Ann Arbor SPARK will welcome nearly 400 business, academic, and community leaders to its highly anticipated Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at the Eastern Michigan University Student Center. Traditionally a sold-out event, the Annual Meeting celebrates Ann Arbor SPARK’s 2025 accomplishments and recognizes the people and programs advancing innovation, investment, and economic growth across the region.
The event will feature a keynote address from Julie Wagner, President of the Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID) and one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation districts and place-based economic development.
Wagner’s perspective is particularly relevant for the Ann Arbor region, which has emerged as an international draw for research, technology, mobility, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. With global companies, startups, research institutions, and talent increasingly choosing Ann Arbor as a place to innovate and grow, the region reflects many of the dynamics shaping leading innovation districts worldwide.
During her keynote, Wagner will share insights from innovation ecosystems across the globe, exploring how regions are responding to economic disruption, rethinking 21st-century infrastructure, and using innovation districts as tools to drive competitiveness, resilience, and inclusive growth. Her work spans original research, a global network of innovation districts, and hands-on strategic support for communities navigating complex economic challenges.
“Innovation districts are no longer just about geography—they are about how regions organize themselves to compete, collaborate, and solve complex challenges,” said Wagner. “Ann Arbor is part of a growing group of regions worldwide that understand innovation as both an economic strategy and a long-term investment in place.”
“Ann Arbor has reached a moment where our local momentum is intersecting with global trends in how innovation is organized and scaled,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. “Julie Wagner brings a global perspective that helps our community better understand how regions around the world are responding to these shifts—and what that means for where we go next.”
In addition to the keynote, the Annual Meeting will feature awards recognizing individuals, organizations, and initiatives that strengthen the region’s innovation economy. The event serves as both a celebration and a call to action — highlighting how cross-sector collaboration, long-term investment, and shared leadership continue to position Ann Arbor and the surrounding region as a global hub for innovation.
That spirit of collaboration is reflected in the event’s partnerships, including the keynote sponsor, Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. “We believe a thriving region is built when innovation and inclusion grow side by side,” said Reverend Dr. Shannon Polk, Esq., President and CEO of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. “Through our exciting new S.E.E.D.S. initiative, we are investing in long-term, community-driven solutions that expand economic opportunity, advance equity, and strengthen the systems that help people and businesses succeed. SPARK’s work to fuel entrepreneurship and smart economic growth reflects that same commitment to shared prosperity. When philanthropy, business leaders, and community partners align around a common vision, we don’t just grow an innovation economy – we cultivate a region where every neighborhood in our community has the opportunity to rise and thrive together.”
Ann Arbor SPARK is grateful for the support of its 2026 Annual Meeting sponsors, including the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, DTE, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and Toyota. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. To learn more, please contact Laura Berarducci, Senior Director of Development & Communications.
Early bird tickets are available for $75 through April 10th. Standard tickets are $95, and the event is expected to sell out.
For event details and registration, visit annarborusa.org.
