Usher and Big Sean Invest $1M in Detroit Entertainment Incubator

Global entertainers and Boys & Girls Club alumni Big Sean and Usher are investing $1 million in the Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator, to be housed inside the new Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM).

The facility:

• The Innovation Incubator will prepare young people aged 14-24 for careers in various creative disciplines, from film, television, and music production to AI, 3D, immersive technologies, and special effects.

• Participants will gain access to industry-recognized credentials, mentorship from leading executives and creators, and seed funding to launch their own content ventures and creative startups.

• The new Michigan BGCSM Club will open in February 2026.

What they said:

• Usher: “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. 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: “Detroit is where my creativity was born. From freestyling in my mom’s basement to performing on the biggest stages in the world. 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.”