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New Milwaukee Initiative Intends to Connect Design Talent with Manufactures

The Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC) announced Innovation in Milwaukee (MiKE) — a new $500,000 initiative designed to align southeastern Wisconsin's global and advanced manufacturers with the region's design, technology and innovation companies. MiKE will be built around three core elements:

  • Developing hi-tech talent for design and technology startups aligned with service and product delivery for companies in the cluster and for entrepreneurship within the cluster;
  • Creating OPEN MiKE — a physical and virtual space that promotes open source entrepreneurship and technology prototyping; and,
  • Establishing the MiKE Council— a leadership group tasked with guiding the growth of Milwaukee's design, technology and innovation cluster.

GMC hopes that the development of a design, technology and innovation cluster will turn Milwaukee's strong manufacturing base (ranked second among the top 50 U.S. metros, according to the press release) into an advanced manufacturing hub fueled by rapid innovation and talent growth and attraction. The MiKE initiative is supported by a grant from ArtPlace — a new initiative of 11 of America's top foundations working in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts and seven federal agencies. Visit MiKE's website...