Following on the heels of Ann Arbor SPARK’s Annual Meeting Monday May 16th Chris spoke with Paul Krutko President and CEO, Ann Arbor SPARK, which was celebrating 11 years of making the Ann Arbor region an area of innovation.
The event featured a keynote by University of Michigan president Dr. Mark S. Schlissel who discussed the impact of the University on the region’s economy
“When we look at the bigger economic picture, the signs of our progress are undeniable,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. “The creation of jobs and investment are clear indicators of growth, but the truly exciting story lies in our future potential. Collaboration around the American Center for Mobility puts us on the leading edge of automotive technology research and development. Regional business leaders have come together to imagine Ann Arbor in 2030 and are committed to making that vision a reality. Startups and established businesses alike have established roots and are growing in Ann Arbor, and SPARK will continue support their growth.” SPARK also provided a recap of economic development milestones achieved in the last year:
Business attraction and retention of 37 successful projects, resulting in $130 million in new investment commitments and 891 jobs announced in the region assistance to 266 startups, and incubation of 77 startup companies.
