Michigan Racks Up 1,300 New Jobs

Michigan’s latest economic development announcement carries a message aimed well beyond state borders: growth, jobs, and innovation don’t have to be partisan fights. This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced four major projects expected to create more than 1,300 jobs and drive over $240 million in private investment across Michigan, spanning robotics, advanced technology, financial technology, and agriculture.

While the industries themselves are varied, the structure behind the announcement is notably collaborative. Each project received support through the Michigan Strategic Fund Board, which operates with bipartisan oversight and includes coordination among state agencies, local governments, and regional economic development organizations. Framed under the banner of “Team Michigan,” the initiative reflects a model that prioritizes outcomes—jobs, competitiveness, and community stability—over political division.

“Michigan is open for business and on the move, creating good-paying jobs and growing our economy so every family can succeed,” Whitmer said. “From advanced robotics to finance software to dairy, these four companies will drive growth and cutting-edge innovation in Michigan. Their partnership will bring over 1,300 new good-paying jobs to Michigan, helping us revitalize our communities and empower our workforce.”

Advanced Manufacturing Anchored in the Industrial Midwest

One of the most prominent projects is Teradyne’s decision to establish a new U.S. Operations Hub in Wixom, Michigan. The global supplier of automation testing and advanced robotics plans to create approximately 230 jobs and invest up to $32 million, supported by a $2.7 million Michigan Business Development Program grant approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund.

The facility will manufacture collaborative industrial robots—known as cobots—designed to work safely alongside people in manufacturing environments. It will also function as a regional service center, training hub, and visitor experience site, reinforcing Michigan’s role in next-generation manufacturing.

Teradyne considered locating the hub in five other states before choosing Michigan, citing its manufacturing heritage, proximity to customers, and deep talent pool. Local leaders and state officials emphasized that the project supports priorities that routinely draw bipartisan agreement: boosting U.S. productivity, supporting reshoring efforts, improving workplace safety, and helping manufacturers address workforce challenges through automation.

Detroit Draws Major Technology Headquarters

Detroit stands to gain the largest number of jobs announced, as technology solutions company Eccalon plans to establish its headquarters in the city. The project is expected to create at least 800 new jobs, many paying well above the regional median wage, with total investment reaching $71 million. Support includes a $10 million state development grant and additional incentives tied to eligible personal property investment.

Eccalon plans to redevelop the Icon building along the Detroit Riverfront into a multifunctional innovation and workforce development hub. Planned uses range from cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, biotech, and underwater drone production to next-generation energy applications and sports and entertainment broadcasting. The company also plans to bring its defense-related experience to Michigan, aligning with recent bipartisan efforts nationwide to strengthen domestic technology capabilities and supply chains.

Whitmer and economic development leaders framed the project not as a political victory, but as evidence that Michigan’s workforce and infrastructure can compete nationally for high-growth industries.

FinTech Expansion Strengthens Economic Resilience

In West Michigan, HealthBridge Financial is expanding its operations in Grand Rapids, committing to create at least 200 new jobs and invest roughly $17 million with support from a $1.5 million development grant. The FinTech company helps streamline payments between patients and healthcare providers, a fast-growing sector known for high wages and national scalability.

HealthBridge considered expanding in Illinois, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada, but chose Michigan due to its local roots and access to skilled talent. State and regional leaders pointed out that FinTech development appeals across party lines because it diversifies state economies and reduces reliance on traditional, cyclical industries.

Agricultural Investment Revitalizes Rural Communities

The announcement also includes substantial investment in Michigan’s agricultural sector through the Michigan Milk Producers Association. The cooperative plans to invest up to $122.6 million in two dairy processing facilities—in the City of Ovid and Wheatland Township—creating at least 76 jobs.

In Ovid, MMPA will expand ultrafiltered milk production capacity, commonly used in high-protein consumer products. In Wheatland Township, the cooperative will revive a previously shuttered dairy plant, a significant development for a region with higher-than-average unemployment.

“These projects matter because they’re tied directly to community stability,” state and local officials noted, particularly in rural areas where a single employer can anchor an entire local economy. As a farmer-owned cooperative founded in 1916 and operating across multiple states, MMPA could have located these investments elsewhere—making Michigan’s success in securing them especially notable.

The Takeaway

Taken together, the announcements reflect how Michigan is approaching economic development right now—by pairing emerging industries with established ones and ensuring growth reaches cities, suburbs, and rural communities alike. From advanced robotics in Oakland County to technology and defense-adjacent work in Detroit, FinTech expansion in West Michigan, and renewed investment in dairy processing towns that depend on stable employment, the projects touch every corner of the state’s economy.

Governor Whitmer framed the effort in practical terms rather than political ones. “I’ll keep going anywhere and working with anyone to make Michigan the best place to live, work, and invest,” she said. In this case, that approach shows up as coordination across state agencies, regional partners, and private employers, all focused on tangible outcomes.

The result isn’t a single headline or sector, but a broader signal: Michigan is competing for jobs and investment by emphasizing collaboration, workforce readiness, and follow-through—turning policy decisions into facilities built, paychecks delivered, and communities strengthened.