The goal is to establish Michigan as a hub for research and economic development in biotechnology, medicine and genetics, with local government, two universities and a good number of businesses and research groups playing prominent roles. And it all starts with an eager infrastructure. Michigan has established Smart Zones, only the second state to do so. These are high-tech regions that will provide tax breaks and other economic assistance to help lure biomedical, robotics and software companies. Image is a huge hurdle for Michigan.
People don t know that our base industry, auto-making, is a hugely high tech one.
We re not trying to be the next Silicon Valley. When it replaced the Michigan Jobs Commission in 1999, the MEDC became the state's one stop resource for businesses seeking to grow in or come to the state. It has a staff of 300 and a board made up of private business people, economic developers and educators. The MEDC is not a typical government agency either. It works with the state and local government to be the catalyst that tries to attract and retain new businesses to Michigan, Rothwell explains.