving the community—they’re teaching it. Every digital upgrade becomes a form of empowerment. Every download, a pathway to ownership.
But digital doesn’t erase the grit. Tech won’t replace foot traffic. And no algorithm can mimic the feeling of walking into a space that knows your name and your story. That’s the line Detroit’s Black entrepreneurs walk with grace, infusing tradition with transformation.
Even with gains, challenges remain. Gentrification, limited broadband in some neighborhoods, and underinvestment in Black-led business districts still weigh heavily. And digital tools are only as strong as the systems that support them.
Still, the push continues. These business owners aren’t just future-proofing. They’re rewriting the future altogether.
“This is about power,” Coleman said. “Owning our image, owning our infrastructure, and owning our destiny.”
Detroit’s Black business community has always been rich in creativity, but technology is providing new keys to unlock doors that used to be shut tight. The shift from storefront to startup isn’t erasing culture— it’s amplifying it.
From Butler’s vegan lipsticks to Coleman and Jackson’s polished precision, to Fixins’ digital reach for comfort food—this moment is defined by a new kind of renaissance. One rooted in Black brilliance, sharpened by resilience, and powered by innovation.
This is more than a pivot. It’s a cultural evolution— led by Detroit, built by us.
PURE OPPORTUNITY
Dre Wallace and OPNR: A Michigan Startup
Hitting All the Right Notes
Andrea “Dre” Wallace is a tech entrepreneur with a serious love for music, and she’s turning that passion into something big right here in Michigan. As the founder and CEO of OPNR, Dre is helping reshape the live music industry by making it easier for musicians and event organizers to connect with fans and fill venues.
At its core, OPNR uses data to help artists understand their fanbase and turns that insight into real results for concert promoters, festivals, and venues. “We take the data that musicians have about their fans, and we use it to help close gaps in ticket sales,” Wallace explains. “It’s really about creating value on both sides — helping artists grow while supporting live events.”
But OPNR isn’t just a cool idea; it’s a startup success story rooted in the heart of the Midwest. Wallace says Michigan is the perfect place to operate and that she is a proud advocate for the state she calls home.
“Michigan makes the best of a lot of different worlds,” she says. “For millennials like me, it’s about being surrounded by community, having career opportunities, and enjoying a great quality of life.”
Since starting OPNR, Wallace has found support through a growing tech scene in Detroit and beyond. Initiatives like Black Tech Saturdays — a community-led initiative fostering innovation to increase Black tech representation and community wealth — are shining a national spotlight on local entrepreneurs of color, and Wallace is excited about the momentum she’s seeing across the state.
“There’s been a real investment in tech, and the communities are getting more attention nationally,” she says. “That’s powerful.”
For Wallace, Michigan is more than just a great place to work — it’s where she’s building her family’s future. In 2024, Wallace and her husband welcomed their first child. “People used to tell me Michigan is great for families, and now I really get it.”
Wallace’s vision for OPNR goes beyond helping artists sell more tickets. “Our hope is to grow this company into something that’s far beyond a startup,” she says. “We’re really thinking about
how we can be a foundation for all things connected to the entertainment industry. How can we be that anchor that helps other things flourish here in Michigan?”
The mindset of building something that uplifts others is part of what makes Wallace and OPNR such an exciting part of Michigan’s innovation ecosystem.
Her journey is also a testament to what happens when entrepreneurs get the right kind of support. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has been a driving force behind the growth of the state’s tech and innovation scene.
From mobility to healthcare to entertainment tech, Michigan is now home to a growing number of startups, and the MEDC is helping power that growth through a variety of programs. The MEDC supports high-tech entrepreneurs by facilitating funding, providing expert guidance, and making community connections.
Michigan SmartZones, located in 20 locations across the state, provide startups with business development services, mentorship, market research, and even help with commercializing university research.
Entrepreneurs also benefit from resources like the Michigan Small Business Development Center, which offers one-on-one consulting for tech startups, led by experts who’ve built companies themselves. And for those who might struggle to access traditional funding, the Michigan Economic Opportunity Fund is opening doors. The $10 million microloan fund is designed specifically to support women, veterans, and entrepreneurs of color.
Whether you’re developing the next big app, building cutting-edge hardware, or reimagining live entertainment like Dre Wallace, Michigan is ready to help make it happen. Learn how the MEDC can help you launch and grow your business at michiganbusiness.org.
Plugged In:
By Ebony JJ Curry SENIOR REPORTER
No velvet rope separates the innovators from the dreamers at the heart of Detroit’s tech scene. There’s no gatekeeper at the door of a community center on the west side, where on any given Saturday, Detroiters gather—hoodies, laptops, high-tops and brilliance—ready to shape a future that finally has space for them. That’s the spirit of Black Tech Saturdays. Not a conference. Not a panel. A movement.
Detroit isn’t asking permission to join the tech industry. Black folks here are building it from the ground up. In rooms where soul food meets software, ideas get nurtured over fellowship, not funding rounds. These are not just meetups. They are restoration circles for a city whose innovation muscle was never broken— only ignored.
The movement gained national visibility during AfroTech 2024 in Houston, where Detroit’s presence was intentionally and unmistakably felt. More than 40 entrepreneurs, creatives, and students traveled as part of the Michigan Roadshow organized by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Black Tech Saturdays hosted a powerful networking event, creating space for Detroit talent to shine on one of tech’s largest Black stages. Johnnie Turnage reflected on the moment by stating, “This moment at AfroTech... is a powerful testament to the significance of Detroit’s growing tech ecosystem.”
TechTown Detroit plays its own powerful role. Since 2004, this innovation hub has helped more than 6,000 companies. And in a city where 80 percent of the population is Black, TechTown’s support for Black-led ventures is not a sidebar. It’s central. From small business accelerators to one-on-one coaching, their model is built around sustainability— not quick wins. Here, Detroiters don’t have to choose between purpose and profit. Both are possible. Both are necessary.
At the heart of this growing wave is intentionality. Black Tech Saturdays, launched by Darren Riley, embodies that. Every week, community members are welcomed into Detroit’s Newlab space, not just to absorb knowledge, but to contribute their own. From artists to engineers, each person brings a piece of the puzzle.
This is about creating cultural access. “If you don’t feel like you belong, you won’t stay,” says Riley, who believes that inclusion begins with ownership. His work with JustAir, which tracks air quality in vulnerable communities, is one example of how tech can reflect lived ex-
The Black Tech Collectives Building Detroit’s Innovation Ecosystem
perience. It’s not tech for tech’s sake. It’s innovation rooted in justice.
Michael Polk, founder of Stock Pal, shares that ethos. His platform helps individuals build their stock portfolios through community-driven education. Polk, a product of Detroit’s public schools, doesn’t believe wealth-building should be gatekept. Through his company, he’s creating a new lane for those historically locked out of generational wealth opportunities.
These leaders know that talent isn’t rare in Detroit—it’s just rarely resourced. They are reshaping that narrative. Their work is powered by proximity. They live among the people they serve. Their products speak to the struggles their neighbors face. That closeness breeds trust. It also breeds solutions that don’t come with strings attached.
There is no shortage of talent here. What has been missing—access, exposure, and funding—is being pieced back together by the community itself. And not just through apps or pitch competitions. This work looks like the aunties are learning digital marketing. It looks like teenagers are launching web platforms. It looks like
grandmother’s understanding of cybersecurity. That’s innovation in the Blackest sense of the word—where transformation is communal, not transactional.
The shift is deeper than tech. It’s spiritual. It’s cultural. The energy at these collectives is thick with love and accountability. You can feel it in the way folks pull up early, eager to share a win or seek advice. There is joy in the struggle, yes, but more importantly, there is infrastructure. There are systems being built with the kind of care and intentionality our communities have always deserved.
Nonprofit groups across Detroit are also locking arms to ensure no one is left behind. Their coding bootcamps are teaching mothers, formerly incarcerated citizens, and lifelong Detroiters how to navigate and thrive in the digital economy. These aren’t theoretical lessons. They’re rooted in utility, dignity, and justice.
That’s what makes this moment in Detroit so powerful. We’re not watching from the sidelines of Silicon Valley. We’re defining what innovation should look like when led by Black hands and hearts. That looks like equitable
broadband. That looks like venture capital being redistributed through community trusts. That looks like safe spaces where Black identity isn’t just welcomed—it’s celebrated.
Detroit’s tech collectives are giving people the tools to not just survive the digital future but to shape it. They are setting a precedent that says our people are not a pipeline. We are the architects. Our pain has informed our perspective. Our resilience has sharpened our creativity. Now, we’re coding that into the infrastructure.
This is a homegrown blueprint. It doesn’t chase validation from the outside. It reflects the block, the barbershop, the beauty salon, and the blueprint of generations who were always building something, whether it was Cadillacs or code.
So the next time you hear someone question if Detroit is a tech city, remember this: there are no limits to what happens when Black people feel seen, resourced, and trusted. Detroit isn’t waiting on a seat at someone else’s table. We’re building our own. Laptops open. Wi-Fi strong. Culture at the center. Tech, when done like this, is freedom work.
Youth Code: The Black STEM Programs Cultivating Detroit’s Future Innovators
By Amber Ogden STAFF WRITER
In classrooms, after-school programs, and neighborhood centers across Detroit, Black students are gaining hands-on experience with coding, robotics, and engineering. Programs designed to close the opportunity gap are helping young people build technical skills early, often before they reach high school. For many, it’s their first time working with code or assembling a robot. Beyond the tools, however, these experiences change how students see themselves and their future.
The Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program, better known as DAPCEP, is one of the oldest and most well-established efforts in this space. Every weekend, students from across the city attend free workshops hosted by partner universities, where they’re introduced to subjects like robotics, computer programming, and biomedical engineering.
DAPCEP is part of a broader push to build a sustainable pipeline of Black talent in STEM fields. In Detroit, where the majority of students are Black, and many neighborhoods still face digital divides, early access to technology is seen as both an educational and an equity issue.
Programs like CODE313, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to ensuring equitable access to STEAM education, aim to help bridge the digital divide
by offering workforce development, career readiness, and broadband access to young people aged 7 to 17.
Bartell Welch, Executive Director of CODE313, has high hopes for the continued growth of the tech industry in Detroit and wants to change the narrative.
“Detroit is now becoming the next Silicon Valley,” Welch said.
“I want our city, our people, to be the people to fill those jobs, especially within our own city.”
A significant number of students discover that these programs serve as their first ever encounter with advanced technology. For some, it’s a moment of discovery, the first time someone recognizes their potential and empowers them to believe they can truly thrive in this field.
“Code313 was initially founded to close that technology gap between your urban schools, and I wanted to change that narrative,” Welch said.
Dashia Graham, a bright and ambitious 8th grader, is setting her sights on the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation. With an interest in coding and robotics, she spends her afternoons immersed in online courses that explore the fundamentals of software development and artificial intelligence.
Dashia is fueled by a passion for problem-solving and creativity. She envisions a future where she can contribute to groundbreaking advancements in technology by designing apps that enhance everyday life
and creating intelligent systems to tackle global challenges.
“CODE313 taught me a lot of stuff I can use in the future, actually,” Dashia said.
“I think it will better kids’ future and make them think differently.”
Inside the Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci), science isn’t just something you observe; it’s something you become. With the relaunch of its signature initiative, the STEMinista Project, Mi-Sci is putting girls at the center of that transformation, empowering them to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, and innovators.
Originally launched to connect middle school girls with real-world STEM role models, the STEMinista Project returns with fresh programming designed to spark curiosity and build confidence through handson exploration.
In Detroit, the future is already being built, one line of code at a time. These programs are more than educational opportunities; they are launching pads for ambition, confidence, and change. As students learn to design robots, write code, and solve complex problems, they’re also learning to imagine themselves as engineers, inventors, and leaders. With each keystroke and circuit wired, they’re not just preparing for the jobs of tomorrow; they’re shaping what tomorrow looks like.
Courtesy of CODE313
8 Digital Side Hustles You Can Start in Detroit— From Your Couch
Who says you need an office, storefront, or six-figure startup fund to secure the bag? Detroit’s grind culture has always been about innovation, and in this digital age, your next stream of income might be waiting on your laptop or phone. Whether you’re a creative, a techie, or just tired of clocking in for somebody else, here are eight side hustles you can start right from your couch—no gatekeepers, no nonsense.
Freelance Graphic Design or Branding Services
Got an eye for design and know your way around Canva or Adobe? Start branding for small businesses, nonprofits, or local artists who need help standing out online.
Voiceover Work or Audiobook Narration
That smooth Detroit drawl? It’s money. Use platforms like Fiverr or Voices.com to find gigs narrating audiobooks, commercials, or explainer videos.
Virtual Assistant for Black-Owned Businesses
Many solo entrepreneurs need help with email, scheduling, or customer service, but can’t afford full-time staff. You could be their go-to behind the scenes.
Sell Digital Products on Etsy or Gumroad
Whether it’s affirmation journals, budgeting templates, or downloadable art, digital goods let you earn while you sleep—literally.
Online Tutoring or Skill Coaching
If you can teach math, coding, Spanish, or even grant writing, there’s someone out there ready to pay you for it. Sites like Wyzant and Outschool are a great start.
Remote User Testing for Apps and Websites
Big companies want feedback from real people, especially Black consumers. Sites like UserTesting.com pay for your opinion on how apps and websites work.
Create & Monetize a Niche Newsletter
Do you have something to say about Black fashion, Detroit politics, vegan recipes, or tarot? Platforms like Substack let you build a community and get paid for your voice.
Digital Marketing for Local Businesses
Your uncle’s food truck or your cousin’s hair braiding service? They need help on TikTok and IG. Start there if you know how to run ads, grow a following, or make content pop.
These side hustles aren’t just income but stepping stones to ownership, flexibility, and legacy. And in a city as creatively rich and resourceful as Detroit, you don’t need to leave your couch to build an empire.
