Ben Marchionna serves as the State of Michigan’s first-ever Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). And his goal is to lead the supercharging of Michigan’s innovation economy, leading strategy, building connective tissue, and driving bold action across founders and their startups, investors, universities, corporations, and government. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Ben Marchionna to learn more about his roles.
Ben Marchionna’s Background
What is Ben Marchionna’s background? Marchionna said:
“I’m a proud boomerang Michigander and a two-time veteran of hard-tech startups.”
“I grew up in Rochester, Michigan, and graduated from the University of Michigan in 2011 with a degree in aerospace engineering. After college, I headed west to California, where I began my career at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the innovation hub for national security in the Mojave Desert. During my time there, I contributed to groundbreaking aircraft development programs and completed Lockheed Martin’s Engineering Leadership Development Program.”
“In 2016, I returned to Michigan to join SkySpecs, a renewable energy asset management startup based in Ann Arbor. I built and scaled their global operations team, delivering robotics and AI-driven solutions for the clean energy sector across 26 countries.”
“After SkySpecs, I joined Electra.aero, an aerospace startup in Washington, D.C., to lead technology innovation and business development. Electra developed the world’s first hybrid-electric aircraft for dual-use applications. I was fortunate not to have to move from Ann Arbor— I commuted to D.C. each week! At Electra, I was at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge aerospace technology with real-world applications.”
“In early 2024, just as I was preparing to relocate my family to the D.C. area for my work with Electra, I learned about a unique opportunity to help my home state. By May 2024, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced me as Michigan’s first-ever Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer.”
“Today, I’m still in Michigan and passionate about bridging technology, engineering and government to drive innovation. It’s truly an honor to help shape Michigan’s future at the intersection of talent, technology and opportunity.”
Responsibilities At The MEDC
What are your primary responsibilities at the MEDC? Marchionna shared:
“My charter is clear: to supercharge Michigan’s innovation ecosystem. The planets are aligning for Michigan to cement its place as a hub of innovation and opportunity, and my team is focused on that north star. This means forging connections and driving bold action across startups, investors, universities, corporations and government. Together with my team, we’re building an innovation community where entrepreneurs and changemakers are seen, supported, empowered and united in driving progress and tackling big challenges.”
“While much of my public focus is on strengthening the connective tissue among in-state players, I’m equally committed to engaging out-of-state capital and talent networks. I also embrace the role of intrapreneur, helping the state align its vision and actions to support this ambitious agenda. As an entrepreneur-at-heart, I leverage my experience to guide stakeholders toward understanding how innovation fuels statewide prosperity.”
MEDC Efforts
What MEDC efforts are you most excited about? Marchionna emphasized:
“I’m most excited to help Michigan seize this moment—because there’s never been a better time for our state to become a powerhouse of innovation and opportunity. I’m passionate about connecting the dots between startups, investors, universities, corporations and government.”
“While we focus both on strengthening connections within Michigan and pulling in talent and capital from outside the state, I want to help Michigan think big and act bold. There are so many untapped opportunities that Michigan’s unique ecosystem makes possible, I’m excited to share that message.”
“And let’s be clear—this isn’t about tech just because it’s cool (though it is cool). This is about making Michigan the kind of place where people want to live, work and thrive. It’s about growing our population, creating opportunities and making sure innovation drives real, tangible benefits for everyone who calls this state home.”
Challenges Faced
What’s been the most challenging aspect of your new MEDC role? How have you overcome them? Marchionna acknowledged:
“Michigan is filled with amazing stakeholders doing powerful work, but there’s so much happening across the state that it’s a challenge to keep up with it all. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to engage with everyone and fully understand every initiative.”
“But here’s how I’m tackling it: by focusing on deep listening and prioritizing making broad external engagement. This means connecting with a variety of businesses, investors, universities, community leaders, and government entities across the state — and connecting them with each other. These connections are the key to bridging those gaps and sparking true collaboration.”
“This is absolutely an ‘all hands on deck’ effort. Tackling this big challenge takes everyone—founders, investors, universities, corporations and government—all rowing in the same direction.”
“The reality is, no one person or group is fully in charge of entrepreneurship here. But that’s where the opportunity lies: by harnessing the collective power of the state, we can push past the barriers and drive change together.”
Investing In Startups
What is the state’s role in investing in startups? Marchionna pointed out:
“In short, Michigan’s role in investing in startups is to break down the barriers that hold innovators back and to create an ecosystem where ideas can grow, businesses can scale and communities can flourish.”
“The state plays a crucial role in investing in startups because, as we fuel entrepreneurship to grow businesses, our economy grows, and our overall quality of life increases. Historically, Michigan has been a state of creators who change the world, and it’s vital to support the people whose ideas will continue to drive our economy and build on our legacy of innovation.”
“Startups are the backbone of economic progress—they solve problems, push boundaries and bring fresh ideas, people, jobs and prosperity to communities. Michigan’s role is to ensure these entrepreneurs have the support they need to succeed, especially those in underserved or under-resourced areas. We’re a state where entrepreneurs, whether they’re building a fast-scaling tech startup or a small, community-driven business, can find ample resources, programs and connections to grow.”
“Michigan is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing startup ecosystems globally, thanks to a wealth of resources designed to help businesses thrive. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is at the forefront of this effort, providing businesses of all sizes with access to funding, relationship-building, site readiness, workforce development and placemaking investments. These resources help businesses gain the tools they need to succeed and expand, both locally and internationally.”
“Through MEDC’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation initiatives, early-stage companies can access funding, expert guidance and mentorship to accelerate growth, conduct research and create jobs. The support doesn’t stop there—MEDC also fosters collaborations with universities, local communities and businesses to ensure that startups can scale quickly and sustainably.”
“With initiatives like Governor Whitmer’s Infrastructure for Innovation effort, we’re working together to eliminate barriers, providing startups with everything they need to research, build and deploy new technologies right here in Michigan.”
Future Goals
What are some of your future goals at the MEDC? Marchionna concluded:
“As Michigan’s Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer, my first six months were all about listening, observing and learning. Now, we’re gearing up for the next phase of our journey: implementing a “Go-To-Market” strategy that will take Michigan’s innovation economy to the next level.”
“At the heart of this strategy is strengthening our core innovation engines and fostering deep collaboration. I’m committed to building that connective tissue across national and global networks, ensuring that the startups here have access to the resources they need to succeed. A big part of that is raising the founder readiness level so that entrepreneurs are well-equipped to grow their businesses and attract the right capital.”
“I’m also focused on making sure that Michigan is seen as a place where innovation thrives at every stage—especially in high-growth sectors. We’ve seen a lot of startups eyeing Michigan, particularly for manufacturing, but without a strong commitment to engineering and development in-state. That’s not necessarily the kind of growth I’m excited about. Our goal is to foster innovation at scale, where manufacturing and production are integrated with research and development to create long-term value.”
“A key part of my role is ensuring that we inject the necessary capital into high-growth startups, remove barriers to new companies and ensure innovators feel respected and represented. We have the assets—both physical and intellectual—to make a meaningful difference for the next generation of startups, and it’s time to leverage them.”
“Ultimately, my goal is to capitalize on Michigan’s strengths—our ability to build things at scale and turn big ideas into reality. We’re working together to redefine our story and show the world that Michigan has what it takes to build the future.”
“If you’re passionate about turning vision into action, contact my office and let’s get started. The next chapter is all about collaboration, scaling up and proving that what others say can’t be done, we can—and will—do.”
