Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Kelly Sexton, Associate Vice President for Research - Innovation Partnerships and Economic Impact at University of Michigan Innovation Partnerships.

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Todd Fenton and Nick Posavetz from Plante Moran.

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Joseph Vig, CEO of Vig Construction.

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Shannon Polk, President and CEO of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. View the video on our YouTube channel, @AnnArborSPARK.

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Sarah Miller, CTA, President and CEO at Destination Ann Arbor.

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Kristine Nash-Wong Director, Entrepreneurial Services at SPARK East in Ypsilanti.

Originally recorded at SXSW 2026: The next generation of high-growth companies isn’t clustering on the coasts—they’re choosing mid-sized tech hubs known for talent density, R&D strength, collaboration, and capital efficiency. This panel explores the national rise of “opportunity-driven ecosystems,” using Ann Arbor as a case study in how a city can punch far above its weight in sectors like mobility, life sciences, AI, and advanced manufacturing.

Hear from founders, corporate innovation leaders, and ecosystem builders on what actually drives them to choose places like Ann Arbor; how partnerships with global R&D giants (KLA, Sartorius, Torc, Wacker) accelerate local innovation; and why mid-sized hubs are becoming magnets for both startups and established companies. If you’re building, scaling, or investing, this session will reveal what high-performing ecosystems outside traditional coastal markets get right—and how companies leverage them for faster, more sustainable growth.

Originally recorded at SXSW 2026: Behind many of the world’s most transformative technologies is a research university. But turning discovery into a scalable company is still one of the hardest journeys in entrepreneurship. In this fireside chat, two founders who launched their companies out of the University of Michigan share the real founder-level story of navigating intellectual property, raising early capital, building teams, validating markets, and crossing the infamous “valley of death.”

Moderated by a U-M innovation leader, the conversation explores what support structures matter most for first-time founders, how universities can accelerate (or unintentionally slow) a company’s trajectory, and the lessons learned for entrepreneurs, investors, and research institutions nationwide. Whether you’re commercializing research, scouting university deal flow, or building a startup rooted in deep tech or science, this session offers a rare look inside what it truly takes to go from lab bench to market.

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Jenn Hayman, SVP, Marketing, Communications & Events at Ann Arbor SPARK.

This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Skip Lupia, Vice President for Research and Innovation at the University of Michigan.