FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 4, 2026

Media Contact:

Global Detroit: Julién Godman, julien@globaldetroitmi.org

New Outcomes Report Shows Immigrant Entrepreneurs Boost Michigan’s Innovation Economy

Positive signals from smart immigration program showcase real impact 

DETROIT, MI – Global Detroit is proud to release its 2025 Global Entrepreneur-in-Residence Impact Report, Dreams in Motion, highlighting the growing economic and civic impact of immigrant-founded startups across Michigan. The report documents how Global Entrepreneur-in-Residence (Global EIR) connects international startup founders with Michigan universities, enabling them to teach, mentor students, and grow their companies while contributing directly to the state’s innovation economy. At a time when immigration dialogue and policies are hotly centered across Michigan and the nation, positive signals from smart immigration programs, like Global EIR, are demonstrating real value added to our communities and our economy. 

Since launching as a pilot program in 2019, in partnership with the University of Michigan, the Global EIR program has grown into one of the largest and most influential programs of its kind in the United States. In 2025, Global EIR partnered with eight Michigan universities and anchored a national peer network spanning eight states and the District of Columbia.

The report shows that Global Detroit’s Global EIR program has supported to-date 22 founders and co-founders across 20 companies in Michigan. Collectively, these founders have created 194 jobs and raised $38.3 million in venture capital while building companies across emerging technology sectors including artificial intelligence, electric and autonomous vehicles, biotechnology, robotics, fintech, and clean technology. Of note, 90% of these founders are founders of color and 25% are women founders.

Speaking on the value raised, Global Detroit’s Managing Director, Dr. Alaina Jackson, shared — “Global EIR demonstrates that inclusive innovation delivers real economic results. Ninety percent of our founders are people of color, a quarter are women, and together they’ve created nearly 200 jobs across Michigan and beyond. When immigrant entrepreneurs are given the institutional support to thrive, the benefits extend well beyond individual companies—they strengthen communities, universities, and the broader economy”

Founders supported through Global EIR work in close partnership with Michigan universities across the state. The program’s network of formal academic partners has included The College for Creative Studies, Grand Valley State University, Lawrence Technological University, Michigan Technological University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University. In recent years, the program has expanded to welcome additional partners, including Michigan State University and the University of Detroit Mercy. Through these partnerships, founders mentor students, contribute to applied research, and strengthen university-to-industry pipelines statewide.

One such founder is Shiva Sundaram, co-founder of USAMR, a West Michigan-based robotics company designing and manufacturing mobile robot systems for warehouse automation. After previously studying and working in the United States before returning to India, Sundaram sought a pathway back to Michigan to rebuild his company close to customers, partners, and manufacturing talent.

Through Global EIR’s partnership with Grand Valley State University, Sundaram serves as Visiting Faculty in the School of Engineering while advancing USAMR’s next-generation robotics platform. The program provided institutional support, university collaboration, and access to West Michigan’s manufacturing ecosystem — enabling his team to move toward production-ready systems designed and built in the United States.

“Global EIR isn’t just support — it is a community,” said Sundaram. “It gave me the chance to build again in Michigan, mentor students, and work alongside people who understand manufacturing, problem-solving, and how to turn ideas into real products.”

In his letter introducing the 2025 Impact Report, U.S. Congressman Shri Thanedar (MI-13) reflects on the broader significance of immigrant entrepreneurship in Michigan’s economy: “The numbers in this report speak clearly: immigrant founders are fueling Michigan’s growth, generating jobs, raising capital, and innovating across industries. But the stories behind those numbers matter even more. They remind us that behind every data point is a person — a dreamer, a doer, an architect of our shared future.”

Coming in early March, the public will be invited to attend the official release event for the 2025 Global EIR Impact Report. The event will bring together founders, university partners, ecosystem leaders, and supporters to celebrate the findings and highlight the growing impact of immigrant entrepreneurship across Michigan. More information will be released on Global Detroit’s social channels @globaldet and by email newsletter, which can be subscribed to via bottom of website homepage, www.globaldetroitmi.org. 

This program was made possible by support from the Michigan Global Talent Initiative, the William Davidson Foundation, and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.

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About Global Detroit 

Global Detroit is a regional community and economic development organization. With a focus on immigrants and global talent, we develop and implement inclusive strategies to drive the growth, revitalization and broadly shared prosperity of Detroit and Southeast Michigan. To learn more about Global Detroit’s Global EIR program, please visit www.globaldetroitmi.org/geir. 

About the Michigan Global Talent Coalition

The Michigan Global Talent Coalition is a collection of 20+ statewide and local chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, industry associations and key supporters who believe that the intentional inclusion of immigrant talent in Michigan’s economic development and workforce development plans, policies, and programs will expand the state’s economic growth, shared prosperity and competitiveness. The Coalition has advocated for the Michigan Global Talent Initiative, a five-year investment to ensure comprehensive immigrant inclusion in the State’s Sixty by 30 workforce development goals. To learn more about MGTC, please visit www.michiganglobaltalent.org.