The Ann Arbor SPARK Area of Innovation Meets the 4th Industrial Revolution

In order to face the challenge of the 4 Industrial Revolution as an economic development organization, Ann Arbor SPARK in Ann Arbor, MI, USA, is confronting the changing landscape directly by engaging with it on multiple levels. This paper outlines three specific case studies illustrating this strategy. The first outlines the evolution of a public facing technology event to include a showcase of mobility technology and a summit for experts to convene. The second shows what a long-term view really looks like; beginning with a white paper and ending with a 500-acre connected and automated vehicle testing round at one of the automotive industry’s most historic sites. And the third sets the stage for multi-faceted partnerships to affect small-scale city level change through a living laboratory for mobility technology.