Entrepreneur | Description | Michigan Connection |
#1 Thomas Edison | Inventor of the light bulb, phonograph and motion pictures |
Raised in Port Huron, MI |
#2 Henry Ford |
Founder of Ford Motor Company |
Born in Greenfield Township and built company near Detroit, MI |
#3 Bill Hewlett | Co-Founder of Hewlett Packard |
Born in Ann Arbor, MI |
#4 Larry Page | Co-Founder of Google | Born in East Lansing and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#5 Bill Joy | Co-Founder of Sun Microsystems | Born in Farmington Hills and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#6 Tony Fadell | Creator of the iPod | Raised in Gross Pointe Farms and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#7 Howard Shultz | CEO of Starbucks | Attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI |
#8 Josh Silverman | CEO of Skype | Born in Ann Arbor, MI |
#9 Billy Durant | Co-Founder of General Motors and Chevrolet | Worked in Flint, MI then created his companies in SE Michigan |
#10 Kevin O'Connor | Founder of DoubleClick |
Born in Livonia and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#11 Tom Monaghan | Founder of Domino's Pizza |
Born in Ann Arbor and started company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#12 Peter Karmanos | Founder of Compuware |
Born in Detroit. Attended Wayne State University in Detroit. |
#13 Dick Costolo | CEO of Twitter and Founder of FeedBurner |
Born in Detroit and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#14 S.S. Kresge | Founder of Kmart |
Built company in Garden City, MI. |
#15 Brad Keywell | Founder of Groupon |
Grew up in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Attended Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills and then attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#16 Dan Gilbert | Founder of Quicken Loans |
Born in Detroit. Attended Michigan State University in East Lansing and Wayne State University in Detroit, MI |
#17 Donna Dubinsky | CEO of Palm Computing, co-founder of Handspring |
Born in Benton Harbor, MI |
#18 Homer Stryker | Founder of Stryker Corporation |
Grew up in Athens, MI. Attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#19 Steve Ballmer | CEO Microsoft |
Born in Detroit and grew up in Farmington Hills, MI |
#20 Scott McNealy | Co-founder of Sun Microsystems |
Attended Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, MI |
#21 Berry Gordy, Jr | Founder of Motown Records |
Born and built his company in Detroit, MI |
#22 Claude Shannon | Inventor of the Digital Computer |
Born in Petosky, MI. Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#23 Jim Buckmaster | CEO of Craigslist |
Born in Ann Arbor, MI. Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#24 Herbert Dow | Founder of Dow Chemical |
Founded company in Midland, MI |
#25 Jay Adelson | Co-Founder of Digg |
Born in Detroit, MI. Attended Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, MI |
#26 W.K. Kellog | Founder of Kellog |
Built company in Battle Creek, MI |
#27 Sid Meier | Founder Firaxis (Civilization Game) and the Father of Computer Gaming |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#28 Francis Ford Coppola | Co-Founder of American Zoetrope and one of Hollywood's most influential film directors |
Born in Detroit, MI |
#29 Robert Jarvik | Founder of Jarvik Heart and inventor of the first artificial heart |
Born in Midland, MI |
#30 Mahendra Vora | Founder of Intelliseek, Vora Ventures and Vora Technology Park |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#31 Frank Gerber | Founder of Gerber Baby Food |
Born in Douglas, MI. Built company in Fremont, MI |
#32 Manoj Bhargava | Founder of 5 hour energy drink |
Built company in Farmington Hills, MI |
#33 Fred Erb | Founder of Erb Lumber |
Attended Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. Built his company in Royal Oak, MI. |
#34 Usama Fayyad | Founder DMX Group and Oasis500. Former Chief Data Officer Yahoo |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#35 Peter Wege | Founder of Steelcase |
Born and built his company in Grand Rapids, MI |
#36 Sam Zell | CoFounder of EGI Equity Investments Group |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#37 Craig Hall | Founder Total Logics Control, LeanLogistics and Co-Founder of Grand Angels |
Lives and built his companies in Grand Rapids, MI |
#38 David Overton | Founder Cheesecake Factory |
Born in Detroit. Attended Wayne State University in Detroit |
#39 Jack Roush | Founder of Roush Racing and Roush Industries |
Attended Eastern Michigan University and built company in Livonia, MI |
#40 Hendrik Meijer | Founder of Meijer |
Founded company in Greenville, MI. Headquarters are now in Grand Rapids, MI |
#41 Louis Chevrolet | Founder of Chevrolet |
Founded company in Detroit, MI |
#42 William Boeing | Co-Founder of Boeing |
Born in Detroit, MI. |
#43 Walter Chrysler | Founder of Chrysler |
Founded company in Detroit, MI |
#44 D.J. DePree | Founder of Herman Miller |
Born and founded company in Zeeland, MI |
#45 Orville Gibson | Founder of Gibson Guitars |
Founded company in Kalamazoo, MI |
#46 David Buick | Founder of Buick Motors |
Founded company in Detroit, MI |
#47 Arnold Gingrich | Founder of Esquire Magazine |
Born in Grand Rapids, MI and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor |
#48 John DeLorean | Founder of DeLorean Motor Company |
Born in Detroit, MI and attended Lawrence Tech University, Detroit College of Law and University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Founded company in Detroit, MI |
#49 Brig Sorber | CoFounder of Two Men and a Truck |
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#50 Jon Sorber | CoFounder of Two Men and a Truck |
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#51 James Vernor | Founder of Vernor’s Ginger Ale |
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#52 Craig Newmark | Founder of CraigsList |
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#53 Horace Dodge | Co-Founder of Dodge |
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#54 John Dodge | Co-Founder of Dodge |
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#55 David Segura | Founder VisionIT |
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#56 Richard DeVos | Co-Founder of Amway |
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#57 Jay Van Andel | Co-Founder of Amway |
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#58 C.S. Mott | Co-Founder of General Motors |
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#59 Roger Penske | Founder of Penske Automotive Group |
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#60 Mike Ilitch | Founder of Little Caesars Pizza |
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#61 William Upjohn | Founder of Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company |
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#62 Brian Taylor | Founder of Kernel Seasons |
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#63 Frederick Upton | Co-Founder of Whirlpool |
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#64 Louis Upton | Co-Founder of Whirlpool |
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#65 William Russell Kelly | Founder of Kelly Services |
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#66 Tom Gores | Founder of Platinum Equity |
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#67 Alex Manoogian | Founder of Masco |
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#68 Jim Sterken | Co-Founder of Arbortext |
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#69 Don Graham | Founder of Graham Engineering Company |
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#70 Jeff Masters | Co-Founder of Weather Underground |
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#71 Alan Steremberg | Co-Founder of Weather Underground |
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#72 Melville Bissell | Founder of Bissell |
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#73 Edward M. Knabusch | Co-Founder of La-Z-Boy |
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#74 Edwin J. Shoemaker | Co-Founder of La-Z-Boy |
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#75 Richard E. Dauch | Co-Founder of American Axle |
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#76 Luther Perrigo | Founder of Perrigo |
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#77 Frederick Matthai | Founder of Lear Corporation |
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#78 Rick Snyder | Former CEO of Gateway Computers and Founder of Avalon VC |
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#79 Leland James | Founder of Con-way Inc. |
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#80 Sandy Robertson | Founder of Francisco Partners |
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#81 Josh Linkner | Founder of ePrize |
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#82 Rich Sheridan | Co-Founder of Menlo Innovation |
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#83 Eric Lefkofsky | Co-Founder Groupon |
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#84 Tim Westergren | Co-Founder Pandora |
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#85 Tom Conrad | CTO Pandora |
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#86 Niklas Zennström | Co-Founder Skype |
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#87 Ari Weinzweig | Co-Founder Zingerman’s |
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#88 Paul Saginaw | Co-Founder Zingerman’s |
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#89 Shawn Daughtery | Co-Founder and COO Mophie |
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#90 Jeff Williams | CEO of HandyLab, Accuri and Tangent Medical |
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#91 Kalyan Handique | Co-Founder of HandyLab |
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#92 Sundaresh Brahmasandra |
Co-Founder of HandyLab |
Attended University of Michigan and built company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#93 David Fry | Founder of Fry |
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#94 Dug Song | Co-Founder of Duo Security |
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#95 Jon Oberheide | Co-Founder of Duo Security |
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#96 Max Fisher | Founder of Aurora Gaosoline |
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#97 Allan R. Thieme | Founder Amigo Mobility |
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#98 Mike Busley | Co-Founder Grand Traverse Pie Company |
Built company in Traverse City, MI |
#99 Denise Busley | Co-Founder Grand Traverse Pie Company |
Built company in Traverse City, MI |
#100 Steve Blank | Co-Founder Epiphany, Inc. |
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#101 Rachel Andresen | Founder Youth For Understanding USA |
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#102 Larry Bell | Founder of Bell’s Brewery |
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#103 David Green | Founder of Aurolab |
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#104 Bing Gordon | CCO Electronic Arts and Founding Director of Audible |
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#105 Arthur Burks | CoCreator ENIAC and UM CS Department |
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#106 Ben Feigenson | Co-Founder of Faygo |
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#107 Perry Feigenson | Co-Founder of Faygo |
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#108 Tom Knoll | Inventor of Adobe Photshop |
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#109 Stephen Ross | Founder of The Related Companies |
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#110 Perry Sampson | Co-Founder of Weather Underground and Lecture Tools |
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#111 Aaron Dworkin | Founder of Sphinx Organization |
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#112 Michael Kinsley | Founder of Slate Online Magazine |
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#113 George Valassis | Founder of Valassis |
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#114 Alfred Taubman | Founder of The Taubman Company |
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#115 Bob Fish | Co-Founder of Biggby Coffee |
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#116 Mary Roszel | Co-Founder of Biggby Coffee |
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#117 Chuck Newman | Founder of ReCellular |
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#118 Aaron Crumm | Co-Founder of Adaptive Materials |
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#119 Michelle Crumm | Co-Founder of Adaptive Materials |
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#120 Dick Kughn | Founder of Lionel Trains |
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#121 Jim Hearn | Co-Founder of Hungry Howie’s Pizza |
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#122 Steve Jackson | Co-Founder of Hungry Howie’s Pizza |
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#123 Elijah McCoy | Inventor, The Real McCoy |
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#124 Hal Davis | Co-Founder BlueGill Technologies, Inc. |
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#125 Vinay Gupta | Co-Founder BlueGill Technologies, Inc. |
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#126 William Davidson | Founder of Guardian Industries |
Born in Detroit. Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Wayne State University in Detroit |
#127 Jeff Daniels | Actor and Founder of Purple Rose Theater |
Raised in Chelsea. Attended Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University |
#128 Charles Lindbergh | Aviator Pioneer |
Born in Detroit |
#129 C.W. Post | Founder of Post Cereals |
Built company in Battle Creek, MI |
#130 Casey Casem | Founder of American Top 40 | Born in Detroit. Attended Wayne State University in Detroit |
#131 Victor Strecher |
Co-Founder of Health Media | Attended and teaches at University of Michigan, started company in Ann Arbor |
#132 Dave Gregorka |
Co-Founder of Health Media |
Attended University of Michigan, started company in Ann Arbor |
#133 Dave Nickels |
Founder of Nickels Boat Works |
Built company in Flint, MI |
#134 Jason Spaulding | Co-Founder of New Holland Brewing Company | Grew up in Midland, MI. Attended Hope College and built company in Holland, MI |
#135 Brett VanderKamp |
Co-Founder of New Holland Brewing Company |
Grew up in Midland, MI. Attended Hope College and built company in Holland, MI |
#136 Jordan Silverman |
Co-Founder of Star Toilet Paper | Founded company while attended University of Michigan and built his company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#137 Fred Gibbons |
Co-Founder of Software Publishing Corporation |
Attended University of Michigan and built his company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#138 Henry Leland |
Co-Founder of Cadillac | Founded company in Detroit, MI |
#139 William Murphy |
Co-Founder of Cadillac |
Founded company in Detroit, MI |
#140 Eugene Power |
Founder of University Microfilms | Born in Traverse City, MI. Attended University of Michigan and built his company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#141 Ellen Levy |
Founder of Silicon Valley Connect |
Grew up in Ann Arbor, MI and attended University of Michigan. |
#142 Clarence Woolley |
Co-Founder of American Standards Company |
Born and built his company in Detroit, MI |
#143 Furqan Nazeeri | Founder of Pivot Inc. and part of early team at Petstore.com |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#144 Tom Brady | Founder of Plastic Technologies, Inc. |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#145 Greg Hammerman | Co-Founder of Techstreet & Larky | Attended University of Michigan and built his company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#146 Andrew Bank | Co-Founder of Techstreet & Larky |
Attended University of Michigan and built his company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#147 Roy D. Chapin | Founder of Hudson Motor Car Company | Born in East Lansing and built company in Detroit, MI |
#148 Oscar Mayer | Found of Oscar Mayer Meat Company | Lived in Detroit, MI |
#149 Edgar Gott |
Co-Founder and first President of Boeing |
Born in Detroit, MI. Attended University Liggett in Gross Pointe Woods and attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#150 Cathy Guisewite |
Founder of the Comic Strip "Cathy" |
Grew up in Midland, MI and attended Midland High School. Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#151 Charles Fisher |
Co-Founder of Fisher Body |
Built company in Detroit, MI |
#152 Fred Fisher |
Co-Founder of Fisher Body |
Built company in Detroit, MI |
#153 David Pisor |
Co-Founder of DaVinci Software and Founder & CEO of Elysian Hotel and Resort (now Waldorf Astoria) |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#154 Jeff Bates |
Co-Founder of Slashdot | Attended Hope College and built company in Holland, MI |
#155 Rob Malda |
Co-Founder of Slashdot |
Attended Hope College and built company in Holland, MI |
#156 Chris Smith | Co-Founder of Chris-Craft Boats |
Grew up and built his company in Algonac, MI |
#157 Hank Smith | Co-Founder of Chris-Craft Boats |
Grew up and built his company in Algonac, MI |
#158 Randall Kaplan | Co-Founder of Akamai |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#159 Ed Lowe |
Founder of Tidy Cats and Inventor of Cat Litter | Grew up and built his company in Cassopolis, MI |
#160 Frederic L. Smith |
Co-Founder of General Motors | Born and grew up in Lansing. Attended Michigan Military Academy in Lansing and University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#161 Mike Jandernoa |
CEO of Perrigo Systems, Co-Founder of Grand Angels and Bridge Street Capital Partners |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#162 Howard Marks |
Co-Founder of Activision and founder of StartEngine |
Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#163 Paul Vlasic |
Co-Founder of RSVP Capital | Attended University of Michigan and built company in Ann Arbor, MI |
#164 Madonna |
Best selling female recording artist of all time and founder of Maverick. | Born in Bay City, MI, grew up in Rochester Hills, MI. Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#165 Dhani Jones |
Founder of VMG Creative and BowTie Cause | Attended University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI |
#166 Meg Whitman |
CEO of FTD, CEO of eBay and HP | Prior to leading eBay and HP was CEO of Florists' Transworld Delivery Inc., |