The Belonging Blueprint: Black History Month Innovation Summit
Details
Discover the Future of Innovation in Detroit
On Saturday, February 15, 2025, Detroit will become the epicenter of technology and innovation as local professionals, founders, and early-career professionals gather for a day of learning, building, and connecting.
GDG Detroit in partnership with Black Tech Saturdays, COMPASS, NSBE Detroit, Clixie AI, Think Technologies, and DTE Energy is hosting a day of learning, gathering, and celebrating Detroit's tech ecosystem. This large-scale, in-person summit at Michigan Central Station will offer a full day on the latest advancements in tech and transformative impact of AI on industries. Content will be provided by local tech and business leaders, Google, Google Developer Experts, including a Build with AI workshop.
This event is designed to showcase the incredible tech talent and innovation thriving in Detroit's ecosystem. From hands-on workshops and product demos to panel discussions led by industry experts, startups, and business leaders, attendees will leave with actionable insights and valuable connections. The day concludes with a vibrant social hour, offering opportunities to network and collaborate with like-minded individuals passionate about shaping the future of technology.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional, an ambitious founder, a university student, an entrepreneur, or a creative, this is your chance to immerse yourself in Detroit’s renaissance and invest in the city's growing tech ecosystem.
Schedule
9:00 AM: Check-In & Registration
9:00 AM: Breakfast
10:00 AM: Opening Remarks
10:45 AM: Future-Proof Your Skills: Mastering Google Cloud in Today's AI Landscape
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Brent Fenaik & Rachel Francois, Google
10:45 AM: From Black History to Black Legacy: The Lasting Impact of Membership in NSBE presented by Compass Detroit
(1st Floor) Compass Stage - Brian Smith, PhD, Kirsten Jordan, Scott Richardson, Tyler McBeath with Moderator Angela Richardson
10:45 AM: V313 Welcome
(1st Floor) Venture 313 Stage - Venture 313 Team
10:45 AM: Trucks, Tech & No BS: Modernizing Small Fleet Operations presented by Google
(2nd Floor) Chene - This is a Build with AI hands-on workshop with Google Developer Expert Etienne Caron. Please bring a charged laptop and/or power cord in order to participate.
10:45 AM: LinkedIn Workshop & Prepping for Your Career Change Workshop
(1st Floor) Woodward - Bryanna Grant
10:45 AM: Tech for Effective Community Organizing: Leveraging Innovation of the Past & Future
(2nd Floor) Michigan - Brianna Bryant
10:45 AM: Internet of Things 101
(2nd Floor) Grand River - Sharan Kalwani
10:45 AM: Speed Networking presented by Compass Detroit
(2nd Floor) Common Area - Ciara Cade
10:45 AM: Video & Content Editing
(3rd Floor) Mack - Monique Mansfield
10:45 AM: Small Business Cybersecurity
(3rd Floor) Brush - Mattalynn Darden
10:45 AM: Leveraging AI and Innovation for Leadership of the Future
(3rd Floor) BTS Innovation Cafe - Asim Williams, Bryan Campbell, Kee Jones
11:15 AM: Introduction to AI Literacy with Google's Code Next
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Asim Williams, Google
11:15 AM: Supercharge Your Network: Harnessing the POWER of Collaboration
(1st Floor) Compass Stage - Talona Johnson
11:15 AM: MFF Accelerator with Gener8r
(1st Floor) Venture 313 Stage - Brittni Abiolu, Rishi Mogdal
11:15 AM: Art & Generational Wealth presented by Compass Detroit
(2nd Floor) Creative Stage - Kirsten Jordan, Oneika Mobley, Oshun Williams
11:45 AM: Inclusive Smart Mobility: Enhancing Social Inclusion through Technology
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Hoda Solati & Shima Solati
11:45 AM: Creating Black Wealth
(1st Floor) Compass Stage - Asalyn Coachman, Eddie Cargor, Tyrone Thorpe
11:45 AM: Venture 101: Why Venture is Important
(1st Floor) Venture 313 Stage - Adrian Fortino & Christina Drake
11:45 AM: Intro to C++ Programing Workshop
(2nd Floor) Chene - Joshua Ashford
11:45 AM: The People Principle
(1st Floor) Woodward - Dr. Sabrina Jackson
11:45 AM: TBD
(2nd Floor) Michigan - Tim Moore
11:45 AM: Speed Networking presented by Compass Detroit
(2nd Floor) Common Area - Ciara Cade
11:45 AM: Innovating for an Inclusive Future: Creating with the Disabled In Mind
(3rd Floor) Mack - Kamry Steger
11:45 AM: Personal Cybersecurity
(3rd Floor) Brush - Grace Moore
11:45 AM: The Power of Personal Experience: Using lived experience to design tools that meet people where they are.
(3rd Floor) BTS Innovation Cafe - Adam Grant, Erik Burgess, John Weiss, Katy Kelly, Tobi Adebisi
12:15 PM: From Wow to How! Maximize the Value of Every Dollar Invested in GenAI
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Naresh Jasotani, AI Practice Lead; Nilesh Patel, Customer Experience Practice Lead and Raj Grover, Head of Customer Engineering Automotive, Google
12:15 PM: Speed Mentoring with Compass Partners
(1st Floor) Compass Stage
12:15 PM: Artists Meet & Greet
(2nd Floor) Creative Stage - Anita Sewell, Betty Boom, Jason Freeman, Lulu Falls, Oneika Mobley, Oshun Williams, Tzu Pore
1:00 PM: Innovation Summit Keynote Speaker Cullen Jones presented by Compass Detroit
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Cullen Jones, four-time Olympic medalist, and the first African American swimmer to hold a world record, will share his inspiring story as the Innovation Summit Keynote Speaker.
1:00 PM: Alternative Pathways to a Tech Career presented by Grand Circus
(1st Floor) Compass Stage - Grand Circus
1:00 PM: Angel Investing 101
(1st Floor) Woodward - Dawn Batts, David Bloom, DeWayne Williams
1:00 PM: Branding Break Thoughts for Effective Storytelling
(2nd Floor) Michigan - Amber Lewis
1:00 PM: Leveraging AI for Creative Work
(2nd Floor) Grand River - Gerrard Allen
1:00 PM: Storytelling for Cultural Preservation
(3rd Floor) Mack - Tatiana Jackson
1:00 PM: Blockchain for Community
(3rd Floor) Brush - Daniel Easterly
1:00 PM: Branding Matters: 10 Reasons Why Branding Matters
(3rd Floor) BTS Innovation Cafe - Ricardo O'Neal
1:00 PM: V313 Mobility Lighting Talk | Lighting Talk Android Automotive: Cars with Google Built-In
(2nd Floor) Chene - Jacob Smith
1:30 PM: Android for Cars and Adaptive Apps
(2nd Floor) Chene - Chris Assigbe
2:00 PM: Agentic Future: AI Agents Fireside Chat & Live Demo presented by Think Technologies & Cxomplex
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Brandon Cooper, Cynthia Respert, De’Lon Dixon, Hajj Flemming, and Westley Amica
2:00 PM: Innovation Principles
(1st Floor) Compass Stage - Kevin Lewis
2:00 PM: Fireside Chat
(1st Floor) Venture 313 Stage - Shane Kelly & Monica Wheat
2:00 PM: The Future of Art in Detroit
(2nd Floor) Creative Stage
2:00 PM: AI Innovation Workshop presented by IBM
(2nd Floor) Chene
2:00 PM: Thriving in the Digital Age: The Power of Emotional Intelligence
(1st Floor) Woodward - Cathy Mott
2:00 PM: Legal Business Formation
(2nd Floor) Michigan - David Walker
2:00 PM: Articulating Business Milestones for Growth
(2nd Floor) Grand River - Jacquelene Barnes
2:00 PM: Resume Review presented by Compass Detroit
(2nd Floor) Common Area - Lem Cartman
2:00 PM: Crafting Your User Persona
(3rd Floor) Mack - Hien Lam
2:00 PM: The Financial Power of Personal Data
(3rd Floor) Brush - Michael Polk
2:00 PM: Mind-Body & Community Wellness for Success
(3rd Floor) BTS Innovation Cafe - Briahna Knowles, Emefa Boamah, Joe Robinson, Madala Mathurin
2:30 PM: The State of Crypto and Blockchain
(1st Floor) Compass Stage - Adam Zientarski
2:45 PM: The Future of Detroit & Beyond: AI, Community, and the Startup Ecosystem
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Ashton Keys of Athlytic, Darren Riley of JustAir and Mykolas Rambus of Hush with Moderator by Rachel Francois of Google
3:00 PM: Women Shaping the Future of Tech Panel presented by Think Technologies & Femology
(1st Floor) Compass Stage - Afia Phillips, Jaz Lee, Megan Ward, Victoria Drozdowski with Moderator Ascha Jones
3:00 PM: Open Mic
(1st Floor) Venture 313 Stage - Venture 313
3:00 PM: Fashion Tech & Supply Chain
(2nd Floor) Creative Stage - Milton Putman & Ricardo Solomon Jr.
3:00 PM: Build with AI: Vision-Based Inspection for Manufacturing Using Deep Learning presented by Google
(2nd Floor) Chene - This is a Build with AI hands-on workshop with Google Developer Expert David Cardozo. Please bring a charged laptop and/or power cord in order to participate.
3:00 PM: The Future of Real Estate and Sustainable Housing
(1st Floor) Woodward - Ed Fowler, Rainy Hamilton
3:00 PM: Low Code MVP Prototypes
(2nd Floor) Michigan - Derien Stephens
3:00 PM: Scale Studio
(2nd Floor) Grand River - DJ Jones
3:00 PM: Resume Review presented by Compass Detroit
(2nd Floor) Common Area - Lem Cartman
3:00 PM: Code to Community: Improving Communication Between Developers and Founders
(3rd Floor) Mack - Nicholas Gordon
3:00 PM: TBD
(3rd Floor) Brush
3:00 PM: Funding & Technology for Non-Profits
(3rd Floor) BTS Innovation Cafe - Pastor Velma Jean Orletta & Courtney Smith
3:30 PM: Android Automotive: Cars with Google Built-In
(3rd Floor) Google Build with AI Stage - Michael Jenkins, Google
4:00 PM: Closing Remarks & Prizes
4:30 PM: Happy Hour & Networking
***
Hosted By
Dave Koziol, GDG Organizer
Dave is a Director, Software Engineering at Little Caesars.Dave believes strongly in trying to foster and grow the tech community in Michigan and is a meetup organizer for GDG Ann Arbor, GDG Detroit, CocoaHeads Ann Arbor, and the Korean / English Language Exchange.
Jenna Ritten, Lead Architect & Chief Developer Advocate
Jenna Ritten (@jritten) is the Chief Developer Advocate & Architect for InnerSource@IBM at IBM Research. She is committed to expanding the reach of AI, open source and cloud-native technologies to global communities. Her areas of expertise include platform, community, hackathons, design-thinking workshops, AI/ML, blockchain, cloud-native, and innersource and open source. Jenna is an advocate for non-traditional people in tech, much like herself, and provides support by building and fostering communities for underrepresented people in tech.
***
Partners
COMPASS (http://compespdc.org)
The Collective of Minority Professionals and STEAM Societies (formerly COMPES) was formed in 2000 as an initiative between the NSBE, SHPE, and SWE Detroit professional chapters. The mission of this collaborative partnership is to support the local Detroit community in upskilling, career growth, networking, and to provide access to new opportunities.
Black Tech Saturdays (https://www.blacktechsaturdays.com/)
Vision: Bridging divides, creating opportunity, and empowering Black tech communities nationwide to close the racial wealth gap through tech-focused meetups, training, workshops, and advocacy.
Mission: We strategically empower Black tech communities nationwide to drive economic growth, close the wealth gap, and diversify the tech industry. Through our initiatives, we catalyze measurable outcomes, fostering a future where prosperity is accessible to all.
Google (https://www.google.com)
Our mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
We are committed to significantly improving the lives of as many people as possible by protecting users, building belonging, expanding opportunity, responding to crises, and advancing sustainability.
NSBE Detroit (https://nsbedetroitprofessionals.org)
Representing Black Engineers in Detroit. NSBE Detroit Professionals strive to increase technical awareness, encourage scholastic achievement, and stimulate enthusiasm in the black engineering community of Detroit. NSBE's mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community. The NSBE Professionals inspire the next generation of technical professionals, and serve as a catalyst for transform
Clixie AI (https://www.clixie.ai/)
Experience next-level video engagement with our AI-powered platform - Use our no-code platform to quickly transform ordinary video and audio files into interactive experiences with quizzes, chapters, bookmarks, and more!
GDG Detroit (https://gdg.community.dev/gdg-detroit/)
The Detroit Google Developers Group is an inclusive group that meets monthly online and in downtown Detroit to help educate and provide networking opportunities for software developers in the Detroit area.
Grand Circus (https://grandcircus.co/)
Grand Circus is a premier coding bootcamp and talent development powerhouse under Dexian. For over a decade, we have proudly equipped over 4,000 students with cutting-edge skills in programming and technology, preparing them to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
In late 2022, Grand Circus joined forces with Dexian, a leader in staffing, IT, and workforce solutions. This partnership enables us to deliver comprehensive training programs and innovative workforce solutions.
Think Technologies (https://www.think-technologies.com/)
Think Technologies stands at the intersection of technology, creativity, and community. Rooted in the principles of innovation, collaboration, and curiosity, we are dedicated to pioneering solutions that redefine the boundaries of possibility in both the technological and creative realms. Our mission extends beyond industry transformation, aiming to empower small businesses, creatives, and communities alike with accessible, cutting-edge AI-driven tools and insights.
DTE Energy (https://www.dteenergy.com)
DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.3 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio also includes non-utility businesses focused on industrial energy services, renewable natural gas, and energy marketing and trading.
Birmingham Angels (https://birminghamangels.org)
BIRMINGHAM ANGELS IS A DRIVEN VENTURE GROUP COMPRISED OF EXPERIENCED BUSINESS BUILDERS, DIE-HARD SERIAL ENTREPRENEURS, DISRUPTERS, INNOVATORS, AND TECHNOLOGISTS. WE ARE MORE THAN JUST TRADITIONAL INVESTORS, WE ARE WILLING TO LOOK DEEPER, WIDER AND BIGGER.
***
Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-detroit-presents-the-belonging-blueprint-black-history-month-innovation-summit-2/.
The Belonging Blueprint: Black History Month Innovation Summit