Michigan Tech Week: Future State ---> May 19-21, 2026

In this issue:

MTW: Save the date

MTW: Sponsorships

MFFPA Cohort 4

Ecosystem events

Michigan Tech Week: Future State
---> May 19-21, 2026

Early Bird Tickets coming this month!

Michigan Tech Week (MTW) is back this spring! Presented by Michigan Founders Fund and hosted at Michigan Central in Detroit, this is the event of 2026 you should not miss!

MTW is the state’s largest tech and startup convening, focusing on high-growth founders first. We'll be showcasing Michigan’s diverse innovation landscape, facilitating capital and customer connections, debating shared strategy, and highlighting our regional strengths.

Beyond our traditional founder-first programming, new 2026 elements include:

• Corporate<>Startup Lightning Rounds: curated 1:1 matchmaking to build customers, pilots, strategic partnerships, and follow-up traction or investment
• Inaugural VIP Innovation Dinner: leadership from all sectors of our innovation-driven economy dine together on May 20
• Legislative & Ecosystem Priorities: shaping collective narratives and taking action steps to propel us forward
• Regional Spotlights: highlighting founder wins and economic progress across locales

Subscribe to the MTW Newsletter now to be the first to receive info on Early Bird Tickets, which are right around the corner!

Turn Your Resources into Results

MTW 2026 Sponsorships are available now

This year we have both new foci and new audiences joining over 1,200 high-growth founders, investors, corporations, and innovation leaders. Key themes for MTW26 Future State:

• All Roads Lead to MTW: highlights from two peninsulas
• Industry Innovation: brokering partnerships and customers
• Risk & Venture Capital: fueling founder growth
• Policy & Impact: leadership for progress and community

Sponsorship tiers began at $5k but a few major slots still exist for 2026.

Contact MFF Executive Director Rishi Moudgil for sponsorship opportunities or email us at info@michigantechweek.com to learn more.

MFFPA launched to fill a concrete ecosystem gap in Southeast Michigan. It's the only program of its kind at this stage to offer non-dilutive grants, and currently the highest-demand U.S. location running the gBeta curriculum.

Cohort #4 will soon be underway, an unprecedented number in less than 2 years for gbeta locations nationwide! The goal of MFFPA is to prepare early-stage, underrepresented founders to raise their first capital or join a full equity-based accelerator within a year of graduating.

Here is a snapshot of our 2025 progress in case you missed it:

• 3 cohorts in 12 months, working directly with 15 Michigan founders
  $225k in grants distributed to these founders' companies
  Only pre-acceleration in the nation to offer $15k non-dilutive grants
• 53 individual Office Hours
• 210 applications for the program
• $300k raised by alumni total to date (with over $1M in the pipeline)
• 21 new jobs created in 2025

Shoutout to Brittni Abiolu, Program Manager, for her dedication in executing these programs!

Stay tuned for the official announcement of this cohort's founders.

Ecosystem Events + Deadlines

Jan 27-28 — SAE NA EV Charging Conference

Jan — UnDemo Day applications open

Jan 19 — Ask the Investors Office Hours

Feb 5 — Mini UP Pitch Competition, app deadline

Feb 8 — Desai Accelerator, app deadline

Feb 19 — Startup Career Fair

Feb 24 — TCNewTech

Feb 27 — AMMP Accelerator, app deadline

Mar 13 — Startup Zoo pitch event

Mar 13-17 — Midwest House @ SXSW

Mar 26 — MFF Pre-Accelerator Showcase (Save the date!)

Rolling — The Pitch 4k Competition, app deadline

Michigan Founders Fund (MFF) is a vibrant hub for peer engagement that enables high-growth founders to turn business success into positive community impact.

Interested in learning more? Please contact us at community@michiganfoundersfund.org.