Elevate Forum 2026
About this Event
Elevate Forum is Back — Now Featuring Specialized Tracks
Join EGI for our 3rd annual gathering of Michigan’s leaders, innovators, and decision-makers. This year, choose the track designed specifically for your goals:
Track A, Business Leaders: AI in Action — Cut through the hype with a clear 4-stage adoption roadmap, real manufacturer case studies (quoting, finance, sales), an enterprise scaling guide for autonomous workflows, and a live workshop to build a solution for your actual workflow bottlenecks.
Track B, Community Development Professionals: Economic & Talent Strategy — Explore actionable strategies to drive regional growth alongside Michigan’s leading workforce and economic developers.
The event is free to attend but space is limited so registration is required.
Breakfast and lunch provided.
For questions, please contact Brooke Sweeney at (734) 998-6521 | [email protected]
Agenda
TRACK A: BUSINESS LEADERS
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Registration & Breakfast
🕑: 08:30 AM - 08:40 AM
Opening Remarks
🕑: 08:40 AM - 08:50 AM
Transition Time
🕑: 08:50 AM - 09:30 AM
(A) The AI Roadmap: Define Your Company’s Path
Host: Vikesh Chandrashekar
Info: A strategic framework built for small manufacturers, moving through four stages, AI literacy, business data grounding, automation, and agentic systems. Leaders walk out knowing exactly where their company sits and the one or two moves to make next.
🕑: 09:35 AM - 09:55 AM
(A) Funding & Resources for Michigan Manufacturers
Info: The grants, programs, and technical assistance available to Michigan manufacturers, and how to access them.
🕑: 09:55 AM - 10:15 AM
Facilitated Networking Break
🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
(A) Manufacturers Using AI in Practice
Host: Cheryl Thompson
Info: Two working examples of AI already in use in manufacturing back offices, with enough detail to be copied. AI in Estimating: faster, more consistent quoting and AI in Sales & Marketing: steady outreach without adding headcount.
🕑: 11:20 AM - 12:00 PM
(A) AI Workshop: From Bottleneck to Built
Host: Cheryl Thompson
Info: We take a bottleneck manufacturers share most, and build a working AI system around it, together.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Transition Time
Info:
🕑: 12:15 PM - 12:30 PM
Lunch Remarks
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Plenary Session
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:00 PM
Closing Remarks
TRACK B: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Registration and Breakfast
🕑: 08:30 AM - 08:40 AM
Opening Remarks
🕑: 08:40 AM - 08:50 AM
Transition Time
🕑: 08:50 AM - 09:50 AM
(B) Building an AI-Ready Community: A Practical Roadmap
Info: Presented in collaboration with University of Michigan experts, this session will feature practical tools and examples from local government, workforce, and community organizations. Organizations participating include Michigan Institute for Data and AI Sciences (MIDAS), the Center for Academic Innovation, the Michigan Municipal League, the University of Michigan Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program, and the Economic Growth Institute.
🕑: 09:55 AM - 10:15 AM
Facilitated Networking Break
🕑: 10:15 AM - 12:00 PM
(B) Communities in Motion: Michigan's EV Transition Community of Practice
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Transition Time
🕑: 12:15 PM - 12:30 PM
Lunch Remarks
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Plenary Session
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
