About the program
The ladder.
Build 313 is the front door to a full pipeline that takes Detroit builders from their first AI prototype to a funded startup. Three stages, one mission: make it easier to build a company in Detroit.
The pipeline
Three stages, one ladder up.
- Start here
Build 313
The on-ramp
- Who it's for
- Anyone in Detroit who's curious about AI: students, professionals, career-switchers, no coding background required.
- What you do
- Attend free weekly workshops. Beginner, Advanced, and Re:Fuel tracks. Hands-on sessions with Lovable, Cursor, and Claude Code.
- What's next
- Ship a real prototype. If you want to keep going, apply to Re:Fuel.
Re:Fuel
The accelerator
- Who it's for
- Builders ready to turn a prototype into a company. Cohort-based, application required.
- What you do
- Structured curriculum, dedicated mentors, founder office hours, and a path to launch.
- What's next
- Demo day with Venture 313 partners and Detroit's investor community.
Venture 313
The capital
- Who it's for
- Detroit-based high-tech founders building scalable companies.
- What you do
- Pre-seed investments, non-dilutive grants, product development support, and strategic partnerships.
- What's next
- Scale with the full Venture 313 and TechTown ecosystem behind you.
Who we serve
Built for the 313.
- 01
First-time builders
No CS degree, no problem. Bring curiosity, leave with shipped software.
- 02
Career switchers
Move into tech with hands-on AI skills, not bootcamp lectures.
- 03
Students
Build a portfolio that proves you can actually ship.
- 04
Existing founders
Compress months of work into a Tuesday night with AI tooling.
Get involved
Ready to start?
The fastest way in is to RSVP to an upcoming event. Show up, build something, we'll take it from there.