On Monday, Sept. 14, technology and innovation took center stage as The Right Place, Inc. launched the fifth annual Tech Week Grand Rapids. The week-long celebration began with a fireside chat at GLC Live at 20 Monroe featuring entrepreneurs and longtime stars of ABC’s Shark Tank, Daymond John and Robert Herjavec. More than 1,000 local business leaders, professionals and students attended the kickoff.
The main attraction? Two entrepreneurs who have spent decades building businesses, investing in companies and navigating a rapidly changing business landscape.
John, the founder of the global fashion brand FUBU and a longtime Shark Tank investor, brought decades of entrepreneurial experience to the Grand Rapids stage. A three-time New York Times bestselling author, John was also appointed by former President Barack Obama as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, a role focused on inspiring and developing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Herjavec, meanwhile, brought his extensive background in cybersecurity and entrepreneurship to the conversation. The Emmy Award-winning executive producer and longtime Shark Tank investor has spent more than 35 years in cybersecurity, advising governments and large enterprises and building companies in the industry. He founded his most recent company with two employees and grew it into a global cybersecurity business with nearly 1,000 people before selling it to private equity and building more than $1 billion in value.
Together, the two “Sharks” helped set the tone for a week centered on innovation, collaboration and the role technology will play in the region’s future.
“We are thrilled to have Daymond John and Robert Herjavec in Grand Rapids to launch Tech Week,” said Andria Romkema, senior vice president of business development at The Right Place and lead organizer of Tech Week Grand Rapids. “Both have built their careers by anticipating where technology and business are heading next, so we were excited for our community to hear their perspective on what the future holds.”
Presented by premier sponsor Bank of America, Tech Week is supported by a 35-member advisory board and more than 300 community partners. And while technology is at the center of the week, the events are open to the public—not just people working in the technology sector.
“Tech Week Grand Rapids demonstrates what’s possible when a community embraces innovation and invests in the future of the region’s businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Paul Keifer, Bank of America president of West Michigan. “Bank of America is proud to support this showcase that continues to elevate Grand Rapids as a growing hub for technology, complemented by a robust education sector to inspire the next generation of tech talent, founders, and leaders.”
Building on last year’s turnout of more than 15,000 attendees, Tech Week Grand Rapids 2026 features more than 150 events across the Greater Grand Rapids area through Sept. 19.
The week’s programming spans some of the region’s most prominent technology-related industries and emerging areas, including artificial intelligence, med-tech, high-tech manufacturing, mobility and cybersecurity.
Now in its fifth year, Tech Week has become a multi-day showcase of the Greater Grand Rapids technology ecosystem, bringing together professionals, entrepreneurs, students and members of the public for a week focused on what’s happening now—and what comes next—in regional technology and innovation. For more information on Tech Week, visit the website HERE.
