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About Us

Born in Detroit - Build Institute - 2012

Great Ideas Start With BUILD

We help people turn their business ideas into reality by providing them with the necessary tools, resources, and support network in Detroit. To date, we have graduated over 2600+ aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs from our classes, many of whom have gone on to start successful businesses in the city. In addition to classes, we offer networking events, mentorship, connections to resources and a nurturing community that allows ideas to develop and flourish over time. With a little support, a lot of hard work, and a friendly nudge, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running. Do you have an idea? Want to be your own boss? Dream of starting a business? Join us and get building!

History

BUILD was started in January 2012 as a program of D:hive, a welcome center and resource hub located downtown. The classes, called BUILD Basics, are based on national standards for entrepreneurship education. The first class in Detroit was offered in the spring of 2012 and since then demand has grown tremendously. Classes are now offered every season and have expanded beyond the core curriculum to include BUILD Social Impact, Co.Starters, and BUILD Grow, with classes offered in the City of Detroit, Metro Detroit, and beyond.

Mission

As passionate thought leaders, our mission at BUILD Institute is to empower people to launch ideas and grow businesses. With a primary focus on Black, Latinx, under-represented, and under-resourced community businesses, we provide access to an equitable (w)holistic support system for ideators and early-stage business owners. We offer a safe and diverse co-working and meeting space. We can provide early-stage capital, continuous education, and access to customers. Head-quartered in Detroit, we serve Detroiters, other cities in Michigan, and we now have a national footprint.

Vision

We are a diverse culture with a creative and flexible work environment. Whether in the office or on the moon, we are leaning into support for small businesses. We believe that small businesses are the anchors for community revitalization and quality of life. We exist to strengthen the Black, Latinx, women-owned, and the minority microbusiness community. We provide support with state-of-the-art entrepreneurial education, capital access, and expert resources, tailored for sustainability and growth. One business at a time, our impact will result in vibrant commercial corridors in every neighborhood, where people love, live, work, and play. We envision a world revitalized through entrepreneurial success – built one person and one micro-business idea at a time.

Our Team

Camille Walker Banks

Interim President & CEO

Camille Banks is a transformative executive, international speaker, and a champion for community and technology-driven economic development. With a profound commitment to advancing underserved communities, she brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, coalition building, place-based innovation, and fostering economic opportunities for marginalized populations.

As former Executive Director of LISC Detroit, a national nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Camille spearheaded the investment of over $255 million in Detroit neighborhoods. Her leadership facilitated the creation and preservation of affordable housing, supported small business ecosystems through community development partnerships, and empowered individuals to build wealth. Under her direction, she launched NPower Detroit, a tech-training initiative that has provided over 200 young adults with pathways to meaningful careers in the technology sector.

Camille also played a pivotal role in launching and leading the highest-performing site for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative at Wayne State University. With unprecedented access to capital, more than 500 entrepreneurs across the Midwest were able to scale their businesses while building a robust, interconnected community.

Camille’s impressive career trajectory and thought leadership in entrepreneurship education and business growth strategy have earned her numerous accolades. She has been honored by the Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence, recognized as a MichBusiness Women Thrive honoree, named Partner of the Year by the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, and awarded the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s CEO of Excellence Award. She has also received special commendations, such as the Award of Appreciation from the City of Highland Park and the Global Treasure Award from the International School/Cyber Education Center.

In addition to her executive roles, Camille serves on several boards and was recently appointed Commissioner for the Michigan Health Information Technology Commission, further cementing her influence across the region.

Marlin Williams

Interim COO

Marlin Williams is a consummate entrepreneur, coach, and C-Suite executive with 25+ years of experience at the intersection of economic development, technology, and organizational development.

As an economic development thought leader, Marlin has coached and mentored thousands of entrepreneurs to start, grown, and scale their businesses. As the inaugural Chief Program Office at Tech Town Detroit Marlin created the city’s first inclusion-based tech accelerator focused on founders in the ideation and validation phase of their entrepreneurial journey. The award winning “Start Studio Discovery” Program continues to help hundreds of founders and has also expanded to an MVP Program.

Marlin’s extensive corporate and consulting career has spanned from serving as a COO, CHRO, and Global diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. Marlin has served as a the inaugural DEI Officer for two fortune 500 organizations and a unicorn start-up where she was responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of each initiative. Marlin’s work has been recognized globally and she is also the author of “Hard Reset: Framing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as the New Normal. Marlin also had the honor to serve as the Deputy Chief Information Officer for the city of Detroit, successfully coordinating the technology behind Super Bowl XL.

As a two-time tech founder, Marlin utilizes her organization Sisters Code and the Highland Park Hub to empower women to explore the world of coding and offering technical assistance to entrepreneurs. Within it’s 10-year history, Sisters Code has serviced thousands of individuals and organizations in technology, mobility, and entrepreneurship. Most recently launching a food + mobility accelerator to solve for food deserts and food insecurity.

Marlin is currently the Founder of The Early Career Network, a platform for individuals with 0-3 years of work experience interested in starting, growing and thriving in their professional and personal lives. Marlin has also recently been named Interim COO of Build Institute, an entrepreneurial center in Detroit providing small business owners with tools, resources and support.

A sought-after author and speaker Marlin has presented at SXSW, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google, TEDx, Black Enterprise, MSNBC, Techonomy, Tom Joyner Foundation, Yes We Code, Meeting of the Minds, and more.

Marisa Launstein

 Programs Director

Marisa Launstein is the Programs Director at BUILD Institute. Marisa is a graduate from the University of Michigan where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and German, and her Master of Social Work with a specialization in Management and Leadership and Policy and Political Social Work. Before working at BUILD Institute, Marisa worked in a variety of different programs at the Detroit Regional Chamber, including the Detroit Promise, a program providing full college scholarships to Detroit high school graduates, and Let’s Detroit, a talent attraction a retention program for young professionals.

Marisa is an equity-driven professional with a deep passion for the Detroit community. At BUILD Institute, she focuses on ensuring equitable access to educational resources for under-represented and under-resourced small business owners through BUILD’s programming. She plays an integral role in streamlining processes for designing, implementing, and evaluating BUILD’s programs for continued growth and scale. 

Onni Stone

Capital Director

Onni Stone is the Capital Director at BUILD Institute, where she designs and implements capital solutions to support startup and growth stage micro-entrepreneurs as they secure the funding needed to achieve their dreams. With a diverse background in small business, event planning, dentistry, and IT, and a business administration degree from an international school, Onni brings a multifaceted approach to BUILD. She is deeply committed to economic empowerment, particularly for underserved and marginalized communities, and her work centers on creating effective, data-driven resources that open doors to financial growth and economic inclusion.

Beyond her role at BUILD, Onni is proud to volunteer and have participated in a number of organizations including the Wall Street Wizards, Race Matters, Michigan United, The Great Lakes Herb Faire, and a number of urban gardens around Detroit. In her free time, you can find her reading, woodworking, exploring, or learning something new. 

Janae’ Griggs

Small Business Solutions Manager

Janae’ Griggs is the Entrepreneur-In-Residence at BUILD Institute. She is a Business Growth Strategist who helps people with ideas and small business owners develop “out of the box” strategies and solutions to increase their capital and customers. Janae’ has been a serial entrepreneur for the past 10 years and her work is rooted in helping women of color breakthrough barriers of systemic inequity. Janae’ started a 501(c)3 nonprofit mentoring organization for at-risk young girls in the Metro Detroit area called P.I.N.K. Detroit.

Janae’ uses this knowledge to help educate small business owners on industry leading best practices and techniques that they could use to improve and scale their respective businesses. As an avid learner, she spends her free time reading books related to new strategies that business owners could implement in their businesses.

Noah Kaminsky

Programs and Marketing Manager

Noah Kaminsky is the Programs Manager at BUILD Institute. Noah grew up in metro Detroit and spent his formative years experiencing Detroit through arts, volunteerism, and music. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in environmental science and urban planning, he moved to Detroit to begin his professional life doing work in environmental advocacy and community development. At one point, Noah worked for D:hive, the Detroit resource hub where the concept for BUILD Institute was incubated and launched. After several years working in small business development, music education, and for various non-profits around the city, Noah decided to pursue his MBA in Marketing from Wayne State University.

Noah brings his expertise in event management, small business development, and community BUILDING to BUILD. He finds great satisfaction in helping passionate Detroit entrepreneurs develop their dreams and ideas into sustainable businesses.

Matthew Roedel

Operations Manager

Matthew is the Office Coordinator at BUILD Institute. Matthew is a Michigan native, and has lived in the state for most of his life, as well as, lived several years in Los Angeles, California, where he worked in the film industry. Upon returning to Michigan, Matthew channeled his creative energies into a love for the culinary arts and all things hospitality. Having spent several years in the food & beverage industry, Matthew has worked for, and alongside, a great number of small businesses in Detroit and throughout SE Michigan. This has been instrumental in developing a deep appreciation for entrepreneurship and the independent spirit.

Matthew is passionate about empowering microentrepreneurs, helping them find their voice and share their gifts with others in order to improve both their communities, and their own lives.

Our Impact

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