Usher and Big Sean to Fund $1 Million Detroit Incubator for Young Creators

Usher and Big Sean to Fund $1 Million Detroit Incubator for Young Creators

Detroit rapper Big Sean and R&B star Usher announced this week that they will invest $1 million to launch a Detroit-based Entertainment Innovation Incubator aimed at training local youth for careers in film, music and emerging technologies.

The incubator will operate inside the new Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, occupying a dedicated youth floor in The Station, part of the 30-acre Michigan Central innovation district. Organizers say the space will include a virtual production studio, special effects lab, creators lounge and other hands-on facilities.

Partners on the project include Usher’s New Look, the Big Sean’s The Sean Anderson Foundation, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. It will provide programming for people ages 14 to 24, offering mentorship, industry-recognized credentials through Emory and Ilitch, and seed funding intended to help participants launch content ventures and creative startups.

“This collaboration…proves the creative economy can be a pathway to ownership and equity,” Shawn H. Wilson, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM), said in the statement. Usher and Big Sean, who are Boys & Girls Clubs alumni, spoke about removing access barriers and keeping talent in Detroit. Big Sean has previously supported BGCSM through his foundation, which has funded four Big Sean Studios at club locations since 2018 and provided music programming to more than 10,000 youth, the club said.

The incubator will be one component of the new Michigan Central BGCSM Club, a 13,000-square-foot facility that organizers say will include an autonomous training center and an innovation lab to connect young people with industries such as mobility, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence. The club is scheduled to open with a ribbon-cutting in February 2026.

Organizers say the incubator’s curriculum will cover production for film, television and music as well as AI, 3D, immersive technology and special effects. Emory’s Goizueta Business School will provide industry-recognized credentials, although details on the credentialing process and how many youths will be served annually were not released.

The new incubator follows a string of private investments in Detroit’s cultural and tech scenes and aligns with long-term revitalization efforts around Michigan Central, which has attracted businesses and community programming since Ford Motor Co. began buying and renovating properties in the area.

BGCSM and partners say mentorship and seed funding are part of the model, but timelines for expanded programming, participant recruitment and measurable outcomes have not yet been published.