The ecosystem works when the institutions are connected.
We track and coordinate with 23 institutions across the Detroit ecosystem — anchors, universities, funders, incubators, and workforce agencies. Investors, employers, and procurement teams use the same front door.
Institutions in the network.
Links go to official institutional sites. D-Unit does not control their content, and listing is not an endorsement.
23 institutions indexed
Health System
Henry Ford Health
Anchor of the $3B District Detroit health and research expansion along Third Avenue.
Theranostics
BAMF Health
Grand Rapids–founded theranostics company opening its second location in Detroit, advancing radiopharmaceutical therapy and diagnostics in partnership with Henry Ford Health at the Gratiot Life Sciences Building.
Life Sciences Development
Gratiot Life Sciences Building
The 2027 theranostics and research building at Clinton & St. Antoine, developed by Bedrock as part of the Gratiot district and home to the Henry Ford Health | BAMF Health theranostics center.
University Anchor
University of Michigan Center for Innovation
U-M's downtown Detroit graduate campus on Grand River Avenue, training talent in AI, sustainability, and technology alongside the life sciences build-out.
Research Anchor
Michigan State University Research Center
The $335M Henry Ford Health + MSU Health Sciences Research Center on Third Avenue, built under a 30-year partnership with Henry Ford Health and opening 2027.
Incubator Space
Fisher Building
New Center landmark in which Michigan State University holds a majority ownership stake, housing MSU's Detroit business incubator space for founders and small businesses next to the research anchors.
R1 University
Wayne State University
Detroit's public research university and the ecosystem's largest talent pipeline.
Incubator
TechTown Detroit
Wayne State University's incubator and accelerator for small and scalable ventures, including the MedHealth initiative connecting founders to health-system buyers.
Economic Development
Detroit Regional Partnership
Regional attraction organization tracking ecosystem investment and expansion projects.
City Development
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
The City's development arm for districts, incentives, and small business corridors.
Capital
Invest Detroit
CDFI and venture capital deploying growth capital into Detroit companies and real estate.
Workforce & Training
Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (Detroit At Work)
The city's workforce agency, operating Detroit At Work — free training, credentials, and job placement for Detroit residents.
State
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
State-level capital, site readiness, and life sciences attraction programs.
Small Business
Detroit Means Business
Citywide small business support network and procurement navigator.
MWBE Certification
Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council
Certification and corporate matchmaking for minority business enterprises.
Philanthropy
New Economy Initiative
Philanthropic fund building an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Detroit.
Innovation District
Michigan Central
30-acre mobility innovation district anchored at the restored Michigan Central Station in Corktown.
Real Estate Developer
Bedrock Detroit
Developer of the Gratiot Life Sciences Building and master developer of the surrounding Gratiot district, and co-developer with Related Companies of the University of Michigan Center for Innovation. Bedrock controls the construction and facilities contracts across the downtown build-out.
Real Estate Developer
Related Companies
National developer partnered with Bedrock on the University of Michigan Center for Innovation on Grand River Avenue, the downtown graduate campus anchoring U-M's Detroit presence.
Lab & Incubator Space
Michigan Innovation Headquarters
Wet-lab and life sciences incubator operator anchoring lab tenancy in the Gratiot district alongside the Henry Ford Health | BAMF Health theranostics center.
Training Pipeline
Ferris State University
Operates the nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy training partnership with BAMF Health, the academic pipeline into the highest-paid roles at the Gratiot theranostics center.
Free Tech Training
Apple Developer Academy at MSU Detroit
Free app development and coding academy run by Michigan State University in Detroit, open to any Detroiter 18 and older — the widest-open tech training door in the network.
Startup Residency
Newlab at Michigan Central
Startup residency and hardware venture platform inside Michigan Central's Corktown district, where mobility and climate founders build alongside corporate partners.
Four ways to partner.
Employers & anchors
Share roles and hiring timelines early. We prepare and route qualified Detroit residents before the posting goes public.
Procurement teams
Tell us what's coming to bid. We surface qualified Detroit businesses — including certified MWBE firms — that can actually deliver on it.
Funders & investors
Fund the navigation layer, or take a position in the ecosystem itself. Our investor brief lays out the $1.78B build-out, the timeline, and the return case.
Community organizations
Use our intake as your referral endpoint and get reporting back on what happened to the people you sent.