Why “And”?
In Detroit, we need an “AND” attitude to innovate our way to prosperity. Innovation is often achieved by connecting unlikely matched inventions and corporate opportunities. Those who are entrusted with a firm’s innovation efforts must be able to see beyond today’s risks, issues and pitfalls, and recognize the power of these unlikely connections. In a sea of “BUTS”, enterprise innovators must protect the original founding entrepreneur’s spirit and represent the core connected logic.
ANDetroit believes the enterprise innovation leader who has chosen to live in Southeast Michigan is from a special breed; a gritty believer who has learned to excel at applying inventions and recognizing systemic value at the enterprise level. This leader is a natural networker who has cut through a mostly silo-ed set of industries to emerge as a beacon of hope for their coworkers, their companies, and potentially their region.
“And” members:
The ANDetroit cohort is comprised of enterprise innovators, with a passion for Detroit, and the greater Southeast Michigan region who “And” more than they “But”. Specifically, our members:
- Are responsible for, or are planning to sponsor, an official corporate innovation program
- Address corporate/enterprise strategies and are not just making “point innovations”
- Choose to live in this area, raise their families here, and call it home
- Feel Corporate Innovation is a unique profession and want to help brand it in this region
- Understand the power of inclusion and open, honest, safe, and barrier-free collaboration, and find pride in building teams to move mountains
ANDetroit members:
- Share best practices with other members, leading to more successful Innovation practices at all member companies
- Attend 8-10 meetings annually with likeminded professionals
- Commit 1-2 resources to drive innovation activities within the region
- Participate in regional innovation conferences, many times acting as panel participants
- Coordinate across traditional company and industry lines to drive cross-industry innovation collaboration
- Support local university innovation programs
The ANDetroit Focus:
- Be Newsworthy & Differentiated. Be a leader in establishing a corporate innovation culture in the city by launching and promoting innovation events and a physical co-working space/lab.
- Support the Region. Support the growth of Southeast Michigan by partnering with universities to train students in innovation, support the building of a stronger public story of enterprise innovation into the Detroit ‘rebirth’ story.
- Support Member’s Corporate Innovation Initiatives. Create a forum for innovative idea and information sharing, leading to collaboration between member companies to drive cross-company and cross-industry innovation collaboration.
Previous and Current Members:
- DTE Energy
- Ford Motor Company
- Flagstar Bank
- The Henry Ford
- AxleTech International
- Taubman
- Valassis
- Delphi
- Trinity Health
- AT&T
- Detroit Trading
- CGS Advisors
- Tweddle Group
- FEV
How You Can Get Involved:
Interested in being part of this change in Detroit? Contact us for additional membership information! Complete the form on the right or contact Elizabeth Semrau, ANDDetroit Program Manager, at Elizabeth.Semrau@CGSAdvisors.com.