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DETROIT, June 6, 2013 - It was a year of accomplishments for the folks at D:hive on Woodward in downtown Detroit. Marking that event on June 6, the hub of entrepreneurship, talent and creativity across from the former Hudson’s site was buzzing with celebration, food, accolades and the Party Marching Band.
Jeff Aronoff, D:hive executive director, touched on the some the successes and goals as he spoke to the crowd of people filtering in and out of the D:hive space.
“We have helped scores of people find residential opportunities that meet their needs at the right time,” he said. “We now have over 1300 job people in our work network, working with curated lists of job opportunities and individual connections to companies. We continue to grow that to meet the expanded demands for people who want to live and work in the city.
“Engagement means a lot of things, starting with volunteer opportunities. People want to spend time doing meaningful things in Detroit. It also means our tours. Showing this city in a way they have never seen before. Insiders add perspective to help people change impressions, expanding their understanding of the city in a manner of hours. It is a powerful way to show the city.
“Our work with entrepreneurs starts with Build classes. We will have graduated more than a 140 entrepreneurs with solid business plans and great ideas.”
Now, in partnership with Opportunity Detroit, D:hive has a Pilot program to allow retailers to use the D:hive space to test the marketability of their creations in a low-risk environment. Aronoff said the Pilot program is a powerful way to connect with entrepreneurs in the city.
Here is a wrap on the year:
- Established Live, Work, Engage, and Build programs serving Detroit residents and visitors.
- Launched ‘Pilot,’ a rotating pop-up retail project for entrepreneurs.
- Launched a “Do Something Detroit” program in partnership with the state of Michigan’s recently announced “Do Something Michigan” program.
- Established a high-quality job portal and multiple newsletters to personally match talent with job opportunities in Detroit.
- Introduced nearly 10,000 people to the city of Detroit through D:hive’s public tours.
The event included fantastic food and refreshments from Detroit vendors, including Tashmoo Biergarten, Beau Bien Fine Foods, Sister Pie, Don Lucho taco truck and many others. Visitors also enjoyed the pot&box, D:hive’s newest pop-up retail space. The party wrapped up with a raucus show from the Detroit Party Marching Band. Great stuff!
D:hive at 1253 Woodward is supported by the Downtown Detroit Partnership through funding and backing from the Hudson-Webber Foundation as part of its ongoing commitment to growing and retaining talent in Detroit by fostering entrepreneurship and creativity. More at www.dhivedetroit.org.
