Detroit’s future, as with all cities, will be determined by the talent that it is able to retain and attract. A perceivable new wave of energy and commitment to living and working in Detroit is underway. Public, private and philanthropic leaders are reporting an influx of individuals in search of an essential toolkit that will enable them to effectively navigate, and build a foundation in, Detroit. This ranges from basic orientation items to specific real estate and professional connections. This need is the impetus for the D:hive.
Existing civic, social, cultural and traditional entrepreneurs are already demonstrating unique innovations that are advancing the city. Combined with an emerging population of new talent, this activity has thepower to continue to shift the local and national news narrative about Detroit from “has been” to “is and could be”.
Despite many existing resources and sources of information, Greater Downtown Detroit can be hard to navigate for individuals seeking resources and information about finding a residence, starting a business or social enterprises, or learning about institutions that seek to assist them as theydeploy their talents in the city. The D:hive will be a physical storefront and nexus of energy to welcome new recruits to the city and to assist existing innovators with the goal of not just retaining but increasing the number of young, talented individuals in Greater Downtown Detroit.
D:hive will be a non-profit partnership that will help individuals connect with information and resources relevantto living, working and engaging in Detroit through the directassistance of a D:hive team member. D:hive team members will act as “air traffic control” for many institutions, programsand projects that wish to serve, assist and partner with new Detroit residents.
Specific resources already identified for offer include:
. Individual referrals by the D:hive team to Detroit institutions and individuals
. Tours, information, and other “Welcome to Detroit” amenities
. Residential, commercial, and retail real estate market information
. Retail recruitment coordination
. Compelling city data visualized for easy consumption
. Profiles of existing urban innovators to encourage connection and collaboration
. Project start-up classes for aspiring social, cultural and economic innovators
. Growth roundtables for existing social, cultural and economic innovators
. Jobs postings from Greater Downtown Employers seeking qualified talent
The core of the D:hive is collaboration and the enhance-ment of tremendous innovation efforts that are already taking place in Detroit every day. Building on the success and energy of existing efforts, the D:hive will co-locate with multiple existing Detroit projects focused on serving individuals who are interested in and plugging into Detroit. Initial project partners include the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, Inside Detroit, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, Model D Media, Quicken Loans, and Rock Detroit.
Success for these efforts will be measured in numbers of individuals served, connections made, amounts of real estateanimated, projects started and enterprises grown. D:hive is designed with an intentional 3-year life cycle after which the core functions and partners will be evaluated for completion or graduation as needed.
Connect with the D:Hive
D:Hive Website
D:Hive Facebook
