Infusing Innovation & Creativity in Southwest Michigan

BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF INNOVATION IN OUR COMMUNITY

MIX DesignMIX Southwest Michigan believes in the power of creativity and innovation in our community. We’re bringing together local creators and innovators for mixers, seminars, workshops, and networking to grow the creative future and talent of Southwest Michigan.

Southwest Michigan’s rich history of innovative and creative companies in diverse industries is a powerful force in the vibrancy of our community. Design-based companies affect economic prosperity and play a vital part in the education of our students as innovators and leaders for the future.

Powered by Southwest Michigan First, MIX events are designed to inspire, educate, and expose area creatives to great ideas, people, and companies that call Southwest Michigan home. Events are content-based, focused on exploring design thinking, trends and tools, and explore best practices to encourage innovation.

Creatives of every discipline are invited to participate in our events – from interior designers to industrial designers, chefs to graphic designers, architects to video game designers. Anyone who considers themselves creative is welcome to join us.

MIX = Michigan + X marks the spot where innovation happens!

More than 2,000 creatives are connected to this event and more than 325 organizations from across the region are represented.

2024 MIX Calendar

MARCH 19MIX | Pop-Up and Calendar Launch

APRIL 25MIX | Spring RID+I Talent Celebration and Senior Showcase

JUNE/JULY – MIX  | Field Trip to Battle Creek – Duncan Aviation

AUGUST 21 – MIX | Stryker Medical

OCTOBER 3 – MIX Design Day | The Catalyst Center

DECEMBER 11 – MIX Innovation Celebration | The Catalyst Center

MIX Photo Banner

About MIX

Engage area creatives and designers to curate content for a regional design-centric program that will inspire innovation, connect designers from different disciplines and encourage collaboration. Interactions encourage relationships between all sectors of design professionals to “raise the bar” on design professionals and create vibrant connections with Western Michigan University Design focused students (RIDI & Engineering) and the creative community.

About WMU Richmond Institute for Design + Innovation

Through partnership with global design-focused companies based in our region such as Stryker, Landscape Forms, Newell Brands and Whirlpool, we have worked with Western Michigan University to build a Bachelor of Arts program – Designed for Companies by Companies to address their talent needs. The Richmond Institute for Design + Innovation launched in 2016 and celebrated its first class of graduates in 2020.

MIX Design Sponsors