Toasting Innovation (read about it below)

Despite its legacy of fabrication, and even with Ford's plans to reinstate pay raises in 2010, Detroit's economy will never be the same. Which may be just what the doctor ordered. While it's painful medicine to be sure, fundamental changes to our culture and economy are long overdue for Metro Detroit. As the first decade of the new millennium closes out, Metromode raises a glass to a more sustainable future of industry titans and new beacons.

It's hard to pinpoint the top growth stories among the hundreds of new and rejuvenated firms that hired in 2009, so for our wrap-up of the best innovation this annum we present a small sampling of the trades and initiatives where production should hum loudest in coming years. From the new film production infrastructures flowing out of state incentives to a trio of young grads that built a gathering 800 strong to talk about tech now, see our reflection of where the time, dollars, and talent went in 2009.


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