Tech and Innovation Must Play Central Role in Detroit Revival

DETROIT, July 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Even as Detroit hits financial bottom, Techonomy Media retains its belief that applying tech and innovation can be a major aid toward a historic comeback. As Techonomy Detroit 2013 nears, the conference continues to grow its list of speakers and sponsors, and refine its program. Techonomy earlier announced the inclusion of Square CEO Jack Dorsey, Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson, Jean Case of the Case Foundation, Andrew Yang of Venture for America, and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. New speakers include Rodney Brooks of Rethink Robotics, Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution, Edward Luce of the Financial Times, Susan Lund of the McKinsey Global Institute, Hector Ruiz, Chairman and Founder of ANS, Nilmini Rubin, the competitiveness expert for the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ford's K. Venkatesh Prasad, and Cisco's Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Tae Yoo.

More than 500 national and local leaders from technology, business, government and academia will converge on the campus of Wayne State University on September 17, 2013 for a one-day public event that focuses on how headlong technology-driven change is changing and challenging the U.S. economy and its cities. Techonomy sees technology and exponential change as both threat and promise, and aims to help leaders identify the promising piece for their organizations and the country.  A key theme of this year's event is how tech can be harnessed to expedite revival. While some of Techonomy's conferences are invite-only retreats, Techonomy Detroit is open to the public and aims for extensive participation and impact.

The recent news of Detroit's bankruptcy filing is not a deterrent to Techonomy.  In fact, it is often necessary to hit bottom before again rising up. Despite the financial crisis, enthusiasm for revival has never been stronger among Detroit's business and tech community.

"Detroit is a symbol of the failures of the U.S. economy and if we cannot revive it, then I fear for the country," said Techonomy founder and noted author David Kirkpatrick. "Detroit is more committed than ever—it has to be—to creative problem-solving. Tech innovation, entrepreneurship, and creative thinking can combine with faith and elbow grease to move towards a brighter day. Meanwhile, the city becomes an even better place for a big conversation on national priorities."

The conference's host partner is the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).  Michael A. Finney, President and CEO of MEDC commented: "Our comeback success story—the one we've started and are still working on—is a huge reason why Detroit is the perfect location for this event; and we are thrilled Techonomy is coming back. Our mission is to help create more and better jobs by accelerative business investments and development—technology is a major part of that equation. Encouraging change, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, these are all areas Detroit is centering on right now."

Confirmed speakers include:

• Jocelyn Benson, Interim Dean, Law School, Wayne State University
• Rodney Brooks, Founder, Chairman and CTO, Rethink Robotics
• Jean Case, CEO, The Case Foundation
• Chad Dickerson, CEO, Etsy
• Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Square; co-founder and Chairman of Twitter
• Keith Ferrazzi, Founder and CEO, Ferrazzi Greenlight
• Michael A. Finney, President and CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
• Bruce Katz, Vice President and Director, Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program
• Josh Linkner, CEO and Managing Partner, Detroit Venture Partners
• Edward Luce, Washington Columnist and Commentator, Financial Times
• Susan Lund, Partner and Director of Research, McKinsey Global Institute (MGI)
• Felix W. Ortiz III, Founder, Chairman and Chief Product Officer, Viridis Learning Inc.
• K. Venkatesh Prasad, Senior Leader, Open Innovation, Ford Research & Innovation
• Nilmini Rubin, Senior Advisor for Global Economic Competitiveness, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Hector Ruiz, Chairman and Founder of Advanced Nanotechnology Solutions, Inc. (ANS).
• Rick Snyder, Governor, State of Michigan
• Joel D. Tauber, President, Tauber Enterprises LLC; Founder, Tauber Institute for Global Operations, University of Michigan
• Marleen Vogelaar, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder, Shapeways
• Carol Williams, Executive Vice President, The Dow Chemical Corporation
• Andrew Yang, Founder and CEO, Venture for America
• Tae Yoo, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Cisco

Among the topics scheduled to be discussed during the one day session:

• City Re-Vision: Towards A Techonomic Detroit
• Can the Maker Movement Re-Make America?
• Education 2.0 For Americans 2.0
• Who's Hiring: What are the jobs of the future, and what are companies looking for now?
• What next for U.S. competitiveness?
• Everybody's Starting Something: the new landscape of entrepreneurship

Sponsors to date include the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Quicken Loans, Detroit Venture Partners, Bizdom, McKinsey & Company, Cisco, Ford Motor Company, Michigan Media Solutions, Automation Alley and Skidmore Studio. 

Bloomberg Businessweek is the official Techonomy Detroit media partner, while American Express Open will present the live webcast of the event, which will stream on Techonomy.com.  

For the most up-to-date information, including how to register for Techonomy Detroit, visit: techonomy.com/detroit. 

To receive the early registration rate, register by August 1. 

Like Techonomy on Facebook at facebook.com/techonomy

Follow Techonomy on Twitter @techonomy and Tweet using the hashtag #TechonomyDetroit

About Techonomy
Technology is firmly at the core of all economic and social progress. Techonomy's goal is to help leaders and citizens better understand the far-reaching potential of technology-enabled change and to see how this rapid transformation can be harnessed to accelerate progress, productivity and competitiveness. In addition to special events like Techonomy Detroit, Techonomy Media Inc. organizes the annual Techonomy conference in November which brings together nearly 300 influential leaders to explore the full range of ways that tech is driving global change in business and society. See www.techonomy.com for more.

Techonomy Contacts:

Techonomy Detroit sponsorship 
[email protected]

General inquiries about Techonomy Detroit 
[email protected]

If you are a reporter looking to register for Techonomy or want to speak with Techonomy, please contact:

Charles Zinkowski, Hill + Knowlton Strategies 
212-885-0630
[email protected] 

SOURCE Techonomy Media