WORLD-CLASS
TALENT
01
Few things have been more critical to Airspace Link’s success than talent. Healander launched the company with his wife and co-founder in 2020 with six employees. Today, they have 17 and are slated to grow to 40 by the end of the year.
Michigan’s diverse workforce helps support Airspace Link’s growth. The Great Lakes State has a high concentration of engineers, for example. The auto industry is only one reason why: Prominent universities in the state have well-established mobility and technology programs that feed into the talent pool.
“The employee pipeline has been important to us,” Healander says. And with the rise of remote work, Healander has occasionally filled positions with remote employees, allowing him to recruit global talent while being based in Michigan.
of executives say hiring tech talent is important or very important to the future of their business.
Source: Forbes Insights
& MEDC survey
“There's more engineers per capita in Michigan [and particularly in southeast Michigan] than anywhere else in the country.”
Trevor Pawl,
Michigan’s Chief Mobility Officer
Supportive
Business
Community
02
A few years ago, Kylee Guenther was brainstorming ideas to manufacture sustainable plastic from bamboo or rice hulls. She’s now CEO of Pivot Materials, a growing Michigan company that was named one of the
top 50 cleantech companies to watch by Cleantech Group in 2019.
“It takes a really well-developed and supportive community to help your business flourish,” Guenther says. “Michigan is a prime example of this, and it's only getting better.”
The network of economic development organizations and the startup community in Michigan is one distinct advantage. Pivot Materials has won multiple statewide pitch competitions in Michigan, giving it visibility and funding in its early stages. Guenther worked with MEDC to engage in patent research, prepare its financials, develop its business strategy and refine its marketing.
“They’ve really been superstars for us,” Guenther says. “A lot of the larger business institutions have recognized the importance of startups’ role in keeping our economy vibrant.”
of executives say Michigan's Office of
Future Mobility and Electrification is the state's most attractive feature as an innovation hub.
“Michigan has totally modernized its outlook, so that we can compete with places like Silicon Valley and Boston.”
Kylee Guenther,
CEO of
Pivot Materials
Source: Forbes Insights
& MEDC survey