| TechTown Detroit’s biggest party of the year, Toast of the Town, is BACK! Tickets are now on sale. Mark your calendars for Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, as we host our 11th annual celebration that proudly honors Detroit’s founders, entrepreneurs and innovators. |
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THIS WEEK @ TECHTOWN | AUG. 19, 2025
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Do you own a second-stage business? Let Detroit Elevate help you scale and grow it!
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Hi April,
Here at TechTown, we are always looking for new ways to empower the region's small business owners and give them the tools, resources and funding to succeed.
That's why we're excited to launch Detroit Elevate, a new program and contest for local businesses in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park! This opportunity is powered by the Gilbert Foundation and led in partnership by TechTown Detroit, Black Leaders Detroit and QT Business Solutions. Those interested in learning more are encouraged to fill out an interest form — scroll down to our Programming section to learn more!
Check out this week's content recommendations from our team members:
 Get into the groove of your week with this international dance playlist, Italo Disco.
 Erica Overstreet, TechTown's membership manager, recommends the podcast, Every Outfit. She says: "This is my favorite podcast. It's hosted by best friends that started rewatching old episodes of Sex and the City and reviewing them. They also discuss pop culture and fashion news. I'm always laughing throughout the episode and it's a nice distraction from real life!"
We are so glad to have you with us!
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Find your community at TechTown
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We love when our coworking members and building tenants share reasons why they are a part of the TechTown community! Recently, Leron Lightfoot, Ph.D., founder of the educational organization Math 4 Success, shared his experience being a tenant of ours. He says: "For the past seven years, this coworking space has been so much more than just a place to work. I’ve found not only the resources and tools I need to help run Math 4 Success,
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but also a community of driven, creative, encouraging and supportive people who are an inspiration. This space has been the backdrop to countless milestones, late-night brainstorms and moments of breakthrough. The friendly faces, the energy in the air and the sense of belonging have made coming here something I genuinely look forward to. It’s a place where I’ve grown personally and professionally, surrounded by people who believe in their dreams — and in the dreams for Math 4 Success."
Through our flexible coworking memberships and office spaces, we can help you and your business grow. Take a look at our offerings and schedule a tour of our facilities to receive a free coworking day pass!
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Detroit Elevate: a new opportunity for legacy businesses
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ICYMI: In last week's newsletter, we shared information on Detroit Elevate, a new program and contest for legacy businesses in Detroit, Hamtramck or Highland Park. Detroit Elevate is sponsored by Gilbert Foundation and led in partnership by TechTown Detroit, Black Leaders Detroit and QT Business Solutions. The program and contest helps second-stage businesses enhance operations, elevate customer experiences and expand services, and there are funding opportunities of up to $50,000!
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We encourage those who are interested in applying to complete the Detroit Elevate contest interest form.
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Get your tickets to Toast of the Town!
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TechTown Detroit’s biggest party of the year, Toast of the Town, is BACK! Tickets are now on sale. Mark your calendars for Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, as we host our 11th annual celebration that proudly honors Detroit’s founders, entrepreneurs and innovators.
We’ll have all the things you know and love from the event, including amazing food from our alumni small businesses, tech demos from innovative startups and shopping experiences with beloved retailers. We also have some new things we’re excited to present this year, so stay tuned! We are committed to providing an all-inclusive experience for our community and we are grateful for the continued support.
Get your tickets today and help us recognize Detroit’s bold risk-takers and builders.
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Congrats to the Diaspora Connect Pitch Competition winners
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TechTown was thrilled to support last week's Diaspora Connect Pitch Competition, an event put on by our partner initiative Venture 313, alongside the global African music festival AfroFuture and Black Tech Saturdays!
Ten founders pitched their startups for the chance to win up to $20,000 in funding. Congratulations to The Coloring Museum, who took home the $20,000 grand prize, Politics on the Go (POGO), who won $7,500, and Driven, who won $5,000! It was great to witness two of TechTown's clients and alumni, The Coloring Museum and POGO, take home some prizes.
As Venture 313 said in its Instagram post recapping the event: "This is just the beginning — Detroit’s startup ecosystem is growing stronger every day, and we’re proud to be part of it."
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Prep your retail business for the holidays
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The holiday season is the busiest, and often the most stressful, time of year for small business owners. And it will be here sooner than you think! To help small business owners prepare, we're hosting a workshop called Retail Ready: Holiday Ideas & Inspiration, on Thursday, Aug. 21. Taking place at TechTown, this session will help attendees learn creative, low-cost ways to capture customer attention, maximize in-store and online sales, and build
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72° and Overcast
