Tech

Representing Detroit at a Calif. Tech Event: Ambassador Dan Gilbert

August 27, 2014, 5:53 PM

Like a one-man Ministry of External Affairs, downtown Detroit's largest commercial landlord will pitch the city's value to entrepreneurs at a major San Francisco technology conference.

Dan Gilbert will be among speakers in two weeks at Disrupt SF 2014, promoted as an "iconic startup and thought leadership event." Tickets to the two-day gathering start at $1,995.  


Dan Gilbert is founder and chairman of Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans. (Fox 2 photo)

Matt Burns, senior editor at TechCrunch, the sponsor, posts:

Detroit’s own Dan Gilbert will join me on stage for a fireside chat where we’ll talk about his ongoing plan to revive Detroit through startups and technology. . . .

His real estate company owns over 60 buildings in downtown Detroit. . . . Gilbert is encouraging startups from around the country to consider Detroit. "Move to Detroit and make a difference," he told me in a previous interview.

Dan has long used startups to fuel his company’s and the region’s growth. With the goal of retaining the state’s talent and bringing more young companies to Detroit, he founded startup accelerator Bizdom in 2007 and Detroit Venture Partners in 2010.

Gilbert, who became majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005, is one of two NBA team owners on the San Francisco agenda from Sept. 8-10, joining Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks.  

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Read more:  TechChrunch


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