The Right Place, Inc.

We're proud to recognize and thank our new and renewing investors for their continued dedication to our mission. Your investment fuels strategic initiatives that drive economic growth and lasting prosperity across the Greater Grand Rapids region. Thank you for your continued partnership! Andy J. Egan Co.  Bank of America  FIFTH THIRD  First Merchants Corporation  Grand Rapids Community College  City of Rockford, Michigan Safety Services, Inc.

For West Michigan manufacturers, technology can create opportunities to streamline processes and make everyday work more efficient. At Change Parts, Inc., an Industry 4.0 Assessment helped identify an opportunity to streamline a month-end accounting process. After upgrading their Global Shop system, the process went from about four hours to an hour and a half, saving an estimated 30 to 35 hours each year. The goal wasn't just to adopt new technology, but to find a practical use case that could make employees' work more efficient and give them more time to focus on other priorities. Hear Cody Leedham share how the team approached the upgrade and the impact it's already having. Read the full manufacturing spotlight to learn more about their approach to technology and continuous improvement: https://lnkd.in/gMxgd99Q

The Right Place, Inc., in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Vergennes Township, announces that Prism Controls plans to invest $3.8 million to double its production facilities and hire 28 employees at its growing Vergennes Township facility over the next five years. This latest expansion will further solidify the company’s presence in Michigan and build on the state’s leadership in the agriculture industry. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gtAX7HBC

West Michigan manufacturing is strengthened by the people, partnerships, and community support behind its growing businesses. At Composite Builders LLC, collaboration is a key part of how the team approaches challenges, solves problems, and meets customer needs. As the company continues to grow, support from the local community and business experts has also played an important role. Hear more about the team behind Composite Builders and the support that has helped the company move forward. Read the full manufacturing spotlight to learn more about Composite Builders: https://lnkd.in/gSymhTAr

For those who may not know SxanPro, a Vizient company, it is a Grand Rapids-based healthcare technology company founded by Ashlea Souffrou, CMRP that uses patented mobile technology and Unique Device Identification to help healthcare organizations better understand and manage their inventory. Today, The Right Place is excited to congratulate SxanPro on being acquired by Vizient, one of the largest healthcare performance improvement companies in the country. This is a big moment for West Michigan’s technology community - and timely as we celebrate Tech Week Grand Rapids this week! Seeing a woman-founded company built right here in Grand Rapids reach this kind of national scale is a powerful reflection of the talent, innovation and leadership growing in our region. So proud to see SxanPro’s story become another proof point for what is being built here. 

Tech Week Grand Rapids has officially kicked off, and there are plenty of events happening across the region this week. Be sure to add the ArtPrize Opening Celebration to your Tech Week schedule. The evening starts at Rosa Parks Circle with activities and the ArtPrize Opening Parade, followed by a community celebration at the Pearl Street Bridge. It’s one of many ways to experience the creativity, technology, and community happening across Grand Rapids this week. Learn more about the ArtPrize Opening Celebration here: https://lnkd.in/dzDukAjP

A week like Tech Week Grand Rapids is made possible through the support of partners across our technology community. Thank you to our Disruptor Sponsors: Bulb Digital, Ferris State University, LightStone Law, People Driven Technology, Inc, Nextpoint Studio, Reagan Marketing + Design, and Tech Defenders. We appreciate your investment in bringing our region’s technology community together and creating opportunities to connect, learn, and explore what’s next.

Tech Week Grand Rapids runs on the people building the region's tech future, and Grand Rapids SmartZone knows them best! As a Community Partner, SmartZone brings their deep roots in supporting Greater Grand Rapids startups and entrepreneurs right into the heart of Tech Week. We are so excited for this partnership to make Tech Week GR even more impactful!

Tech Week Grand Rapids is almost here!  From September 14–19, more than 150 events across the region will bring together business leaders, entrepreneurs, technology professionals, students, and community members to explore the ideas, people, and technology shaping our future. With events covering everything from AI and manufacturing to creative tech, sustainability, eCommerce, and more, there are plenty of ways to get involved and find something that interests you. Explore the full event lineup and build your Tech Week schedule at techweekgr.com.

Yesterday we had our pre-party to celebrate Tech Week Grand Rapids with our Advisory Board, committee members, sponsors, and event hosts. Thank you to Atomic Object for hosting us, and for the amazing snacks and company! This year's Advisory Board was led by our Co-Chairs: Kristen Williams (CTO, Meijer), Shawn Crowley,  (Co-CEO, Atomic Object), and Steve Downing (CEO, Gentex). Thank you for your leadership as we head into the final countdown to Tech Week GR 2026! We can't wait to see you all out there next week 🎉