Just noticed how much the downtown Detroit startup scene changed in a year

I was looking at some old photos from a networking event in Capitol Park from last March, and the vibe was totally different. Back then, it felt like a lot of talk about ideas, but now I'm seeing way more actual product launches and seed funding announcements. The big shift seemed to happen after that new venture fund, Ludlow Ventures, started backing more local hardware tech companies. Has anyone else felt that energy change, or is it just me?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray_williams1mo ago

Honestly, I see the exact opposite. It feels like the same old cycle to me. A few companies get some money and everyone acts like the whole scene changed overnight. How many of these "product launches" are just fancy websites with no real customers yet? That venture fund money is just going to the same small group of people who already had connections. It looks different on paper, but the actual energy on the ground feels just as cliquey and full of hype as last year.

susansingh1mo ago

Ray_williams gets it, same hype new money.

baker.holly1mo ago

Totally. Saw a launch last week with a huge press push. Checked their actual user base. It was like three people. All friends of the founder. Same names keep popping up on every new "hot" project.