Making Detroit the centre of transport innovation through startups

Startup Angels, a Washington D.C based company working to empower angel investors, is teaming up with Techstars Mobility, a Detroit based firm that invests in mobility based startups. The pair will be hosting a workshop in Detroit on October 4-5 with the intention of giving an insider view of startup investing while highlighting the current startup climate that Detroit has to offer.   “Detroit is an iconic American city being reborn at the intersection of Detroit’s two biggest strengths: its automotive dominance and an entrepreneurial resurgence,” Ted Serbinksi, venture investor and managing director at Techstars Mobility, said in a statement. “From self-driving cars to smart cities to reinventing logistics, startup companies around the world are coming to Detroit to work with our automotive and industrial experts and build their companies here.” Given the city’s history, it is particularly fitting that these organizations prioritize a focus towards transport innovation. The great motor city was once one of the wealthiest in the US, and for some it was once considered one of the greatest in the world. It is the birthplace of the American car industry, with factories that once produced cars that were shipped globally. Moreover, its downtown area was regarded as an architectural gem, and in the 1950s Detroit had the highest median income and highest rate of home ownership of any major US city. The investing workshop is being held in advance of Techstars Mobility’s third annual demo day for its 2017 class of startups on Oct. 18, according to the company. While Detroit has a long way to go to before it is restored to its former glory, it is a city with great tenacity and a track record of great automotive creativity.