Half Day Tech Tour of Ann Arbor

Monday, September 15, 2025
11:30am - 5:15pm

Price: $90

Learn about the 20-year-old academic-private-public regional economic development partnership that has resulted in a robust technology-based economy around the University of Michigan, home to an annual $2B research budget one of the largest of any university in the U.S. Hear about U of M’s Innovation Partnership initiative and Ann Arbor SPARK harvesting University technology licensing and startup activity to grow companies to scale. Tour stops include the R&D facility of KLA, a global hardware company, American Center for Mobility which is the nation’s leading open-source facility for testing connected and autonomous vehicles and the famous Zingerman’s Deli for lunch.

*Lunch is included.

The Parade Company

Monday, September 15, 2025
12:30am - 2:30pm

Price: $90

Experience a behind-the-scenes look at America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner-White. Learn about the Parade’s history, explore the 200,000 square-foot storyland of floats, and see how artisans bring them to life. You’ll get an inside look at the world’s largest collection of papier-mâché heads and over 3,000 costumes. Pictures are welcomed!

LIFT

Monday, September 15, 2025
1:00pm - 3:00pm

Price: $90

LIFT, the National Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Institute, is a nonprofit, public-private partnership with the Department of Defense connecting industry, academia and government in support of our nation’s economy and national security. 

LIFT’s 100,000-square-foot headquarters in Detroit, Michigan showcases the “art of the possible” in the future of manufacturing and serves as a sandbox where the U.S. industrial base can design, test, and prototype new materials, processes, systems, and curricula. Highlights of LIFT’s facility tour include LIFT’s Advanced Metallic Production and Processing Center, Advanced Characterization Lab, Learning Lab, Humvee Project Display, Siemens Digital Twin Smart Factory Showcase, and Kearney Digital Model Factory.

*Tour attendees must be a U.S., NATO, or Australian citizen.

Michigan Central Station

Monday, September 15, 2025
1:30pm - 4:30pm

Price: $90

Explore the newly restored Michigan Central Station and the surrounding 30-acre innovation district in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. Originally opened in 1913 and closed in 1988, the historic Beaux-Arts station has undergone a six-year, $740 million restoration led by Ford Motor Company. Learn how Michigan Central is advancing next-generation transportation, workforce development, and neighborhood revitalization, all while honoring the legacy of Detroit’s past.

AI/Tech Micro-Summit

Sunday, September 14, 2025
12:30pm - 3:30pm

Price: $120

Join us for an immersive experience where you'll surgically explore the latest AI and machine intelligence trends, developing plausible futures and personalized impact strategies. This highly interactive session, blending team and individual work, will equip you with cutting-edge tools, skills, and professional development opportunities. Don't miss this chance to shape your future in AI!

Mastering the Mega Trends Shaping The Next Generations of Talent

Sunday, September 14, 2025
1:00 - 4:00 PM

Price: Free (but registration is required)

Talent shortage is a looming crisis across the globe, as companies scramble to source workers with the technical and human skills to thrive in an AI-driven workplace. This session will cover groundbreaking innovations to attract, engage, and retain talent in today’s Smart Machine Age. Discover the mega trends shaping today’s young people, forge bilateral partnerships, and build stronger pipelines between education and employment and cross national and cultural lines. Walk away with actionable strategies to attract, engage, and empower the best talent today!