PART ONE: Have you ever wanted to own or run your own company? Two new funds in Michigan are hoping to match operators with family-owned/ privately held companies that are looking for an exit. Both funds are focused on creating pathways for family-owned/privately held companies that want to sell — but don’t like the idea of selling out to a traditional private equity fund that may not respect the legacy of a company in the community in which it’s based.

PART TWO: We’ll talk to expats who have “come home” to new opportunities here in the Motor City.

PART ONE: THE ARTS AFTER THE PANDEMIC
How will performing arts emerge from the pandemic? Hear from the heads of Detroit’s premiere cultural institutions on their future. INTERMISSION: Learn from Author/Playwright Dominique Morisseau about her new project on West Grand Boulevard;

PART TWO: COUNTDOWN TO DLECTRICITY AND A NEW TOWN SQUARE
What other American city has the concentration of major arts and cultural institutions within a 6-block area — flanked by an urban research university and an arts-centric college of design? See the plans for connecting the dots in ways that can benefit Detroit for generations to come — and experience some of those spaces “live” at Dlectricity during Detroit Homecoming VIII.

PART ONE–PHILANTHROPY: FORD FOUNDATION STRENGTHENS FORD FAMILY TIES A conversation between Darren Walker and Ford Foundation Trustee Henry Ford III.

PART TWO–WORKFORCE: WILL BIG TECH ADD DETROIT TO ITS JOB MAP? CEOs are professing devotion to equity. Companies are newly focused on ESG concerns. How can this play out to Detroit’s advantage? How will Detroit prepare Detroiters to take advantage of new jobs and industries in the city and the region?

Thursday, September 23

Real Estate Forum & Tour

Noon-4:00 PM
The Brakeman, 22 John R at Farmer

In this session, we’ll look at Detroit’s neighborhoods and the future of downtown real estate in a hour-long forum and then we’ll hit the road as a group and tour some of the region’s most exciting projects in person.  Box lunch served at noon.

Fireside Chat:

Panelists:

Thursday, September 23

In-Person Outdoor Reception

5:00 PM-8:00 PM
Lumen / Beacon Park

Welcome to Detroit! All the expats will be together again in Detroit’s beautiful outdoor Beacon Park. Guests will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and beer/wine/waters at Lumen. Dlectricity will be coming to life around the park as we listen to the incredible neo-classic music of Detroit’s own BLKBOK.

Friday, September 24

IN-PERSON: AM Session

9:00 AM-12:00 PM
Mike Ilitch School of Business

This is a busy morning! We’ll get started discussing Detroit’s challenges and opportunities after the pandemic. How will Detroit spend $800 million in American Rescue Plan dollars? Then we visit General Motors’ audacious goal of becoming the most inclusive company in the world.

That leads to spotlights on equity and entrepreneurship and you’ll meet some of the most interesting Detroit companies you’ve probably not heard of. Finally, we’ll talk sports and hear about Detroit’s plans to attract major sporting events, how the pro and collegiate teams are planning for their next seasons.

8:00-8:45AM

Entrepreneur Speed Dating over Breakfast

8:50-9AM

Welcome:

9-9:40AM
Detroit and the American Rescue Plan: Rip Rapson starts it off with a 1:1 with Gene Sperling, who was tapped by President Biden to coordinate the American Recovery Act.  How will the $1.6 billion allocated to City of Detroit and the Public Schools be used in transformative ways?

9:40-10:05AM
GM’s Audacious Goal: Be the Most Inclusive Company in the World

10:05-10:25AM
Entrepreneur Spotlight

We bring in an array that covers Consumer, B2B and a spinoff from Wayne State.  Carla offers each entrepreneur about 3 minutes to describe their company.  Then asks them about their biggest needs/obstacles.  Each of these companies has a competitive edge in their space.

10:25-11AM
Detroit’s Growing VC Ecosystem

Entrepreneur Delane Parnell, founder of VC-backed PlayVS, an esports company in LA, has returned to Detroit part time to work on new company ideas while growing his esports franchise, first in sanctioned high school and collegiate sports.  He’ll chat with another native Detroiter, Mykolas Rambus, whose MIT-hewn tech chops has fueled successful tech companies and he’s working on his latest from Detroit.

11:00-11:20AM 
A Conversation with Meg Whitman

Meg Whitman, one of the country’s wealthiest self-made women, recently joined the board of General Motors Co.  Her passion, though, is leading the board of Teach for America, the nonprofit that sends some of the country’s best college grads into city schools as TFA fellows.  Whitman says: “When I surveyed the public education landscape over the past 20 years, Teach For America was the only organization driving real change.”

Fireside Chat:

11:20AM-NOON
Detroit – the best sports town in America? What are the short and long-term effects of the pandemic? What can fans expect? What will NCAA athletes be able to do this year as a result of new rules? And what are Detroit’s best chances to bring “big” events — such as the NFL Draft — to the city.

Friday, September 24

IN-PERSON: Afternoon Tours

1:00 PM-4:00 PM
Mike Ilitch School of Business

All tours leave from Mike Ilitch School of Business. Friday options include:

1. Innovative Skills/Job Training
2. Detroit History and Culture Walking tour with Historian Jamon Jordan
3. RiverWalk Walking Tour

Saturday, September 25

IN-PERSON: AM Session

9:00 AM-12:00 PM
Mike Ilitch School of Business

8:00-9:00AM

Breakfast

9:00-9:30AM

Does Ford have a better idea?

Ford CEO brings to life his vision for the company – and its investment in SW Detroit.

Fireside Chat:

9:30-10:10AM

Wealth Disparities and Detroit’s Legacy Residents

For white Americans, home ownership has been the key to passing wealth along to the next generation.  Not so for Black Detroiters.

10:10-10:25AM

Detroit’s Future: Young People

As CEO, Shawn Wilson created a new vision for the nearly 100-year-old Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan.  Youth participants will be “career, startup and homeowner-ready” by the time they leave the Clubs at age 18.  Learn more about the new Industry Clubs – and see one club’s own fashions from Deviate.

10:25-10:55AM

Innovations in Philanthropy

Social bonds, baby bonds, billionaires tackling social issues in new ways. We ask some of the “big thinkers” in philanthropy to weigh in on what’s working and what can we focus on in Detroit.

10:55-11:15AM

The Workforce Crisis

11:15-11:50AM

Detroit’s Image in the Arts

Saturday, September 25

IN-PERSON: Afternoon Experiences

1:00 PM-4:00 PM
Mike Ilitch School of Business

All tours leave from Mike Ilitch School of Business. Saturday options include:

1. BLISS-presented by Michigan Opera Theater in a parking garage/former theater
2. Northwest Neighborhoods Tour–Shop, Sip and See with the Small Business Murals Project by the Rocket Community Fund 
3. Southwest Neighborhoods Tour–Shop, Sip and See with the Small Business Murals Project by the Rocket Community Fund 
4. An Extra Special Mobility Tour

Saturday, September 25 

IN-PERSON: Dine-Arounds

6:00 PM-8:00 PM
Assigned Based on Topic Selected

Join a Saturday evening dinner with a group of expats at one of five great downtown Detroit restaurants. We’ll curate the groups to bring together people by topic:

• • Real Estate
  • Women-Owned Businesses
  • Real Estate
  • Venture Capital/Entrepreneurs
  • Technology/Mobility/Workforce
  • Sports

Sunday, September 26

IN-PERSON: Detroit Lions v. Baltimore Ravens

1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Ford Field

We have 20 tickets to Sunday’s game, thanks to our friends at the Detroit Lions.

We have reached capacity for this session.