A new report commissioned by the University of Michigan and the Detroit Regional Chamber highlights southeast Michigan’s potential to reclaim its status as a global leader in technological innovation and economic development.

The study lays the foundation for a transformative Detroit-Ann Arbor Innovation Corridor, part of an ongoing mission by U-M and the Detroit Chamber to foster innovation, technological advancement and economic growth from Ann Arbor to Detroit.

“Competing at Scale: The Case for a Detroit-Ann Arbor Innovation Corridor” was authored by Richard Florida, a leading urban studies theorist and founder of the Creative Class Group.

It highlights the need for a Detroit-Ann Arbor Innovation Corridor, citing that the Detroit region still has phenomenal strengths that it can leverage to once again be home to the world’s most technologically advanced manufacturing industries and the world’s largest complex of corporate research and development laboratories.

“We are excited to take this next step in our partnership with the Detroit Regional Chamber to realize the vision of the Detroit-Ann Arbor Innovation Corridor,” said Chris Kolb, vice president for government relations. “This initiative represents a bold opportunity to combine the strengths of our region — its world-class universities, innovative businesses and vibrant communities — to compete on a global scale.”

The study reveals that few places are better positioned than Detroit and Ann Arbor to capitalize on breakthrough new technologies, such as advanced mobility, artificial intelligence and more. The Detroit-Ann Arbor Innovation Corridor would lead in creating a new and more positive model for high-tech-driven economic development.

In May, the Detroit Chamber and U-M announced Innovate Michigan to foster innovation, technological advancement and economic growth from Ann Arbor to Detroit, and to transform the Detroit region into a national leader in technology and economic development. The new report offers further insight and justification for this effort.

“The excitement lies not only in what we’ve already achieved but also in the potential for collaboration with other institutions and businesses that will join this transformative project in the future,” Kolb said. “Together, we can create a new model for inclusive, innovation-driven economic growth that benefits all of Michigan.”