Usher and Big Sean are putting real money where their roots are with a $1 million investment in a high-tech creative incubator for Detroit youth, set to open inside the new Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club in February 2026.
The Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator will offer young people a gateway into the entertainment and tech industries with access to a virtual production studio, special effects lab, and a creators lounge.
The initiative is backed by Usher’s New Look® (UNL), Big Sean’s Sean Anderson Foundation (SAF), Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
“I’ve always been a true believer in igniting a spark in the next generation to be better and have access to things we didn’t,” Usher said. “This new spark lab in Detroit with my friend and fellow Boys & Girls Club alum Big Sean will not only minimize the access gap for the youth but also prepare them for greatness. It takes just one person to believe in your success, and I’m honored to be one of many in this partnership to help make that happen.”
Big Sean, who has long been involved in revitalizing Detroit’s creative scene, emphasized the importance of building opportunity at home.
“Detroit is where my creativity was born. From freestyling in my mom’s basement to performing on the biggest stages in the world,” he said. “My mission has always been to make sure the next generation of dreamers and innovators from my city have the access, tools, and mentorship to do the same. The Innovation Incubator is about showing young people that they don’t have to leave Detroit to chase opportunity, they can build it right here.”
The incubator will be located on the youth-dedicated floor of The Station, a key part of Michigan Central’s 30-acre innovation district. The space is designed to give Detroit’s youth direct exposure to high-growth industries through immersive learning and real-world experience.
Shawn H. Wilson, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, called the collaboration a continuation of Detroit’s legacy of innovation.
“Detroit has always been the blueprint for innovation, from the assembly line to Motown,” Wilson said. “This collaboration—especially with two heavy hitter alumni—extends that legacy by proving the creative economy can be a pathway to ownership and equity.”
This project marks the fifth major investment Big Sean and SAF have made in partnership with BGCSM since 2018.
His foundation has already launched four Big Sean Studios in club locations across the city, giving over 10,000 youth access to music production, DJing, and other creative tools.
The incubator will also offer programming for teens and young adults aged 14–24, covering everything from film and music production to artificial intelligence, 3D design, and immersive technology.
Participants will be able to earn credentials through Emory’s Goizueta Business School and Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, receive mentorship from industry leaders, and even secure startup funding for their own ventures.
Carolina Pluszczynski, COO of Michigan Central, said the goal is to equip the next generation of Detroit creators with the tools to lead in emerging industries. “By our work with BGCSM, now with the added support from Usher and Big Sean, we’re continuing to build new pathways and opportunities, nurturing the next generation of innovators—from creators to manufacturers to technologists—who will drive our city forward for decades to come.”
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, which operates the business arms of the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings, has been a longtime partner of BGCSM. Since 2020, the organization has helped open five Esports lounges across metro Detroit as part of the Red Wings’ Learn, Play, Score initiative.
The 13,000-square-foot Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club will also include an autonomous training center and an innovation lab focused on mobility, advanced manufacturing, and AI.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 2026.
Related
