Chris Holman speaks with Chris Rizik, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Chris Rizik, founder, managing partner, and Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Venture Capital, joined host Chris Holman at the Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss his organization's work attracting venture capital investment to Michigan startups. Renaissance operates as a fund of funds, investing in VC firms nationally on the condition that they seek out Michigan companies, and has helped attract roughly $3.5 billion in startup investment since its founding 17 years ago — with annual venture investment in Michigan growing from $150–200 million to an expected $2 billion this year. Rizik announced that this year's UnDemo Day, the organization's signature startup-VC matchmaking event, will be held October 1st at Detroit's Hudson's Building and will for the first time include the National Venture Capital Association's emerging manager office hours, bringing a major national VC event to Detroit. He also discussed the newly formed Michigan Innovation Alliance, a broad coalition of universities, businesses, government, and capital community leaders working to develop unified innovation policy recommendations for the state ahead of the next gubernatorial election.

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Chris Holman speaks with Stephanie Beckhorn, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Stephanie Beckhorn of Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity joined host Chris Holman at the Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss the impact of federal SNAP and Medicaid work requirements on Michigan's workforce. She emphasized that food and healthcare access are directly tied to workforce participation, and that hundreds of thousands of Michiganders will need to meet work requirements to maintain their benefits — making it critical to connect them with resources like Michigan Works agencies to help remove barriers and secure full-time employment. Beckhorn noted that interconnected challenges, including childcare, transportation, and affordable housing all factor into workforce stability, and that LEO's structure intentionally brings together agencies like MSHDA to address these issues in a coordinated way. On the budget front, she noted the governor proposed $30 million to support work requirement implementation, with the House and Senate each including roughly half that amount, and expressed optimism that ongoing negotiations would result in meaningful investment with strong long-term returns.

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Chris Holman speaks with Tom Kelly, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Tom Kelly, CEO of Automation Alley, joined host Chris Holman at the Mackinac Policy Conference to discuss Project DIAMOnD, a distributed manufacturing network that equips small manufacturers in Southeast Michigan with 3D printers. The network currently connects 550 manufacturers across Oakland and Macomb Counties, with Wayne County set to add 250 more, and has recently secured an $8 million Department of Defense contract to validate the network as a surge capacity mechanism for military parts. Kelly emphasized that the distributed model allows manufacturers to share production capacity across the network, enabling small shops to fulfill large orders without massive capital investment. He also called on the Michigan legislature to pass funding to take the initiative statewide, noting that the DoD contract proves the concept is ready to scale. Kelly expressed optimism that combining distributed manufacturing with AI and additive technology could transform Michigan into a 21st-century manufacturing powerhouse.

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Originally uploaded August 20th, reloaded September 13th.

Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Ryan Fewins-Bliss, Executive Director, MCAN - Michigan College Access Network, Lansing, MI.

MCAN launches MI College Match statewide Aug. 26

For the first time in Michigan, MI College Match launches Aug. 26 in more than 350 high schools. What is it and what does it change for Michigan high school students?

The program goes in hand with MCAN's College Bound Michigan, which helps counselors and educators guide students through key college-going steps. How do these efforts make it easier for students to connect with Michigan colleges and universities and, ultimately, help keep more young talent in the state?

Eighteen Michigan colleges and universities are participating at launch. What role do higher education institutions have in becoming more proactive partners in Michigan’s workforce strategy?

Alabama’s comparable program generated more than 141,000 admission offers and $2.8 billion in scholarship opportunities in one academic year. What will MCAN be watching to measure progress in Michigan, and what would success look like several years from now?

As MI College Match gets underway, how can students and families learn more, and is there still an opportunity for more high schools and colleges to get involved?

Michigan College Access Network partners with EAB to launch statewide direct admission program

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan College Access Network is proud to announce MI College Match, a new partnership with education company EAB and Michigan higher education institutions to roll out a statewide, next-generation direct admission program. Powered by EAB’s Match software, MI College Match will use MCAN’s existing K-12 and higher education networks to offer greater educational opportunities to Michigan students. In alignment with the State of Michigan’s Sixty by 30 attainment goal, this program aims to ensure every participating Michigan student receives an offer to attend college without having to complete a single application.

MI College Match will be embedded in over 350 Michigan high schools through MCAN’s College Bound Michigan, a year-long program that helps counselors and educators guide students through key college-going steps. Students who participate will complete a short profile within the Match platform that captures their interests, college preferences, academic achievements and other key attributes. Participating institutions then extend admission offers and scholarship opportunities via the platform based on anonymized profiles, and students decide which of these colleges they want to engage with and potentially take the next steps to enrollment.

Participating institutions as of Aug. 12:

■ Albion College

■ Alma College

■ Aquinas College

■ Baker College

■ Bay College

■ Cleary University

■ Davenport University

■ Kalamazoo College

■ Monroe County Community College

■ Montcalm Community College

■ Oakland University

■ Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College

■ Schoolcraft College

■ Spring Arbor University

■ University of Detroit Mercy

■ University of Michigan-Dearborn

■ University of Michigan-Flint

■ The University of Olivet

To learn more about MI College Match, please visit micollegematch.com.

ABOUT MICHIGAN COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK (MCAN)

As the leader in the state’s college access movement, MCAN works to improve the futures of Michigan’s students and communities by making college accessible to all. MCAN’s work centers on one main goal: To increase Michigan’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60% by 2030.

About EAB

At EAB, our mission is to make education smarter and our communities stronger.

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Chris Holman speaks with Maureen Donohue Krauss, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

In this interview at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual policy conference, Maureen Donohue Krauss, CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership, explains that her organization markets and attracts global investment and jobs to Detroit and its 11-county region, and that they are currently exceeding their goals for job creation and investment. She emphasizes that competing for business attraction goes beyond financial incentives, and that having the right talent, culture, and communities is what sets the region apart, with a data-driven and forward-looking approach guiding their work. Krauss discusses the importance of shovel-ready sites and community readiness, noting the upcoming launch of a "community playbook" in July to help municipalities engage with economic development best practices. She also addresses the growing conversation around data centers, pushing back on misinformation and highlighting their relatively low water and environmental impact, along with the significant tax revenue they can generate for local communities.

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Chris Holman speaks with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

In this interview at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual policy conference, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer discusses her priorities for the final seven months of her tenure, focusing on passing a timely state budget that addresses affordable housing, education, literacy, and economic development tools. She highlights workforce development achievements during her time as governor, noting Michigan has risen to fourth in the country in that category, with initiatives making community college free and reducing the cost of four-year degrees. Whitmer also touches on mental health investment, including insurance parity and increased school resources, as well as ongoing road infrastructure improvements. She closes by reflecting on her governing philosophy, emphasizing that her oath is to the people of Michigan rather than to any political party, and that doing the right thing matters more than avoiding criticism.

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Chris Holman speaks with Suzy Siegel, PhD, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Walsh College, founded in 1922 and connected to Detroit's business and innovation history, offers business, technology, AI, and machine learning degrees, with its doctoral program ranked number one by Forbes in 2024. President and CEO Suzy Siegle, PhD, a University of Michigan graduate with an MBA, law degree, and doctorate in higher education leadership, has led the college since 2022. The college emphasizes strong return on investment, citing over 900% ROI for its MBA program over ten years, and prepares students for an AI-driven workforce through hands-on labs, practitioner professors, and lifetime career services. With over 100 employers recruiting on campus and more than 35,000 alumni, Walsh College also has an international presence in the UAE and India.

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Chris Holman speaks with Lorri Rishar Jandron, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Chris Holman interviews Lorri Rishar Jandron, CEO and owner of EDGE Partnership, a strategic marketing, public relations, and event management agency based in downtown Lansing, at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce's Mackinac Policy Conference. EDGE Partnership is approaching its 20th anniversary, having launched in 2007 during the economic downturn, and has grown intentionally to a team of 10, with event management now comprising roughly half of its business — a pivot accelerated during COVID. Rishar Jandron emphasizes her philosophy of slow, purposeful growth driven by genuine client needs rather than expansion for its own sake, and points to retaining their very first client for all 20 years as a testament to the quality of her team. She also hosts a show on the Michigan Business Network focused on bold women leaders ('Bold LeadHERS'), and credits strong mentors and allies — including Holman himself — with helping her find the courage to launch her own business.

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Chris Holman speaks with Megan Spanitz, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Chris Holman interviews Megan Spanitz, COO of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island. This is Spanitz's first year overseeing the conference in her COO role, having joined the chamber in 1999 as essentially a one-person marketing department and working her way up over 27 years, with significant mentorship from her predecessor, Tammy Carnrike. Beyond the conference, her responsibilities span marketing, communications, fundraising, membership engagement, events, leadership programs, and organizational strategy, including initiatives around data centers and AI. Looking ahead to the conference's outcomes, she anticipates key takeaways around a statewide economic development strategy, the future of AI and data centers, K-12 education reform, and a policy agenda to present to candidates ahead of the 2026 election cycle.

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Chris Holman speaks with Ned Staebler, from Media Row, at the Grand Hotel, while at the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Chris Holman of the Michigan Business Network interviews Ned Staebler, VP for Economic Development at Wayne State University and President/CEO of TechTown Detroit, at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce's Mackinac Policy Conference. Staebler highlights TechTown's significant impact, having worked with over 9,000 entrepreneurs in eight years who collectively raised more than $500 million in startup capital, and notes the success of their retail boot camp program, where 85% of participating businesses remain open today. He explains that TechTown has diversified its funding to roughly equal thirds of grant funding, philanthropy, and earned income, the latter including a back-office services program called Ops+ that has grown to about 60 clients in just one year. Staebler also describes the close but financially independent relationship between TechTown and Wayne State, including a program called Warrior Impact that connects Wayne State students with early-stage companies for meaningful work experience funded through federal work study dollars.

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