SE Michigan is home to billion dollar ad agencies like Campell-Ewald (the country's 6th largest) as well as small creative powerhouses like Ann-Arbor based Perich and Partners. Selling more than just horseless carriages, the region's 50+ agencies have developed ad campaigns for everything from Levi's to Target, Honey Baked Hams to Kentucky Fried Chicken, Netflix to The Navy. Whether its television, print, radio or Internet, these firms are plugged into the global marketplace.

From biofuels to batteries, the auto industry makes SE Michigan ground zero for alternative energy research. But the quest for renewable power doesn't stop there. Whether it's solar energy leader United Solar Olvonic in Auburn Hills or wind turbine innovators Danotek in Ann Arbor, weaning the US off fossil fuels may be the key to Michigan's economic success.

Local architects are dreaming up designs that make you forget Southeast Michigan is part of the Rustbelt. Local talent — many trained at U-M, Laurence Tech, University of Detroit Mercy and Cranbrook — are making buildings green, modern and breathtaking.

Some of the most innovative work done in Southeast Michigan comes from a large, renowned field of top-notch designers, including cool furniture makers in Royal Oak, cutting edge fashion labels in Detroit, and a much-sought-after tile-works in Ann Arbor.  And don't forget the gleaming cars that come from the creative minds all over metro Detroit.

Whether its biotech start-ups like Ann Arbor's QuatRx, alternative energy companies like Grosse Pointe's Environmental Transportation Solutions or microbrewers in Dexter, economic pioneers are reshaping Michigan's business landscape.You can't stop them, so why not join them?

We're ready for our close up, Mr DeMille. From cineastes to camera jockeys, SE Michigan has caught the Hollywood bug. Film fests are popping up around the region like dandelions and laptop auteurs are busily working on their YouTube masterpiece, even the state's legislature has gotten in on the act, approving a Michigan Film Production Incentive Package. Could Hamtramck produce the next Scorcese? Pontiac the next Spielberg? Stay tuned...

Surprise! Michigan is ranked in the top 13 states for energy-efficient buildings and Detroit is the stand-out when it comes to larger construction. The list of organizations, foundations and educational institutions promoting a greener Mitten State seems to grow by the day. From Greenbuilt Michigan to Lawrence Technological University’s Center for Sustainability, the region is tightening its green belt and looking healthier for it. Even auto giant Ford is getting in on the action, turning their sprawling Rouge Plant in Dearborn into a model of green building.

With nearly 30 colleges and universities, SE Michigan's talent pool is both deep and wide. The state's Big Three schools alone (University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University) bring in hundreds of millions of research dollars, create tens of thousands of jobs and spawn dozens of start-up companies every year. From the design programs at the College for Creative Studies to the engineering school at Lawrence Technological University, these schools are the engines that drive not only Michigan but the entire nation.

Whether it's Hass MS&L storming the web with innovative ad campaigns, Ann Arbor's Healthmedia leading the way with online health resources or Oakland County offering wireless service to all its residents, SE Michigan understands that the Internet is a heckuva lot more than a bunch of tubes; it is our cultural and economic future.

With local companies boasting double digit growth, SE Michigan not only has IT, it's going to get a lot more of IT. If you haven't heard of TechTeam, AMI Strategies, Red Level Networks or Netlink Software then you haven't been paying attention. IT firms intend to triple employment over the next five years, paving the way for Michigan's high tech future.

It takes good DNA to establish a healthy bioscience industry and SE Michigan's gene pool is deep and wide. Along with academic and research powerhouses like the University Of Michigan and Wayne State University, Michbio --a local life sciences trade association-- is a relentless advocate for this ever-growing field. You could play connect-the-dots with the successful biotech start ups that have popped up in the region: Molecular Innovations in Southfield, Nanobio in Ann Arbor, Detroit's Asterand; Michigan's biosciences are truly the shape of things to come.

Metro Detroit is second to none when it comes to revolutionizing modern music. From Motown to Punk Rock to Electronica, we set the trends everyone else follows. BlowOut, Dorkwave and Detroit's Electronic Music Festival offer audiences a chance to connect with the rhythm and soul of our region and witness the next 'big thing' before everyone else catches up.

Want to conquer the universe? Slay trolls and goblins? Run for president? The video game industry is the new frontier of entertainment. With annual revenues reaching $14 billion, SE Michigan companies like Stardock, Critical Moves and Reactor Zero are looking to get in on the action. Keep watching, Michigan's next Big Three may very well be virtual.