| Follow Us:











Features

22 Articles | Page: | Show All

D3 + UIX : INSIGHT - The Skills Required for Innovation

We have hit the one year mark with the Urban Innovation Exchange (UIX) initiative. Here Kat Hartman, Communications Manager at Data Driven Detroit and analyst for the UIX initiative, provides some takeaways from the data collected from Detroit's urban innovators in this first year of UIX. 

Every Day is a Holiday: The Future of Detroit is Now

UIX editor Nicole Rupersburg takes a look at the city that is evolving more every day. It's springtime: a time of rebirth and renewal. Detroit's interminable winter has finally come to an end.

All together now: Diving deeper into Model D discussion on race

Race relations top the list of issues that need absolute real talk. There are many who believe Detroit can be a leader in building cooperation and harmony as we rebuild the city. Matthew Lewis reports from a room filled with plenty of believers. 

FoodLab: Weaving the network for a good food system in Detroit

Jess Daniel, founder of FoodLab Detroit, discusses network weaving versus networking, and how FoodLab utilizes the network weaving strategy to help build a strong good food system here in Detroit.

We declare it: 2013 in Detroit year of civic engagement

Declare Detroit's Brad Frost gets inspired by the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. and calls for a year of action in the city. It begins with circling dates for 2013 elections. We can definitely get on with that idea. 

Urban Exchange: Trading Ideas with Toronto

Model D's Claire Nelson and Hopscotch Detroit social innovator Ajooni Sethi go north to share the power of play as a tool for civic engagement with our Canadian comrades at Yonge St. Sounds like some serious fun was had in the Queen City.

From banking to changemaking: Chris Uhl reflects on his move to the Skillman Foundation

Chris Uhl left the world of banking to join the Skillman Foundation (as a director, no less). Here he reflects on his reasons for making that life-changing decision to dedicate his life to changemaking. 

Poor but sexy: REVOLVE aims to re-imagine vacant storefronts and rebuild neighborhood retail

Michael Forsyth, Business Development Manager of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, heads up the DEGC's recently-launched REVOLVE program. REVOLVE works with growing neighborhoods, aspiring entrepreneurs, and building owners in need of tenants to address Detroit's threefold issue of neighborhood needs, excessive storefront vacancies, and lack of retail density head-on via pop-up. Here he shares with UIX Detroit the short- and long-term visions for REVOLVE.

Using data to inspire innovation and inclusion

The Urban Innovation Exchange (UIX) initiative and Data Driven Detroit (D3) together have created a survey to better understand social innovation and its impact in Detroit. Here D3 Communications Manager & Analyst Kat Hartman explains what exactly we mean when we say "social innovation" as well as the ways in which we quantify it.

Making the Pivot from DIY to Do It Together

Do-it-yourself Detroit is on borrowed time. Working around the democratically elected government of the city isn’t a long term strategy. One day soon we’ll have to figure out how to address the future of this city that stretches out beyond the horizon of our lifetimes, past the excitement of this burst of energy, past the frustration and decline that has plagued Detroit for 50 years.

UIX Q&A: Melinda Anderson, Detroit Design Festival

Detroit Creative Corridor Center Events Director Melinda Anderson reflects on the evolution of this year's Detroit Design Festival and how much it has already grown and evolved from its first year in 2011. Signature events like Eastern Market After Dark, a record-breaking hopscotch and countless design community partnerships were key to this year's success and will enable the festival to continue to grow from one year to the next.

Warming up to green energy

Thanks to the Recovery Act, a few local programs are recruiting unemployed residents, training them with sustainable construction skills and then helping them find work; all for free. Amelia Kanan reports with words and pictures.

Model D TV: Innovation in education speaker series recapped

Students, teachers, administrators, and Model D partners from foundations and media jammed into Youthville for our speaker series on innovation in education. Walter Wasacz took the notes, Tony Eggert and Marvin Shaouni the pictures. 

Fashion & Technology: Could industry cross-breeding become Detroit’s future?

Detroit is seeing a new wave of creative startups, and fashion is one industry on the rise. Recently, more capital has been made available to technology companies, aiming to turn Detroit into a “Silicon Valley of the Midwest." If, as they say, 90% of fashion is marketing, and social media use is at a high, shouldn’t apparel businesses be considered an investment opportunity in Detroit’s creative economy? What ways can we extend these tech startup incentives to multiple industries?

Moving Forward with Joey Landis

In the Motor City, photographer Noah Stephens travels by bicycle. On his latest journey, he meets up with fellow cyclist Joey Landis, co-founder of bike messenger service Rock Dove Couriers. Joey is part of a new wave of Detroiters finding entrepreneurial opportunity on two wheels. (Photo essay from The People of Detroit for UIX.)
22 Articles | Page: | Show All
Share this page
0
Email
Print
Signup for Email Alerts