In the efforts to revitalize the motor city, CEO of Quicken Loans Dan Gilbert is at the forefront, financing “one of the most ambitious privately financed urban reclamation projects in American history.”
The New York Times recently published a feature about Dan Gilbert and his work in Detroit, and reported that the billionaire has already spent about $1 billion acquiring real estate with plans to “activate the streets”. With about 80 small companies having moved in to buildings owned by his real estate company, Bedrock, Gilbert seeks to “turn downtown into a high-tech hub, where young entrepreneurs both live and work.” Check out the full article about Gilbert and Detroit’s struggle over the past several decades.
Venture for America is proud to have its Fellows living in Detroit, becoming ingrained in the city’s revitalization efforts everyday. Already, VFA has Fellows working for Detroit Venture Partners, the venture capital firm investing in Detroit startups where Dan Gilbert is a partner, along with a handful of DVP’s portfolio companies including Are you a Human? and Quikly, among others.
Just last month, 2012 VFA Fellow Max Nussenbaum of “Are you a human?” wrote an article for the Huffington Post called “Move Where You Can Matter”, where he talks about his experience living in Detroit and extols the opportunities available there for young people and entrepreneurs.
Check out the video below for a glimpse inside Gilbert’s M@dison Building, which houses Detroit Venture Parters along with many other startups. We look forward to sending even more Fellows to Detroit in 2013!
DETROIT VENTURE PARTNERS from Hendrickson Video on Vimeo.