Annual Meeting

2026 Annual Meeting

Nearly 400 business, academic, and community leaders gathered at the Eastern Michigan University Student Center for Ann Arbor SPARK’s sold-out Annual Meeting — a celebration of the organization’s 2025 accomplishments and the people and programs driving innovation across the region. A special thanks to everyone who joined us for this incredible event.

Julie Wagner, president and co-founder of The Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID), served as the event’s keynote speaker. GIID is a a global reaching, not-for-profit organization with a mission to accelerate the growth and evolution of innovation districts worldwide. Julie challenged the region to think about the intersection of innovation and placemaking.

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Highlights

• SPARK provided consulting and critical services to over 420 startups, supporting more than 1,000 jobs through its Entrepreneurial Services team.
• The SPARK East Innovation Center supported 40 Ypsilanti-based startups and provided more than $150K in grants to startups.
• The Small Business Support Hub assisted 494 small businesses, more than 60 percent of which were women- and minority-owned (2024 – 2025).
• The organization led 14 business development projects, generating over $20.5 million in private investment and supporting more then 600 new jobs.
• Through SPARK Capital and the Michigan Angel Fund, over $63 million has been invested to date, helping Michigan startups raise more than $1.7 billion in follow-on funding.

Michael Cole was recognized for decades of leadership and service to the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. In addition to serving as President of the Technology Industry Group at Bank of Ann Arbor, Cole has played a pivotal role in helping startups and growing companies access capital and strategic connections. As a founding visionary of Ann Arbor SPARK, a member of the Local Development Finance Authority board, and a champion of startup growth through organizations such as Ann Arbor Angels and Tech City Jam, he has helped shape the infrastructure that supports entrepreneurs across the region.

American Center for Mobility was recognized for its transformational impact on the region’s mobility economy as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Located at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti Township, the 500-acre testing and development campus has become a global hub for connected and automated vehicle innovation. The organization continues to attract companies, researchers, and international partners to southeast Michigan while helping ensure mobility innovation remains rooted in the state.

Ann Arbor SPARK has supported ACM through strategic marketing efforts, tenant referrals, talent development initiatives, and site-readiness support.

Torc Robotics received this award for its continued investment and expansion in the Ann Arbor region, including the growth of its engineering and autonomous vehicle operations.

The company has built a significant local presence focused on artificial intelligence, autonomous trucking, and advanced mobility technologies, creating hundreds of high-wage jobs in the region. Ann Arbor SPARK supported Torc through site selection assistance, talent strategy support, and ecosystem connections that helped strengthen its footprint in Washtenaw County.

Dr. Stephen Forrest received the Legend Award for his longstanding contributions to innovation, research commercialization, and economic development in the region.

As former Vice President for Research at University of Michigan and Ann Arbor SPARK’s second board chair, Forrest played a foundational role in helping establish Ann Arbor SPARK and strengthening the connection between research institutions and private-sector growth. He is also an accomplished entrepreneur and innovator whose work has led to numerous patents and company launches, including Heat2Power.