Detroit Blockchainers

If Hack Night is about writing code, Founder Playbook is about building the company around the code.
This panel-driven event brings together Detroit founders, builders, investors, and policy leaders to talk honestly about what it takes to launch and scale a startup in Michigan in 2026.
We focus on real founder decisions, practical tradeoffs, and Michigan-specific opportunities — not theory.
What We’ll Cover

• Turning an MVP into a product people actually use
• Finding and retaining early users
• Funding pathways: grants, pilots, angels, venture, Web3 programs
• Regulatory and compliance considerations for early-stage companies
• Hiring engineers and early operators in Michigan
• Using Detroit as a pilot market and launch city

Attendees will leave with a realistic, Detroit-centered playbook for taking the next step after “it works.”

Agenda
5:30 – 6:15 PM
Networking · Food & drinks · Meet founders, builders, and ecosystem partners
6:15 – 6:20 PM
Welcome + Detroit ecosystem updates
Why Build → Scale matters right now
6:20 – 7:20 PM
Founder Playbook Panel
MVP → traction → funding → regulation → hiring → scaling across Michigan
7:20 – 8:30 PM
Open networking + media capture
Founder interviews for the Michigan Innovation Map

Who Should Attend

• Startup founders (Web2, Web3, AI, fintech, emerging tech)
• Builders and early operators
• Investors, grant programs, accelerators
• Policy, compliance, and ecosystem leaders
• Anyone building a company in Michigan

Why This Event Matters
Detroit is not just a place to build — it’s a place to launch, test, and scale.
Founder Playbook creates a welcoming space for founders to connect, learn, and build relationships with the people and organizations that help startups grow.

Sponsors
This event is supported by partners committed to innovation, entrepreneurship, and Detroit’s startup ecosystem.
Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Policy & Pints brings together policy leaders, financial professionals, and the Web3 community for a measured, accessible discussion on crypto and stablecoin regulation in Michigan.

This event serves as a legislative kickoff and first touchpoint with newly seated Michigan state representatives, focused on how emerging federal and state policy impacts payments, consumer protection, and financial innovation.

Event Overview:
Policy Brief will be a concise overview of:

• The GENIUS Act
• Stablecoins and payments
• How UCC frameworks intersect with crypto today

Fireside Conversation
A discussion with the Mayor of Grosse Pointe Farms, exploring:

• Local regulatory experience
• Balancing innovation with consumer protection
• Why policy clarity matters for Michigan communities

Networking Afterglow
Continued conversation and networking at Telly’s Place.

Who Should Attend

• Financial professionals (wealth management, credit unions, banking, compliance)
• Policy makers and public-sector leaders
• Business owners and operators
• Web3 builders and ecosystem participants
• Anyone interested in how regulation shapes innovation

No technical background required.

Sponsors
This event is supported by partners committed to innovation, entrepreneurship, and Detroit’s startup ecosystem.
Sponsorship opportunities are available.

As blockchain and AI converge, founders face a rapidly evolving funding landscape — one where expectations, diligence, and timelines differ significantly from just a few years ago.

This panel brings together venture capital firms, angel investors, and ecosystem leaders actively investing in blockchain, AI, and emerging technologies to share how they evaluate opportunities, what they are funding today, and where founders often go wrong.
The focus is practical, candid, and grounded in real investment activity.

Program Overview
VC & Angel Panel moderated discussion covering:

• How investors evaluate blockchain and AI startups in 2026
• What traction, defensibility, and timing matter most today
• How AI changes diligence, product expectations, and team composition
• Common red flags and misconceptions founders should understand
• Differences between venture capital, angel groups, and strategic capital
• How Michigan-based founders can position themselves competitively

Networking Afterglow
Founders, investors, and operators connect following the panel.

Who Should Attend

• Startup founders building in blockchain, AI, or emerging tech
• Builders and early operators preparing to raise capital
• Angel investors and venture capital professionals
• Ecosystem partners, accelerators, and advisors
• Anyone interested in the future of tech investment

Why This Event Matters
Capital allocation is shifting. Founders building at the intersection of blockchain and AI must understand:

• How investor expectations have evolved
• What “venture-scale” means today
• How to navigate funding paths without wasting time or credibility

This event creates a direct line of insight between founders and the investors shaping the next generation of technology companies

Sponsors
This event is supported by partners committed to innovation, entrepreneurship, and Detroit’s startup ecosystem.
Sponsorship opportunities are available.