The Michigan Opportunity

From Lab to Launch: How the University of Michigan is Powering the Next Generation of Innovation On this episode we're joined by Kelly Sexton , Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation Partnerships and Economic Impact at the University of Michigan (U of M) . Kelly leads one of the nation's premier university innovation ecosystems, transforming cutting-edge research into succe...

Sports are more than competition; they are a catalyst for economic development, community pride, and national visibility. The Detroit Sports Commission works year-round to attract elite amateur and professional sporting events that generate tourism, create jobs, showcase world-class venues, and strengthen Southeast Michigan's economy. On this episode we're joined by Dave Beachnau , Chief...

How 3 Michigan small businesses are innovating and making an impact In this episode – with the help of  Chris Rishko , Managing Director of Small Business and Talent at MEDC , we spotlight three Michigan small businesses recognized at the 2026 Michigan Celebrates Small Business . These Michigan small businesses are a reflection of the strength, innovation, and resilience in the state’s small busin...

Rolling Growth Forward: How Motiv Bowling Is Investing in Muskegon and Michigan In this episode, Scott Wilbur of Motiv Bowling discusses how his family came together to grow their business presence while supporting Michigan manufacturing, local jobs, and community engagement. Scott also shares insights into the culture behind Motiv Bowling, the company’s commitment to quality and performance, and...

Reinventing the Boardroom: Innovation, Startups and the Future of Decision-Making What if board meetings worked more like modern technology companies? Robert Wolfe , founder of Zeck , discusses entrepreneurship , startup culture, and how technology is transforming leadership, governance, and organizational decision-making.  Robert shares insights from building Zeck, lessons from the startup ecosys...

The Michigan Opportunity Podcast Continues Conversations at the Mackinac Policy Conference 2026 We continue broadcasting from Media Row at the legendary Mackinac Policy Conference, hosted at the iconic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The podcast featured an outstanding lineup of guests discussing Michigan’s future across economic development, mobility , manufacturing , leadership, innovation, defe...

The Michigan Opportunity Podcast Heads to the Mackinac Policy Conference 2026 The Michigan Opportunity Podcast once again broadcasted from Media Row at the legendary Mackinac Policy Conference, hosted at the iconic Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The podcast featured an outstanding lineup of guests discussing Michigan’s future across economic development, mobility , manufacturing , leadership, inn...

What happens when entrepreneurship, creativity, and social impact come together in Detroit? Grit and a purposeful brand On this episode, Amy Peterson , CEO and Co-Founder of Rebel Nell , shares the remarkable story behind building a purpose-driven brand that transforms layers of fallen Detroit graffiti into one-of-a-kind jewelry. She shares how creating meaningful employment opportunities for wome...

Michigan is emerging as a major hub where technology, economics, and national security converge. From autonomous vehicles to drones, defense to maritime systems, next-generation security and more.  In this special multi-guest episode from the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) XPONENTIAL Conference , industry leaders and innovators discuss the future of uncrewed systems...

From the Michigan National Guard to tech research and development, Camp Grayling provides support for federal, local and international partners Colonel Lucas J. Lanczy is the current Garrison Commander of the Camp Graying Joint Maneuver Training Center . On this episode Col. Lanczy gives us a deeper look into the training base in Northern Michigan. We discuss Camp Grayling's training faciliti...

From leading MichAuto to shaping conversations at the Mackinac Policy Conference, Glenn Stevens breaks down how business, government, and innovation align to move the state forward. In this episode, Glenn Stevens , Executive Director, MichAuto and VP of Automotive and Innovation at the Detroit Regional Chamber brings an orthogonal perspective to Michigan’s evolving economy. We dive into the growin...

What’s really happening on the ground in downtown Detroit? 10+ Detroit Developments in 30 Minutes.  In this fast-paced conversation, Eric Larson walks us through over 10 new and evolving developments shaping Detroit’s future—from major projects to the smaller, catalytic investments driving momentum. As the leader of the Detroit Downtown Partnership , Eric shares how coordinated planning, placemaki...

Reimagining Higher Education: How Michigan State University is leading the future of talent, research and impact In this episode, Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz , the 22nd President of Michigan State University , explores his “One Team” vision and shares how a scientist’s mindset and servant leadership are shaping MSU’s 2030 strategy . He breaks down the Green and White Council initiative and explains how i...

Twenty Years of Pure Michigan: Exclusive Insights from Michigan’s Tourism Experts The Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism is Michigan's premier annual event for travel and hospitality leaders to collaborate on advancing the state's visitor economy. Over three days, 500+ industry professionals engaged in dynamic workshops and networking focused on digital marketing, inclusivity...

Driving global investment to Detroit: What does it take to position a region for global competitiveness in today’s economy? In this episode, we sit down with Maureen Donohue Krauss , Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP) CEO, to explore how Southeast Michigan is attracting investment, growing jobs, and competing on the world stage. Maureen shares insights on the region’s strategy to win major project...

Where is Michigan placing its biggest bets for the future? Diving into MEDC’s investment priorities with people, places and projects We sit down with Michelle Grinnell , Chief Communications & Attraction Officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), to break down the state’s investment priorities shaping the next generation of growth. She offers how MEDC is positioning the s...

Powering Michigan’s Transition: How LEO is Shaping the Future of Work and Industry We sit down with Jonathan Smith , Senior Chief Deputy Director at the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) and explore how Michigan is navigating one of the most significant economic transitions in its history.  Jonathan leads the Community and Worker Economic Transition Office , with a focus...

Diplomacy at the local level: Inside the Mexican Consulate in Detroit, Michigan In this episode, we welcome back  Roberto Vazquez of the Consulate of Mexico in Detroit to talk about the important work happening every day to support Mexican nationals and strengthening ties with Michigan. We talk about the rise of Trade between Michigan and Mexico across several industries including the large automo...

Manufacturing without borders: What it takes to lead a global manufacturing company while navigating supply chains, innovation and international markets On this episode we sit down with Lucerne International CEO, Mary Buchzeiger , getting an inside look at how this certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) company is connecting advanced manufacturing with partners and customers around the world. M...

From research to real-world results: how the University of Michigan - Economic Growth Institute powers business innovation The University of Michigan - Economic Growth Institute (EGI) leverages U-M’s research, technologies, and expertise to help small and medium-sized businesses innovate and grow, drive regional economic development, and translate applied research into real-world impact.  In this...

From $35B in Sustainable Capital to The Power of &™ : Matt Elliott on Driving Durable Growth and Community Impact Matt Elliott , Founder and CEO of Blue Lake Ideas , is a nationally recognized business and sustainability leader who advises executives and boards on navigating complexity and driving durable growth through his The Power of &™ leadership framework. In this episode Matt discuss...

Powering the Next Generation of Mobility in Michigan   On this episode of The Michigan Opportunity Podcast, we highlight Emotiv Mobility , a Michigan-based leader in supply chain integration, assembly, and advanced logistics. Vice Chairwoman, Lori Lancaster and Strategic Energy Lead, Tony Tomczak , discuss how Emotiv Mobility integrates logistics, engineered systems, manufacturing, and value-added...

Dow is driving the future of sustainable mobility in Midland, Michigan As the Global Marketing and Strategy Director for Dow Mobility Science™ , Ryan Smith is at the forefront of the automotive industry's rapid transition toward electrification and sustainability. He leads global go-to-market strategies that align Dow’s deep material science expertise with the needs of the growing EV market ....

From the battlefield to Michigan’s arsenal of innovation: Colonel John T. Gutierrez on powering the state’s defense & aerospace future Colonel John T. Gutierrez, U.S. United States Marine Corps (Ret.), brings over 30 years of operational, logistics, and defense acquisition leadership to his role as Executive Director of the Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation. In this episode,...

From the US Army to BAE Systems: How Michigan’s Sterling Heights hub powers the future of military ground vehicles as a prime original equipment integrator  Hear from Michael Zahuranic , Director of Business Development at BAE Systems , as he talks about how their Sterling Heights campus serves as a key hub for engineering, program management, and prototyping of military ground vehicles. BAE Syste...