Detroit Resources

Detroit Economic Growth Corporation

DEGC has 40 years working on Detroit’s economic revitalization. They connect people, opportunities and resources, supporting emerging and expanding businesses and bringing new investments to the city. Through MotorCity Match and MotorCity Restore they support small businesses in Detroit.

• MotorCity Match grants– Three times a year, this program provides $500,000 in grants to business and building owners, providing funding and tools for entrepreneurial growth in Detroit.
• Motor-City Restore- This program match funds with small established businesses to improve storefronts and improve commercial corridors in Detroit’s neighborhood businesses.

Hatch Detroit

HatchDetroit is a pitch competition for entrepreneurs, supporting the opening of small retailers storefronts. They provide grant funding and advice to the winner of the multi-round competition. Their focus is in the neighborhoods: The Avenue of Fashion, Southwest Detroit, The Villages, Corktown, Grandmont/Rosedale, and the North End.

• The contest: One entrepreneur can win a $50,000 grant to open their brick and mortar retail business, based on the votes of the people.
• Hatch alums: Click here to know more about the 14 business that  opened their storefront with Hatch Detroit supported since 2011, and the 16 that are still in the process.

NEIdeas Detroit

NEIdeas is a Program from the New Economy Initiative, which awards small business applicants funding their businesses to grow in the form of two challenges: 1) The $10K challenge, for 20 businesses that gross less than $750,000 annually with ideas to grow, and 2)  The $100K challenge, for 2 businesses that gross more than $750,000 and less than $5 million annually with ideas to grow ‘big.’

• 2016 NEI Winners
• NEI Impact numbers

NEIdeas supports impactful, courageous, achievable and clear ideas, that would sustain businesses, strengthen neighborhoods, diversify economies, and grow jobs for residents of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park. 

TechTown Detroit

TechTown is a small business incubator and accelerator for technology startups in Detroit, offering research and development services to assist companies grow their business.

Some of their services are:

• Labs programs for technology startups: You will find a Business Incubation Center, a 10 week summer accelerator for college students and recent graduates, assistance to raise venture investment and other opportunities.
• Blocks programs for retail entrepreneurs (e.g., brick-and-mortar, pop-ups or online sales): SWOT City helps launch, stabilize and grow local businesses and strengthen neighborhood commercial districts; the Retail Boot Camp support the opening of brick-and-mortar retail establishments, providing training, access to critical start-up capital, affordable space and ongoing business support. 
• Coworking space: The community members include high-tech enterprises, innovative small businesses, and nonprofit and social impact organizations. They have access to small offices and shared desks, a community kitchen, entrepreneurial resources, meeting space and a full slate of events.