Midwest House brings summit back to Grand Rapids in December

Midwest House will return its annual summit to Grand Rapids on Dec. 2-3, 2026, after a sold-out inaugural event there and a new stop in Columbus. The two-city series has drawn more than 800 attendees and more than 90 speakers, underscoring the group’s push to build a larger Midwest innovation network.

Why it matters: - Midwest House is trying to turn its summit series into a repeatable regional convening point for founders, investors and civic leaders. - The return to Grand Rapids signals continued demand for a Midwest-centered event platform outside the coastal tech hubs. - More than 800 attendees across Grand Rapids and Columbus show the format has enough momentum to scale city by city.

What happened: - Midwest House announced that the Midwest House Summit will return to Grand Rapids on Dec. 2-3, 2026. - The summit will take place at Bamboo Grand Rapids, the same venue that hosted the sold-out inaugural event in December 2025. - The announcement follows Midwest House Summit Ohio, held July 29-31, 2026, in Columbus. - The two-city summit series has drawn more than 800 attendees and featured more than 90 speakers.

The details: - The first Grand Rapids summit, held Dec. 3-4, 2025, drew 533 total attendees. - That audience included 156 founders and CEOs, 79 venture capitalists and investors, and 336 guests from outside the Grand Rapids area. - Those out-of-area attendees came from 18 states. - Midwest House said the Columbus summit extended the format into a new market with three days of programming across two stages at Rev1 Ventures and the Idea Foundry in the Franklinton Arts District. - The Columbus event drew attendees from Ohio, Michigan and 10 additional states. - The Columbus lineup included more than 45 speakers on ecosystem building, venture capital, human-centered AI and regional competitiveness. - The 2026 Grand Rapids summit will be held at Bamboo Grand Rapids, a 40,000-square-foot innovation hub at 2 Fulton Street W in downtown Grand Rapids. - Tickets are available at Ticket information and more information is posted at Midwest House Summit.

Between the lines: - Midwest House is positioning the summit as a regional franchise, not a one-off conference. - The group is leaning on a mix of city hosts, startup venues and cross-state attendance to build what it describes as a community-rooted network. - Ted Velie, co-founder and CEO of Midwest House, said the goal is to bring the world back to the Midwest and use the summit as a convening force for a more connected and competitive region.

What's next: - Midwest House will host the second annual Grand Rapids summit on Dec. 2-3, 2026. - The event is expected to bring together founders, investors, civic leaders and builders for two days of programming and networking. - Midwest House is also continuing to promote its broader events, media and partnership network across the Midwest and at SXSW.

The bottom line: - Midwest House is betting that a Midwest-focused summit circuit can grow into the region's must-attend innovation gathering.