Big Sean, Usher Invest $1M Into Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator
The program will take place at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan which in debuts in February 2026.
A new entertainment incubator is being built in Detroit, in part due to hip-hop recording artist Big Sean and R&B entertainer Usher.
The news was revealed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan with a slated February 2026 opening date. The artists, both alumni of the organization, announced that their nonprofits, Usher’s New Look (UNL) and Big Sean’s Sean Anderson Foundation (SAF), have invested $1 million into the Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator. The initiative will take place inside the new Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan.
Usher and Big Sean are partnering up for a $1 million investment that will guide today’s kids of Detroit into the future leaders of tomorrow!
Usher and Big Sean are partnering up for a $1 million investment that will guide today's kids of Detroit into the future leaders of tomorrow!
“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,” Usher said in a written statement. “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.”
Several key education and industry partners are included in the project, including Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. The facility will consist of a virtual production studio, a special effects lab, a creators’ lounge, and more.
“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,” said Big Sean. “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.”
The Innovation Incubator will offer young people ages 14–24 a full suite of advanced programming to help them learn their craft. It will provide the youth with the equipment and tools needed to pursue careers in film, television, and music production, as well as in AI, 3D, immersive technologies, and special effects.
Students of the facility will gain access to industry-recognized credentials through Emory’s Goizueta Business School and Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. They will also receive mentorship from executives and creators in the field, as well as seed funding to help them launch content ventures and creative startups.
“At Michigan Central, we’re committed to creating a future where every young person has the chance to innovate and define the next generation of industries right here in Detroit,” said Carolina Pluszczynski, Chief Operating Officer, Michigan Central. “By our work with BGCSM, now with the added support from Usher and Big Sean, we’re continuing to build new pathways and opportunities, nurturing the next generation of innovators––from creators to manufacturers to technologists who will drive our city forward for decades to come.”
