Category: Ann Arbor

The June 2026 Sustainable Innovation Meet Up features two outstanding speakers, continuing our commitment to bringing leading perspectives that help us strengthen our community, deepen our discussions, and advance our collective sustainability journeys.

Join Preet Gill, Head of ADAS Sustainability and Digitization at the electronics and ADAS division at ZF, for an inside look at a typical day shaping sustainability initiatives at one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers. He will also share insights from his new book, Sustainability for Business Growth. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for turning sustainability risks into opportunities for ROI and growth, empowering employees to actively contribute to their company’s sustainable success.

Hear from Joel Brammeier, President & CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a leading research and advocacy organization and influential voice shaping water dialogue and policy across the region. Joel will share how his team’s latest analysis is informing the urgent conversation around data centers’ water needs, how data centers are raising bigger questions about who gets to use Great Lakes water, and where the region should go from here.

Event Details

June 18, 8-9:30AM

Coffee and networking from 8:00. Conversation starts at 8:30.

Bamboo Ann Arbor, 200 First Street

Thanks Bill Crane for co-hosting these gatherings.

So grateful to Ann Arbor SPARK and the Green Business Challenge for their continued support of the Sustainable Innovation Meet Up.

More on this series here

Across industries, there’s growing pressure to build systems that can keep up, from recovering materials to managing water.

Join us for a focused session with two perspectives on how that work is happening now.

George Mitri, Co-Founder and CEO of 2DaLoop, will cover what’s driving the rise in electronics waste and how manufacturers are rethinking reverse logistics and material recovery.

Brittany VanderBeek, Director of Development at AquaAction, will share how emerging companies are solving industry water challenges, with examples already delivering conservation and cost benefits.

Event Details

Thanks Bill Crane for co-hosting these gatherings.

So grateful to Ann Arbor SPARK and the Green Business Challenge for their continued support of the Sustainable Innovation Meet Up.

More on this series here

Ready to learn more about sustainable transportation in Ann Arbor? At our next session, Lilliane Webb, TDM-CP (TheRide / getDowntown), will share how these demand-side approaches are already influencing commuting patterns across Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, and why that matters for emissions, congestion, and access.

We’ll also kick off this year’s #CommuterChallenge.

Event Details

Thursday, April 23 from 8:00 to 9:30 AM at Bamboo Ann Arbor, 200 S. 1st Street.

8:00–8:30 AM – Coffee and conversation

8:30–9:00 AM – Featured talk

9:00–9:30 AM – Q&A and more networking

Coffee and light breakfast provided.

Thanks Bill Crane for co-hosting these gatherings.

Hosted at Bamboo Ann Arbor with support from Ann Arbor SPARK and the Green Business Challenge.

More on this series here

When we talk about sustainability in the built environment, new construction often gets the attention. Renovation and reuse are just as important, but they tend to involve more complexity, uncertainty, and tradeoffs.

On Thursday, February 26, the Sustainable Innovation Meet Up will feature a conversation with Mark Smith of MI-HQ East, focused on how sustainability shows up in real renovation decisions. This session will explore the tradeoffs, constraints, and opportunities that emerge when adapting an existing structure to meet evolving needs.

MI-HQ East offers a particularly interesting lens because sustainability is not limited to the building itself. The team also salvages and reuses equipment and materials from other sites, helping reduce costs while limiting the carbon footprint associated with producing new goods. The result is a pragmatic, experience-driven approach to reuse that balances sustainability, profitability, and customer needs.

As with all Sustainable Innovation Meet Ups, the session will be interactive and discussion-oriented, with time for questions and conversation.

Event Details

February 26, 2026

8:00–8:30 AM – Coffee and conversation

8:30–9:00 AM – Featured talk

9:00–9:30 AM – Q&A and more networking

MI-HQ East, 300 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti

Coffee and light breakfast provided.

Thanks Bill Crane for co-hosting these gatherings.

So grateful to Ann Arbor SPARK and the Green Business Challenge for their continued support of the Sustainable Innovation Meet Up.

UPDATE – POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH 26

Early-stage sustainable innovations face distinct challenges long before questions of scale arise. Moving from ideation and research into real-world use requires access to the right resources, partners, and pathways for adoption. In this session, Ashwathi Iyer will explore how innovators navigate this transition, drawing on concrete case studies that illustrate different models for commercialization and adoption by industry or community partners.

The discussion will highlight resources available to innovators, common barriers encountered at this early stage, and practical approaches to achieving real-world uptake. While some examples are specific to the University of Michigan, others draw from Ashwathi’s experience working in the social sector in India, with tools and lessons that apply broadly. The conversation will also surface potential touch points between university researchers and the Ann Arbor business and sustainability community, emphasizing collaboration, translation, and impact.

Event Details

Rescheduled to March 26 (originally January 22).
Cahoots Coworking, 206 E. Huron

8:00–8:30 AM – Coffee and conversation

8:30–9:00 AM – Featured talk

9:00–9:30 AM – Q&A and more networking

Thanks Bill Crane for co-hosting these gatherings.

So grateful to Ann Arbor SPARK and the Green Business Challenge for their continued support of the Sustainable Innovation Meet Up.

Founded by Kathy Sample and Bill Brinkerhoff, Argus set out to solve a simple but stubborn problem: how to make it easy for people to buy local food year-round, in a way that’s fair to farmers and convenient for customers.

In the ten years since opening their first café and market, Argus has become a beloved Ann Arbor institution — and a national model for strengthening local food economies. Through a mix of deep customer discovery, careful data tracking, and close partnerships with local producers, they’ve shown that a community-driven, farmer-first retail model can thrive.

At our November Sustainable Innovation Meet Up, Kathy Sample will share the Argus origin story and lessons learned along the way: what’s changed since launch, the challenges of scaling local food systems, and how Argus is helping others build their own “farm stops” across the country.

Event Details

8:00–8:30 AM – Coffee and conversation

8:30–9:00 AM – Featured talk

9:00–9:30 AM – Q&A and more networking

Join us to connect with local innovators and explore what it takes to build sustainable food systems that truly feed both people and place.

A big thank you to Bill Crane for his partnership in co-hosting these gatherings.

So grateful to Ann Arbor SPARK and the Green Business Challenge for their continued support of the Sustainable Innovation Meet Up.