ANN ARBOR, Mich. – It is said that crisis spurs innovation. In a region that is already celebrated for its pioneering technology, a number of Ann Arbor-based companies have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by pivoting their primary business model and imagining what an industry looks like in the future.
A new virtual lunch-and-learn series from Ann Arbor SPARK invites these companies to share their stories for a morale-boosting hour of success sharing.
The third installment of the series featuring May Mobility and Feonix – Mobility Rising is this Thursday, July 16 at noon. Register here.
“The lunch series is a rewarding opportunity for us to share stories of how companies have responded to the economic challenges as a result of the COVID-19,” said Komal Doshi, director of mobility programs at Ann Arbor SPARK. “The two industries we’ve profiled so far have been life sciences and mobility, and the stories illustrate how companies quickly pivot in times of crisis in ways that support the community while building resiliency within their company for a sustained future.”
The previous two webinars featured six Ann Arbor-based startups, three in the life sciences and three in mobility.
“The events are relevant to leaders and entrepreneurs in any industry,” said Margarita Hernandez, director of entrepreneurial services. “The lessons can be extrapolated to companies at any size, about remaining agile as you grow and seeing opportunities instead of challenges. These are the lessons that can help a company navigate economic downturns.”
Recurring themes throughout the webinars range from adapting existing products to new industries or reimagining how an existing product can be used. The companies also share how they arrived at product commercialization and the valuable resources they employed along the way.
Listen to previously recorded Pandemic Pivots:
- Mobility companies, featuring Bedestrian, IndustryStar, and Voxel51 (Recorded May 22)
Related: Ann Arbor SPARK’s annual a2Tech360 goes virtual for 2020