Silicon Valley tech titan Cisco Systems has installed its digital acceleration program in 16 countries; on Monday, company officials announced their first American recipient: Detroit, and the State of Michigan.
As part of its State Digital Acceleration initiative, Cisco will make a series of significant investments throughout Michigan, with initial plans including a “connected roadway” with the Department of Transportation and a partnership with Wayne State to develop the university’s digital manufacturing center in Detroit.
Alison Gleeson, a Michigan resident and senior vice president for Cisco Americas, said Cisco chose her state because Michigan is “already a leader in mobility, autonomous vehicle technology and engineering talent.”
She told The Detroit News, “The State is electric right now. You feel it as you walk in the City of Detroit. You feel it everywhere.”
Michigan is at a 17-year low in unemployment, and experts across the country are calling Detroit the Next Silicon Valley.
[Continue to the full Detroit News story for more on Cisco and it’s plans for Michigan.]
