Usher and Big Sean Invest $1 Million in Detroit Youth Creative Incubator Launching 2026

Usher and Big Sean put up $1 million to create the Detroit Entertainment Innovation Incubator at the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan. The space sits inside Michigan Central and opens its doors in February 2026.

This 13,000 square foot building will house a virtual production studio, special effects lab, creators lounge, autonomous training center, and innovation lab. Kids aged 14 to 24 can learn film, television, music production, AI, 3D design, and immersive technologies through hands-on programs.

"Detroit is where my creativity was born. From freestyling in my mom's basement to performing on the biggest stages in the world," said Big Sean, according to Billboard. "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."

The project pulls together Usher's New Look Foundation and the Sean Anderson Foundation with Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Emory University's Goizueta Business School. Kids will earn credentials through these partners. They'll also get guidance from industry executives who know the business.

Big Sean and his foundation have backed the organization five times since 2018. The Sean Anderson Foundation has given four production studios to club locations across town, which opened doors for more than 10,000 kids to try their hand at recording, production, DJing, and drumline.

Shawn H. Wilson, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, said the collaboration extends Detroit's legacy of innovation. "Detroit has always been the blueprint for innovation, from the assembly line to Motown," Wilson said in a statement, according to Yahoo.

The incubator sits on the youth floor inside The Station, which is part of Michigan Central's 30-acre innovation district where startups and community partners work side by side. Students will also receive seed funding to launch their own content ventures and creative startups.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 2026 at the new Michigan Central location.