What You Need to Know About the New Tech Hub Moving to Marquette, MI

city street shot of downtown Marquette

The city of Marquette is the Upper Peninsula’s largest city filled with plenty of natural beauty and northern lifestyle. Downtown Marquette is similar to many other communities offering a variety of unique restaurants, shops and attractions that are sure to keep you busy the entire day. People come from all over to experience the city’s beauty and a variety of attractions like exploring Presque Isle Park or camping with the family in the Marquette Tourist Park.

However, Marquette, Michigan is changing. Although it still plays a significant role in the city’s identity, Marquette tourism is not the city’s hot topic of discussion at the moment. Here is everything you need to know about the new tech hub that is emerging in the Marquette County community.

The City of Marquette Becomes a Tech Hub

group of people working together

A recent article published by Crain’s Detroit Business highlighted the unexpected tech movement that is occurring in Marquette, MI. Thanks to the help of Northern Michigan University and support from the state of Michigan and a handful of business owners, entrepreneurs are taking their new ideas to the city of Marquette.

Invent@NMU is responsible for the emerging tech hub that is taking place in the city. Invent@NMU is powered by students and led by professors who have the philosophy for exploring all ideas whether they are high tech or low tech. Invent@NMU gives entrepreneurs a chance to explore their ideas while offering students the ability to gain real-world experience and make some extra money. The students who are a part of the program help with research and innovation, looking to see if the inventor’s idea is not only possible but can compete in the target market.

The popularity of the program has grown tremendously, and more inventors and entrepreneurs have begun moving to Marquette in pursuit of the chance to establish their product or business.

A Change in the Marquette, MI Lifestyle

northern Michigan tree line

As the popularity of the Marquette tech hub grows there is bound to be some changes to the ordinary lifestyle you would typically find in the city.

For starters, Marquette could eventually become a full tech hub town with new businesses emerging monthly. The more opportunity Marquette offers, the higher the interest there is for someone to move there. Instead of the typical family exploring the downtown district you may be more likely to see a group of students collaborating on a project.

If the tech hub really takes off, there could be a huge increase in mainstream businesses moving into the city. Along with soda stands and ice cream parlors, you may find new tech centers and business headquarters.

Marquette Innovation on the Rise

Marquette is not the only city that will be experiencing this technological growth. According to Crain’s Detroit Business Invent@NMU received a grant of $1.15 million from the Michigan Strategic Fund to contribute to the expansion of tech all across the Upper Peninsula.

This past October the Invent@NMU program expanded into Ironwood giving entrepreneurs in the area the chance to learn about the opportunity. Most recently this past November, the program expanded into Calumet. In the coming months, the expansion will begin in other popular UP cities including Negaunee, Escanaba and Iron Mountain.

This program is innovative and seems to be growing in popularity. The idea could eventually turn picnic areas into hot spots and bike paths may begin seeing more electric scooters.

New Businesses Moving to Marquette

The emerging tech hub is sure to bring new business to the city. As the popularity of this program grows, the reasons to live in Marquette, MI will grow as well. Tech hubs attract innovators and people searching for career opportunities.

With new businesses the economy is sure to grow making the city of Marquette thrive. New job opportunities will rise as well as city development. New business development is just one more reason for people to begin moving to Marquette.

This, of course, is always a good thing! We want the idea of a tech hub to expand all across the Upper Peninsula. Programs like the one Northern Michigan University has created will help grow the local economy and attract a whole new crowd of people and business. If you are considering moving to the city, now is a perfect time, because if you wait too long Marquette, MI real estate may increase in value.

If you are an entrepreneur, you should begin searching for a home for sale in the Marquette area. The possibility of business opportunities is sure to increase. Pretty soon Marquette residents may be finding themselves in an idea incubator instead of a quiet northern town.