Advanced Manufacturing / Industry 4.0
- None at this time
Defense
- Donuts & Defense | April 30, 2026 8:00AM–10:00AM | Sterling Heights, MI – A morning networking event centered on defense industry opportunities. Donuts & Defense brings together businesses and partners to connect, discuss, and explore pathways into defense-related work.
- Michigan Defense Expo – May 12-May 14, 2026 | Location: Detroit, MI | Experience three days of mission-focused collaboration, breakthrough technology, and access to decision-makers driving modernization and readiness. For 2026, MDEX is co-located with the Xponential Conference.
- Eurosatory – June 15-June 19, 2026 | Location: Paris, France | Automation Alley/MEDC invite Michigan companies to exhibit in Michigan Pavilion at defense & homeland security event.
- GVSETS – Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology Symposium – August 11-August 13, 2026 | Location: Novi, MI | GVSETS provides the opportunity for the Ground Systems community to network and share technical research and innovations while discussing capability gaps and modernization needs.
- Xponential – May 13-May 15, 2026 | Location: Detroit, MI | XPONENTIAL brings together the leaders, implementers, and change agents building what’s next in autonomy. Speakers are hand-selected for their expertise, experience, and perspective to equip attendees with the context, tools, and foresight to navigate today’s most pressing challenges in design, deployment, and policy.
Food & AgTech
- None at this time
HealthTech
- Nucleate MI – Pitch Best Practices & Networking Event | April 2, 2026 | MI-HQ East, Ypsilanti, MI | A public life sciences networking event featuring a fireside chat and practical guidance on startup pitch best practices for founders, investors, mentors, and scientists.
- 2026 MSU Innovation Celebration | April 7, 2026| The James B. Henry Center for Executive Development, Lansing, MI | An annual showcase recognizing Michigan State University technologies, startups, researchers, and inventors shaping solutions to real-world challenges and economic growth.
- BioArbor April 2026 – April 8, 2026 | Location: Plymouth Green Innovation Community (Kiva Conference Center), Ann Arbor, MI | BioArbor networking and discussion; theme in development.
- Congratulations, You Just Added an Inventor | April 9, 2026 | Virtual | A MichBio webinar on inventorship, conception, and documentation practices to help teams identify true inventors and reduce IP risk during diligence or enforcement.
- BioMixer Oakland County – April 22, 2026 | Location: TBD | MichBio networking event hosted with Avantor.
- Drug Discovery & Development Symposium – May 11, 2026 | Location: Washtenaw Community College (Morris Lawrence Bldg.), Ann Arbor, MI | Life sciences symposium with keynotes/panels, posters, exhibits, and networking.
- BioArbor June 2026 – June 10, 2026 | Location: Plymouth Green Innovation Community – The Kiva Conference Center, Ann Arbor, MI | BioArbor networking event; program details forthcoming.
- Michigan Medical Device Summit – September 30, 2026 | Location: Washtenaw Community College – Morris Lawrence Building, Ann Arbor, MI | Medtech summit on technologies, regulations, and industry insights.
- BioArbor November 2026 | November 4, 2026 5:00PM–7:00PM | Ann Arbor, MI – A MichBio networking forum for biotech, pharma, medtech, and health tech professionals. BioArbor brings together innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to connect, learn, and collaborate within Michigan’s life sciences community.
Innovation
- Ann Arbor AI/ML Meetup: Casual Social & Open Discussion | April 2, 2026 | Ann Arbor SPARK, Ann Arbor, MI | A casual AI/ML community meetup for students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and technologists to connect, share ideas, discuss emerging trends, and demo projects in an informal setting.
- 517 Entrepreneurship & Innovation Week – April 6-April 10, 2026 | Location: Greater Lansing, MI | A week-long celebration (April 6–10, 2026) featuring events designed to help people learn, grow, and connect with innovators and entrepreneurs.
- PitchMI Championship – April 7, 2026 | Location: Grewal Hall at 224, Lansing, MI | Statewide PitchMI championship where four regional winning teams compete for an additional $1 million investment and the title of PitchMI State Champion.
- 517 Entrepreneurship & Innovation Week – April 6-April 10, 2026 | Location: Greater Lansing, MI | A week-long celebration (April 6–10, 2026) featuring events designed to help people learn, grow, and connect with innovators and entrepreneurs.
- Venue Connect | Leadership That Inspires: Meaningful Conversations with Women Leaders | April 8, 2026 | Venue by 4M, Ann Arbor, MI | A free panel and networking event featuring women leaders sharing insights on inclusive, purpose-driven leadership, impact, and organizational growth.
- Future Leader Live! – April 16, 2026 | Location: 6633 18 Mile Road, Sterling Heights, MI | A half-day leadership experience with practical tools and conversations, featuring a live, audience-voted $10,000 Entrepreneur Grant Pitch Competition.
- Renaissance Spring UnDemo Day (Virtual) – Apr 16, 2026 | Location: Virtual | Virtual UnDemo Day for underrepresented founders; pitch rooms + 1:1 meetings; followed by Detroit-area in-person wind down.
- Michigan Tech Week – May 19-May 21, 2026 | Location: Michigan Central, Detroit, MI | A multi-day event (May 19–21, 2026) bringing the tech community to Michigan Central in Detroit.
- 2026 Fall UnDemo Day® – October 7, 2026 | Location: Detroit, MI | In-person UnDemo Day® connecting Michigan startups with VCs; next event October 7, 2026 in Detroit.
- Toast of the Town 2026 | October 9, 2026 | Detroit, MI – TechTown’s annual celebration of Detroit innovators and entrepreneurs. The event brings together founders, small businesses, and supporters to showcase ventures, connect with the community, and celebrate entrepreneurship.
- Showcase Presentation – November 19, 2026 | Location: TBD | Save the date (New Enterprise Forum).
Mobility
- 2026 Michigan Drone Association Conference | April 8, 2026| Mt. Plleasant, MI – Join MDA for its third annual conference, a statewide gathering uniting leaders across Michigan’s drone and airspace ecosystem—from public safety and agriculture to defense, energy, education, and industry—for two days of keynotes, expert panels, sector breakouts, and live flight demonstrations. Whether you’re an operator, policymaker, educator, or technology partner, this is where Michigan’s drone community comes together to shape the next phase of airspace innovation.
- 2026 CCAT Global Symposium on Mobility Innovation | April, 17, 2026 | Ann Arbor, MI – CCAT’s annual transportation conference focused on mobility innovation. The symposium brings together public and private sector leaders to learn, connect, and advance connected and automated transportation solutions.
- ITS America Conference & Expo 2026 | June 9, 2026– June 2, 2026 | Detroit, MI – A major intelligent transportation systems conference and expo. The event brings together public and private sector transportation leaders to discover, discuss, and showcase technologies shaping a safer, smarter, and more connected mobility future.
- Michigan Transportation Planning Association Conference – July 28-July 31, 2026 | Location: Port Huron, MI
- Mobility Summit | August 11, 2026 | – MSU Research Foundation’s annual summit focused on mobility innovation. Mobility Summit brings together leaders across the mobility ecosystem to learn, connect, and advance new ideas and partnerships.
- MOVE America 2026 | September 23, 2026–September 4, 2026 | Detroit, MI – A large mobility conference and expo focused on the future of transport. MOVE America brings together mobility leaders across the ecosystem to learn, network, and explore innovation in technology, business models, and energy.
Sustainability
- MI Healthy Climate Conference 2026 – April 21, 2026 | Location: Huntington Place, Detroit, MI | Conference (save-the-date) hosted by EGLE, April 21, 2026 at Huntington Place in Detroit.
- 2026 Michigan Sustainability Conference (MISCON) – September 9-September 10, 2026 | Location: Lansing Center, Lansing, MI | The 2026 Michigan Sustainability Conference (MISCON) takes place September 9–10, 2026 in Lansing, Michigan.
- RECESS26 National Black and Brown Clean Energy Summit – September 27-September 29, 2026 | Location: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI | National Black and Brown Clean Energy Summit held September 27–29, 2026 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.
